1. غَيري يُغَيِّرُهُ الفَعالُ الجافي

    وَيَحولُ عَن شِيَمِ الكَريمِ الوافي

    Others, not I, are changed by harsh conduct,

    And turn from the ways of the noble and faithful.

  2. لا أَرتَضي وُدّاً إِذا هُوَ لَم يَدُم

    عِندَ الجَفاءِ وَقِلَّةِ الإِنصافِ

    I accept no affection if it does not endure

    Through coldness and a lack of fairness.

  3. تَعِسَ الحَريصُ وَقَلَّ ما يَأتي بِهِ

    عِوَضاً مِنَ الإِلحاحِ وَالإِلحافِ

    Woe to the greedy man! Little does he gain

    In return for insistence and importunate pleading.

  4. إِنَّ الغَنِيَّ هُوَ الغَنِيُّ بِنَفسِهِ

     وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ عاري المَناكِبِ حافِ

    The truly rich man is the one rich within himself,

    Even if he is bare-shouldered and barefoot.

  5. ماكُلُّ مافَوقَ البَسيطَةِ كافِياً

    فَإِذا قَنِعتَ فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ كافِ

    Not even all that is on earth is enough;

    But if you are content, everything suffices.

  6. وَتَعافُ لي طَمَعَ الحَريصِ أُبُوَّتي

    وَمُروءَتي وَقَناعَتي وَعَفافي

    My lineage rejects for me the grasping man's greed,

    As do my honor, my contentment, and my self-restraint.

  7. ماكَثرَةُ الخَيلِ الجِيادِ بِزائِدي

    شَرَفاً وَلا عَدَدُ السَوامِ الضافي

    A multitude of fine steeds does not raise me

    In honor, nor do great numbers of grazing livestock.

  8. خَيلي وَإِن قَلَّت كَثيرٌ نَفعُها

    بَينَ الصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا الرَعّافِ

    My horses, though few, render great service

    Amid keen swords and blood-dripping lances.

  9. وَمَكارِمي عَدَدُ النُجومِ وَمَنزِلي

    مَأوى الكِرامِ وَمَنزِلُ الأَضيافِ

    My noble deeds are as numerous as the stars, and my home

    Is a refuge for the noble and a lodging for guests.

  10. لا أَقتَني لِصُروفِ دَهري عُدَّةً

    حَتّى كَأَنَّ صُروفُهُ أَحلافي

    I lay up no provisions against my life's reversals,

    So much so that its reversals seem my allies.

  11. شِيَمٌ عُرِفتُ بِهِنَّ مُذ أَنا يافِعٌ

    وَلَقَد عَرَفتُ بِمِثلِها أَسلافي

    These are traits I have been known for since I was a youth,

    And indeed, I knew my forebears for qualities like these.