كُن اِبنَ مَن شِئتَ واِكتَسِب أَدَباً

يُغنيكَ مَحمُودُهُ عَنِ النَسَبِ

Be the son of whoever you wish and acquire good manners.

Be the son of whomever you wish, and acquire virtue,

Its praise will suffice you instead of lineage.

Its praiseworthy merit will suffice you instead of lineage.

فَلَيسَ يُغني الحَسيبُ نِسبَتَهُ

بِلا لِسانٍ لَهُ وَلا أَدَبِ

Lineage will not avail the well-bred man

For ancestry is of no avail to the high-born,

If he has no eloquence or literary talent.

If he possesses neither eloquence nor virtue.

إِنَّ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ ها أَنا ذا

لَيسَ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ كانَ أَبي

The real man is one who says 'Here I am'

Indeed, the true youth is he who says, "Here I am,"

Not one who says 'My father was so and so'.

The true youth is not he who says, "My father was."