أَراكَ إِذا ما قُلتَ قَولاً قَبِلتُه

أَراكَ إِذا ما قُلتَ قَولاً قَبِلتُه

وَليسَ لِأَقوالي إِلَيكَ قَبولُ

وَليسَ لِأَقوالي إِلَيكَ قَبولُ

I see that whenever you say something, I accept it,

I accept whatever you say

Yet my words find no acceptance with you.

Yet my words find no acceptance with you

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ ظَنَّكَ سَيّءٌ

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ ظَنَّكَ سَيّءٌ

بِأَهلِ الوَفا وَالظَنُّ فيكَ جَميلُ

بِأَهلِ الوَفا وَالظَنُّ فيكَ جَميلُ

And that is only because you think ill

That's only because you think ill

Of the loyal, while you are thought well of.

Of those true of heart, though good faith in you is plentiful

فَكُن قائِلاً قَولَ السَموأَلِ تائِهاً

فَكُن قائِلاً قَولَ السَموأَلِ تائِهاً

بِنَفسِكَ عُجباً وَهوَ مِنكَ قَليلُ

بِنَفسِكَ عُجباً وَهوَ مِنكَ قَليلُ

So utter al-Samaw'al's words, glorying

So speak lofty words, confused in yourself

In yourself with pride—and that is little coming from you:

Full of self-pride, though in you it's scarce

وَنُنكِرُ إِن شِئنا عَلى الناسِ قَولَهُم

وَنُنكِرُ إِن شِئنا عَلى الناسِ قَولَهُم

وَلا يُنكِرونَ القَولَ حينَ نَقولُ

وَلا يُنكِرونَ القَولَ حينَ نَقولُ

And, if we wish, we reject what people say,

We can reject people's words if we wish

While they do not reject our words when we speak.

Yet they won't reject ours when we speak