لَو كُنتُ مِن سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ لَم أُبَل

لَو كُنتُ مِن سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ لَم أُبَل

مَقالاً وَلَو أَحفَظتَني بِالقَوارِصِ

مَقالاً وَلَو أَحفَظتَني بِالقَوارِصِ

If I were of Saʿd ibn Ḍabba, I would not mind

Had I been one of Sa'd ibn Dhubyan's ilk, I would not care

A remark, even if you provoked me with biting insults.

for any saying though you should protect me with coats of mail,

وَكَيفَ بِصَفحي عَن لَئيمٍ تَلاحَقَت

وَكَيفَ بِصَفحي عَن لَئيمٍ تَلاحَقَت

إِلَيهِ بِأَخلاقِ الدَناءَةِ ناقِصِ

إِلَيهِ بِأَخلاقِ الدَناءَةِ ناقِصِ

And how could I pardon a vile man in whom have gathered

How could I spare one so vile when meanness

The traits of baseness—a man of little worth?

clung to him with the attributes of baseness and vileness?

نَهَيتُكَ أَن تَجري وَلَيسَ بِلاحِقٍ

نَهَيتُكَ أَن تَجري وَلَيسَ بِلاحِقٍ

مَشوبُ الفِلاءِ بِالجِيادِ الخَوالِصِ

مَشوبُ الفِلاءِ بِالجِيادِ الخَوالِصِ

I forbade you to race: there is no keeping pace

I ordered you not to run away, for one impeded with guilt

For a crossbred foal with purebred steeds.

is not worth pursuing, even with steeds of pure breed.