قَنَعتُ بِالقوتِ مِن زَماني

قَنَعتُ بِالقوتِ مِن زَماني

وَصُنتُ نَفسي عَنِ الهَوانِ

وَصُنتُ نَفسي عَنِ الهَوانِ

I have been content with the sustenance my days afford,

I have been content with little since my youth

And have protected myself from humiliation,

And guarded my dignity from disgrace

خَوفاً مِنَ الناسِ أَن يَقولوا

خَوفاً مِنَ الناسِ أَن يَقولوا

فَضلُ فُلانٍ عَلى فُلانِ

فَضلُ فُلانٍ عَلى فُلانِ

For fear that people might say,

Fearing people would say

“So-and-so has bestowed favor upon so-and-so.”

So-and-so is superior to so-and-so

مَن كُنتُ عَن مالِهِ غَنِيّاً

مَن كُنتُ عَن مالِهِ غَنِيّاً

فَلا أُبالي إِذا جَفاني

فَلا أُبالي إِذا جَفاني

As for anyone whose wealth I do not need,

He who found me financially self-sufficient

I do not care if he shuns me.

I care not if he abandons me

وَمَن رَآني بِعَينِ نَقصٍ

وَمَن رَآني بِعَينِ نَقصٍ

رَأَيتُهُ بِالَّتي رَآني

رَأَيتُهُ بِالَّتي رَآني

And whoever regards me with an eye that finds me lacking,

And he who saw me with critical eyes

I regard him with the same eye with which he regards me.

I saw him with the same eyes

وَمَن رَآني بِعَينِ تَمٍّ

وَمَن رَآني بِعَينِ تَمٍّ

رَأَيتُهُ كامِلَ المَعاني

رَأَيتُهُ كامِلَ المَعاني

And whoever regards me with an eye that finds me complete,

But he who saw me with approving eyes

I regard him as complete in his qualities.

I saw him as the epitome of virtue