لَو كُنتُ مِن سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ لَم أُبَل

مَقالاً وَلَو أَحفَظتَني بِالقَوارِصِ

Had I been one of Sa'd ibn Dhubyan's ilk, I would not care

for any saying though you should protect me with coats of mail,

وَكَيفَ بِصَفحي عَن لَئيمٍ تَلاحَقَت

إِلَيهِ بِأَخلاقِ الدَناءَةِ ناقِصِ

How could I spare one so vile when meanness

clung to him with the attributes of baseness and vileness?

نَهَيتُكَ أَن تَجري وَلَيسَ بِلاحِقٍ

مَشوبُ الفِلاءِ بِالجِيادِ الخَوالِصِ

I ordered you not to run away, for one impeded with guilt

is not worth pursuing, even with steeds of pure breed.