أَلا مَن يَرى رَأيَ اِمرِئٍ ذي قَرابَةٍ

أَبَت نَفسُهُ بِالبُغضِ إِلّا تَطَلُّعا

Alas! Who sees the opinion of a near kinsman

Whose soul refuses except to pry

وَما ذاكَ عَن شَيءٍ أَكونُ اِجتَنَيتُهُ

إِلَيكَ وَما حاوَلتُ سوءً فَيُمنَعا

It is not about something I intended to take from you

Nor did I attempt any mischief to be prevented

وَكانَ اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ مِثلَ مِجَنِّهِ

يَقيهِ إِذا لاقى الكَمِيَّ المُقَنَّعا

The cousin of a man is like his armor

Protecting him when he meets the masked assailant

إِذا ما اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ أَفرَدَ رُكنَهُ

وَإِن كانَ جَلداً ذا عَزاءٍ تَضَعضَعا

When the cousin of a man singles out his pillar

And even if he is weak with little vigor

فَنَصرَكَ أَرجو لا العَداوَةَ إِنَّما

أَبوكَ أَبي وَإِنَّما صَفقُنا مَعا

So I hope for your support, not enmity

Your father is my father, and we shook hands together

وَإِن كانَ لِلعُتبى فَأَهلُ قَرابَةٍ

وَإِن كانَ هَذا لِاِنتِقاصٍ فَمُضرَعا

If there is blame, then relatives are worthy of it

And if this is belittlement, then I am submissive

فَهَذا عِتابٌ وَاِزدِجارٌ فَإِن يَعُد

وَجَدِّكَ أَدرِك ما تَسَلَّفتَ أَجمَعا

So this is reproach and deterrence, but if it returns

I swear find what you missed altogether

فَإِن يوسِرِ المَولى فَإِنَّكَ حاسِدٌ

وَإِن يَفتَقِر لا يُلفِ عِندَكَ مَطمَعا

If God gives wealth then you are envious

And if he becomes poor, he has no hopes in you

وَإِن هُوَ يُظلَم لا تُدافِع بِحاجَةٍ

وَإِن هُوَ يَظلِم قُلتَ جَنبُكَ أُضرِعا

And if he is wronged, you do not defend out of necessity

And if he wrongs, you said, “I turn away submissively”