أَبا ضُبيعَةَ لا تَعجَل بِسيِّئَةٍ

أَبا ضُبيعَةَ لا تَعجَل بِسيِّئَةٍ

إِلى اِبنِ عَمِّكَ وَاِذكُرهُ بِإِحسانِ

إِلى اِبنِ عَمِّكَ وَاِذكُرهُ بِإِحسانِ

O Abu Dubayʿa, do not hasten to do harm

Abu Dhubai'ah, do not hastily judge

To your paternal cousin, and speak of him kindly.

Your cousin's son, but think of him with kindness

أَتَترُكُ أَولادَ البَغايا وَ غَيبَتي

أَتَترُكُ أَولادَ البَغايا وَ غَيبَتي

وَتَحبُسَني عَنهُمُ وَلا أَتَكَلَّمُ

وَتَحبُسَني عَنهُمُ وَلا أَتَكَلَّمُ

Will you leave the sons of whores free in my absence,

Will you leave the children of whores and my absence

And keep me away from them, while I say nothing?

Imprison me from them, though I do not speak

أَدَعُ التَّي هِيَ أَرفَقُ الحالاتِ بي

أَدَعُ التَّي هِيَ أَرفَقُ الحالاتِ بي

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ للَتي هِيَ أَجمَلُ

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ للَتي هِيَ أَجمَلُ

I forsake the condition that is easiest for me,

I leave what is most gentle in my condition

In times of indignation, for the one that is nobler.

For what is most beautiful in the keeper's eyes

الظاعِنينَ عَلى العَمى قُدّامَهُم

الظاعِنينَ عَلى العَمى قُدّامَهُم

وَالنّازِلينَ بِشَرِّ دارِ مُقامِ

وَالنّازِلينَ بِشَرِّ دارِ مُقامِ

Those who journey blindly onward,

Those who accuse the blind before them

And those settling in the worst dwelling-place.

And alight with evil in a house of stay

أَلَم تَعلَموا أَنّي سُويدٌ وَأَنَّني

أَلَم تَعلَموا أَنّي سُويدٌ وَأَنَّني

إِذا لَم أَجِد مُستَأخِراً أَتَقَدَّمُ

إِذا لَم أَجِد مُستَأخِراً أَتَقَدَّمُ

Did you not know that I am Suwayd, and that I,

Don't you know that I am perfect and that

When I find no place to fall back, advance?

If I do not find one lagging, I will lead

إِمّا تَراني وَأَثوابي مُقارِبَةٌ

إِمّا تَراني وَأَثوابي مُقارِبَةٌ

لَيسَت بِخَزٍّ وَلا مِن نَسجِ كَتّانَ

لَيسَت بِخَزٍّ وَلا مِن نَسجِ كَتّانَ

If you see me with my garments of middling quality,

Either you will see me and my clothes not

They are neither silk-and-wool cloth nor woven linen.

Of silk or linen weave