لم أر شيئاً صادقاً نفعه

لم أر شيئاً صادقاً نفعه

للمرء كالدرهم والسيفِ

للمرء كالدرهم والسيفِ

I have seen nothing whose benefit is so certain

I have not seen anything as beneficial

for a man as that of the dirham and the sword.

To a man as a dirham and a sword

يقضي له الدرهم حاجاته

يقضي له الدرهم حاجاته

والسيف يحميه من الحيف

والسيف يحميه من الحيف

The dirham fulfills his needs,

The dirham fulfills his needs

and the sword protects him from injustice.

And the sword protects him from injustice