وَإِنّي لَعَفُّ الفَقرِ مُشتَرَكُ الغِنى

وَإِنّي لَعَفُّ الفَقرِ مُشتَرَكُ الغِنى

وَوُدُّكَ شَكلٌ لا يُوافِقُهُ شَكلي

وَوُدُّكَ شَكلٌ لا يُوافِقُهُ شَكلي

And I am indeed self-respecting in poverty and share my wealth.

Though poor, I spurn poverty and live nobly,

And your affection is of a kind that does not accord with my nature.

Your love's a garment that fits not my mould.

وَشَكلِيَ شَكلٌ لا يَقومُ لِمِثلِهِ

وَشَكلِيَ شَكلٌ لا يَقومُ لِمِثلِهِ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا كُلُّ ذي نيقَةٍ مِثلي

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا كُلُّ ذي نيقَةٍ مِثلي

And my nature is of a kind that none can equal

My mould's a garment made to fit none other,

Among people, except those who seek excellence like me.

Of men, but those of elegant garb, like me.

وَلي نيقَةٌ في المَجدِ وَالبَذلِ لَم تَكُن

وَلي نيقَةٌ في المَجدِ وَالبَذلِ لَم تَكُن

تَأَنَّقَها فيما مَضى أَحَدٌ قَبلي

تَأَنَّقَها فيما مَضى أَحَدٌ قَبلي

And I seek excellence in glory and giving, as never

In bounty and glory, my stylishness

Did anyone before me in days gone by.

Was matched by none who lived before me.

وَأَجعَلُ مالي دونَ عِرضِيَ جُنَّةً

وَأَجعَلُ مالي دونَ عِرضِيَ جُنَّةً

لِنَفسي فَأَستَغني بِما كانَ مِن فَضلي

لِنَفسي فَأَستَغني بِما كانَ مِن فَضلي

And I place my wealth before my honor as a shield

I hold my honour dearer than wealth,

For myself, finding sufficiency in whatever I have left over.

And live well on what my merits have earned.

وَلي مَعَ بَذلِ المالِ وَالبَأسِ صَولَةٌ

وَلي مَعَ بَذلِ المالِ وَالبَأسِ صَولَةٌ

إِذا الحَربُ أَبدَت عَن نَواجِذُها العُصلِ

إِذا الحَربُ أَبدَت عَن نَواجِذُها العُصلِ

And besides giving wealth and showing valor, I strike fiercely

With open hand and valiant sword, I have

When war bares its crooked molars.

A fierceness, when battle bares its blade.

وَما ضَرَّني أَن سارَ سَعدٌ بِأَهلِهِ

وَما ضَرَّني أَن سارَ سَعدٌ بِأَهلِهِ

وَأَفرَدَني في الدارِ لَيسَ مَعي أَهلي

وَأَفرَدَني في الدارِ لَيسَ مَعي أَهلي

And it did me no harm that Sa'd departed with his family

It harms me not Sa'd journeys with his family,

And left me alone in the dwelling, my own family not with me.

Leaving me in the house with no kin by me.

سَيَكفي اِبتِنايَ المَجدَ سَعدَ بنِ حَشرَجِ

سَيَكفي اِبتِنايَ المَجدَ سَعدَ بنِ حَشرَجِ

وَأَحمِلُ عَنكُم كُلَّ ما حَلَّ مِن أَزلي

وَأَحمِلُ عَنكُم كُلَّ ما حَلَّ مِن أَزلي

My building of glory will suffice Sa'd son of Hashraj,

To build renown shall suffice Sa'd ibn Hishr,

And I bear on your behalf all the hardship that has befallen me.

While I take on all that fate has decreed.

وَما مِن لَئيمٍ عالَهُ الدَهرُ مَرَّةً

وَما مِن لَئيمٍ عالَهُ الدَهرُ مَرَّةً

فَيَذكُرَها إِلّا اِستَمالَ إِلى البُخلِ

فَيَذكُرَها إِلّا اِستَمالَ إِلى البُخلِ

And no base man whom time has once afflicted

No shameful man, whom fortune once indulged,

Then recalls it without inclining toward miserliness.

Remembers, but inclines now to refuse.