إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle هجانيlampoons me ناقصٌa man of little worth لاnot أُجيبُهُI answer him
إذا ما هجاني ناقصٌ لا أُجيبُهُ
فإنِّيَfor indeed I إنْif جاوبتُهُI answer him فلِيَthen mine is الذَّنْبُthe fault
فإنِّيَ إنْ جاوبتُهُ فلِيَ الذَّنْبُ
When a man of little worth lampoons me, I do not answer him.
If an inferior criticizes me, I do not answer him.
For if I answer him, the fault is mine.
For if I answer him, the fault is mine.
أُنزِّهُI keep unsullied نفسيmyself عنfrom مساواةِbeing equal to سفْلةٍbase people
أُنزِّهُ نفسي عن مساواةِ سفْلةٍ
ومنْand who ذاis it that يعضُّbites الكلبَthe dog إنْif عضَّهُbit him الكلبُthe dog
ومنْ ذا يعضُّ الكلبَ إنْ عضَّهُ الكلبُ
I hold myself above being on a par with base people.
I keep my self aloof from matching wits with fools.
And who would bite a dog if the dog bit him?
Who would blame the dog if it returned the bite of another dog?
Sol 6.1