يُخاطِبُني قُمْ فَاقْضِ حَقِّيَّ مِثلَهُ

يُخاطِبُني قُمْ فَاقْضِ حَقِّيَّ مِثلَهُ

وَإلا فمِن عَيْبي وسَبِّيَّ ما تَنْجُو

وَإلا فمِن عَيْبي وسَبِّيَّ ما تَنْجُو

One like him addresses me: “Rise and pay me my due;

He says to me, "Rise and grant me my due as you would your own,

Otherwise, you will not escape my disparagement and insults.”

Or else in reproaching and reviling me you will find no escape."

وَمَا أَحَدٌ لابْنِ الوَجِيهِ بِلا حِقٍ

وَمَا أَحَدٌ لابْنِ الوَجِيهِ بِلا حِقٍ

إذا امتَدَّ شَوْطٌ في المكارِمِ أوْ نَهْجُ

إذا امتَدَّ شَوْطٌ في المكارِمِ أوْ نَهْجُ

And no one can catch up with Ibn al-Wajih

Yet no man of noble birth can be owed aught without right,

When a race or path in noble deeds stretches far.

If he oversteps the mark in matters of honor or propriety.