وَإِن بادَهوني بِالعَداوَةِ لَم أَكُن

وَإِن بادَهوني بِالعَداوَةِ لَم أَكُن

أَبادُهُم إِلّا بِما يَنعَت الرُشدا

أَبادُهُم إِلّا بِما يَنعَت الرُشدا

And should they confront me with hostility, I would not

Though they treat me with enmity, I only repay them

Respond to them except with what bespeaks sound judgment.

With what befits wisdom and righteousness

وَإِن قَطَعوا مِنّي الأَواصِر ضَلَّةً

وَإِن قَطَعوا مِنّي الأَواصِر ضَلَّةً

وَصَلتُ لَهُم مُنّي المَحَبَّةِ وَالوُدّا

وَصَلتُ لَهُم مُنّي المَحَبَّةِ وَالوُدّا

And if they sever the bonds with me in error,

Though they sever ties with me out of error,

I extend to them my love and affection.

I connect to them with my affection and friendship

وَلا أَحمِلُ الحِقدَ القَديمَ عَلَيهِم

وَلا أَحمِلُ الحِقدَ القَديمَ عَلَيهِم

وَلَيسَ كَريمُ القَومِ مَن يَحمِلُ الحِقدا

وَلَيسَ كَريمُ القَومِ مَن يَحمِلُ الحِقدا

And I bear no old rancor against them,

I do not harbor old grudges against them,

And the noble man among his people is not one who bears rancor.

For it is not noble to bear grudges

فَذلِكَ دَأبي في الحَياةِ وَدَأبُهُم

فَذلِكَ دَأبي في الحَياةِ وَدَأبُهُم

سَجيسَ اللَيالي أَو يُزيرونَني اللَحدا

سَجيسَ اللَيالي أَو يُزيرونَني اللَحدا

So that is my way in life, and theirs,

Such is my way in life, and their way

As long as nights endure—or until they bring me to the grave.

To vilify my nights or wish me in the grave

لَهُم جُلُّ مالي إِن تَتابَعَ لي غَنّى

لَهُم جُلُّ مالي إِن تَتابَعَ لي غَنّى

وَإِن قَلَّ مالي لَم أُكَلِّفهُم رِفدا

وَإِن قَلَّ مالي لَم أُكَلِّفهُم رِفدا

Most of my wealth is theirs, if riches keep coming to me,

I give them all I own when fortune comes my way,

And if my wealth is scant, I do not burden them by asking for aid.

And when little I own, I do not burden them to provide

وَإِنّي لَعَبدُ الضَيفِ ما دامَ نازِلاً

وَإِنّي لَعَبدُ الضَيفِ ما دامَ نازِلاً

وَما شيمَةٌ لي غَيرُها تُشبهُ العَبدا

وَما شيمَةٌ لي غَيرُها تُشبهُ العَبدا

And I am indeed the guest's slave for as long as he stays,

I am a servant to the guest while he stays,

And no other trait of mine resembles a slave's.

For I know no nobler role than that of a servant

عَلى أَنَّ قَومي ما تَرى عَين ناظِرٍ

عَلى أَنَّ قَومي ما تَرى عَين ناظِرٍ

كَشَيبِهِم شَيباً وَلا مُردهم مُرداً

كَشَيبِهِم شَيباً وَلا مُردهم مُرداً

Yet, as for my people, no observer's eye sees

Yet my people, no watcher's eye has seen,

Gray-haired elders like theirs, nor beardless youths like theirs,

As old in age, or as firm in resolve, as they

بِفَضلٍ وَأَحلام وجودِ وَسُؤدُد

بِفَضلٍ وَأَحلام وجودِ وَسُؤدُد

وَقَومي رَبيع في الزَمانِ إِذا شَدّا

وَقَومي رَبيع في الزَمانِ إِذا شَدّا

In excellence, wisdom, generosity, and nobility.

With generosity, dreams, magnanimity and help

And my people are springtime when the times grow harsh.

My people are springtime whenever they gather