1. سَأُلزِمُ نَفسي الصَفحَ عَن كُلِّ مُذنِبٍ

    وَإِن كَثُرَت مِنهُ عَلَيَّ الجَرائِمُ

    I shall compel myself to pardon every wrongdoer,

    Even if his offenses against me are many.

  2. وَما الناسُ إِلّا واحِدٌ مِن ثَلاثَةٍ

    شَريفٌ وَمَشروفٌ وَمَثَلٌ مُقاوِمُ

    And each person is but one of three kinds:

    A superior, an inferior, and an equal peer.

  3. فَأَمّا الَّذي فَوقي فَأَعرِفُ فَضلَهُ

    وَأُتبِعُ فيهِ الحَقَّ وَالحَقُّ لازِمُ

    So as for the one above me, I acknowledge his merit,

    And I follow what is right in dealing with him, for right is binding.

  4. وَأَمّا الَّذي مِثلي فَإِن زَلَّ أَو هَفا

    تَفَضَّلتُ إِنَّ الفَضلَ بِالعِزِّ حاكِمُ

    And as for my equal, if he slips or errs,

    I show magnanimity, for magnanimity decrees honor.

  5. وَأَمّا الَّذي دوني فَإِن قالَ صُنتُ عَن

    إِجابَتَهِ عَرضي وَإِن لامَ لائِمُ

    And as for the one below me, if he speaks, I shield

    My honor from answering him, even if a faultfinder reproaches me.