سَأُلزِمُ نَفسي الصَفحَ عَن كُلِّ مُذنِب

وَإِن كَثُرَت مِنهُ عَلَيَّ الجَرائِمُ

I will compel myself to forgive every sinner

Though his crimes against me may be immense

وَما الناسُ إِلّا واحِدٌ مِن ثَلاثَة

شَريفٌ وَمَشروفٌ وَمِثلي مُقاوِمُ

For people are but one of three kinds

Noble, ignoble, and like me holding on

فَأَمّا الَّذي فَوقي فَأَعرِفُ فَضلَهُ

وَألزمُ فيهِ الحَقَّ وَالحَقُّ لازِمُ

As for the one above me, I acknowledge his merit

And in him truth and right prevail and stay

وَأَمّا الَّذي دوني فَإِن قالَ صُنتُ عَن

مَقالَتِهِ نَفسي وَإِن لامَ لائِمُ

And the one below, if he speaks, I shun his speech

And if he chides, no challenger appears

وَأَمّا الَّذي مِثلي فَإِن زَلَّ أَو هَفا

تَفَصَّلتُ إِنَّ الفَضلَ لِلحُرِّ حاكِمُ

And the one my equal, if he errs or forgets

I pardon, for merit in the free is arbiter