أَلَم تَرَ انّي وَالتَكرُّمُ شيمَتي

أَلَم تَرَ انّي وَالتَكرُّمُ شيمَتي

وَكُلُّ امرىءٍ جارٍ عَلى ما تَعَوَّدا

وَكُلُّ امرىءٍ جارٍ عَلى ما تَعَوَّدا

Have you not seen that generosity is my nature,

Have you not seen that I—nobility being my nature,

and that every man proceeds as he has accustomed himself?

and every man following his accustomed way—

أُطَهِّر أَثوابي مِنَ الغَدرِ والخَنا

أُطَهِّر أَثوابي مِنَ الغَدرِ والخَنا

وَأَنحو إِلى ما كانَ خَيراً وَأَمجَدا

وَأَنحو إِلى ما كانَ خَيراً وَأَمجَدا

I keep my garments unstained by treachery and obscenity,

cleanse my garments of treachery and foulness,

and incline toward whatever is better and more glorious.

and seek what is better and more glorious?

وَشاعِرِ سوءٍ يَهضِمُ القَولَ كُلَّهُ

وَشاعِرِ سوءٍ يَهضِمُ القَولَ كُلَّهُ

إِذا قالَ أَقوى ما يَقولُ وَأَسنَدا

إِذا قالَ أَقوى ما يَقولُ وَأَسنَدا

And many a wretched poet who does violence to all speech—

And many a vile poet who mangles all his verse,

when he recites, he commits both iqwāʾ and sinād.

whenever he speaks, mismatching rhyme vowels and pre-rhyme sounds—

صَفحتُ لَهُ بَعدَ الأَناةِ فَرُعتُهُ

صَفحتُ لَهُ بَعدَ الأَناةِ فَرُعتُهُ

بِحَرباءَ لَم يعلم لَها كَيفَ أَرصَدا

بِحَرباءَ لَم يعلم لَها كَيفَ أَرصَدا

After patient restraint, I forgave him—then struck awe into him

I pardoned him after deliberation, then made him quake

with a war for which he never knew how I had laid my ambush.

with a chameleon-like satire he knew not how to guard against.

وَإِنّي لَذو حِلمٍ كَثيرٍ وَإِنَني

وَإِنّي لَذو حِلمٍ كَثيرٍ وَإِنَني

كَثيراً لأُشفي داءَ مَن كانَ أَصيَدا

كَثيراً لأُشفي داءَ مَن كانَ أَصيَدا

Indeed, I possess abundant forbearance, though I

I do possess great forbearance, and indeed I

often cure the malady of whoever grows arrogant.

often cure the ailment of the stiff-necked.

أَعودُ عَلى المولى إِذا زَلَّ حِلمُهُ

أَعودُ عَلى المولى إِذا زَلَّ حِلمُهُ

بِحِلمي وَكانَ العَودُ أَبقى وَأَحمَدا

بِحِلمي وَكانَ العَودُ أَبقى وَأَحمَدا

When an ally's self-command fails, I answer him

I show my ally kindness when his forbearance falters,

with my own; such a return is more enduring and praiseworthy.

with my own; such kindness proves more lasting and praiseworthy.

فَكُنتُ إِذا المَولى بِداليَ غِشُّهُ

فَكُنتُ إِذا المَولى بِداليَ غِشُّهُ

تَجاوَزتُ عَنهُ واستَدَمتُ بِهِ غَدا

تَجاوَزتُ عَنهُ واستَدَمتُ بِهِ غَدا

Thus, whenever an ally's deceit became apparent to me,

So whenever my ally's deceit became clear to me,

I overlooked it and sought to preserve him for another day,

I would overlook it and preserve a tomorrow with him,

لِتُحكِمَه الأَيامُ أَو لِتَردَّهُ

لِتُحكِمَه الأَيامُ أَو لِتَردَّهُ

عَليَّ وَلَم أَبسِط لِساناً وَلا يَدا

عَليَّ وَلَم أَبسِط لِساناً وَلا يَدا

that time might set him right or bring him back

so the days might teach him wisdom, or bring him back

to me; I lashed out with neither tongue nor hand.

to me, without my unleashing either tongue or hand.