وكنتُ إذا ما هجاني امرؤٌ

لئيمٌ عرفت دواءَ اللئيمِ

And if a despicable man assailed me

I knew the remedy for the despicable one

أعدُّ هجائي له نائلاً

وأبذُلُه بذلَ سَمْح كريمِ

I prepare my invective against him obtaining

And spend it with the expenditure of a generous one

فأبلغُ من شتمه حاجتي

ولم أهدِ في ذاك هَدْي المليمِ

So I achieve against the one who reviled me my desire

And in that I did not miss the guidance of the blameworthy one