ظلمتُ شِعري وليسَ الظُّلمُ من شِيَمي

ظلمتُ شِعري وليسَ الظُّلمُ من شِيَمي

يُطيعُني حين أدعوهُ وأعصيهِ

يُطيعُني حين أدعوهُ وأعصيهِ

I have wronged my poetry, though injustice is not among my traits.

I have wronged my poetry, yet wrongdoing is not my way,

It obeys me when I call it, yet I disobey it.

It obeys me when I call it, and disobeys me,

يَهُمُّ أن يذكرَ القومَ اللئامَ بما

يَهُمُّ أن يذكرَ القومَ اللئامَ بما

فيهم فأزجرُه عنهم وأَثْنيهِ

فيهم فأزجرُه عنهم وأَثْنيهِ

It intends to describe the vile people by what

It seeks to mention the ignoble men for what is in them,

is in them, but I restrain it from them and turn it back.

So I restrain it from them and commend it,

ولَيس من خُلُقي ثَلبُ الغَنِيِّ وإن

ولَيس من خُلُقي ثَلبُ الغَنِيِّ وإن

جَنى ولا ذكرُ ذي نَقصٍ بما فيهِ

جَنى ولا ذكرُ ذي نَقصٍ بما فيهِ

It is not in my nature to revile the rich man, even if

It is not in my character to covet the wealthy man's money, even if he has wronged me,

he does wrong, nor to speak of a flawed man's faults.

Nor to mention a deficient man for what deficiency is in him.