أَحارِ بِنَ بَدرٍ قَد وَليتَ ولايَةً

أَحارِ بِنَ بَدرٍ قَد وَليتَ ولايَةً

فَكُن جُرَذاً مِمَّن يَخونُ وَيَسرِقُ

فَكُن جُرَذاً مِمَّن يَخونُ وَيَسرِقُ

O Har, son of Badr, you have assumed a governorship.

Oh Harb bin Badr, you have attained a position

So be a rat among those who betray and steal.

So be like the rat, betraying and stealing

وَلا تَحقِرَن يا حارِ شَيئاً أَصَبتَهُ

وَلا تَحقِرَن يا حارِ شَيئاً أَصَبتَهُ

فَحَظُّكَ مِن مُلكِ العِراقَينِ سُرَّقُ

فَحَظُّكَ مِن مُلكِ العِراقَينِ سُرَّقُ

And never disdain, O Har, anything you acquire,

And do not think little, Oh Harb, of what you grasp

for your share of the dominion of the two Iraqs is Surraq.

For your share of the kingdom of Iraq is pilfered

فَإِنَّ جَميعَ الناسِ إِما مُكَذِّبٌ

فَإِنَّ جَميعَ الناسِ إِما مُكَذِّبٌ

يَقولُ بِما يَهوى وَإِمّا مُصَدِّقُ

يَقولُ بِما يَهوى وَإِمّا مُصَدِّقُ

For everyone is either one who denies,

All people are either liars

saying whatever he pleases, or one who believes.

Saying what they fancy, or corroborators

يَقولونَ أَقوالاً بِظَنٍّ وَشُبهَةٍ

يَقولونَ أَقوالاً بِظَنٍّ وَشُبهَةٍ

فَإِن قيلَ هاتوا حَقِّقوا لَم يُحَقِّقوا

فَإِن قيلَ هاتوا حَقِّقوا لَم يُحَقِّقوا

They make assertions based on conjecture and suspicion;

Saying words out of guesswork and ambiguity

but if told, 'Bring proof; substantiate it,' they do not.

If told "Validate!" they do not validate

وَلا تَعجَزَن وَالعَجزُ أَوطَأُ مَركِبٍ

وَلا تَعجَزَن وَالعَجزُ أَوطَأُ مَركِبٍ

فَما كُلُّ مَن يُدعى إِلى الرِزقِ يُرزَقُ

فَما كُلُّ مَن يُدعى إِلى الرِزقِ يُرزَقُ

And never be weak—weakness is the most comfortable mount;

And do not lose hope - and losing hope burdens most the ride

for not everyone called to sustenance is granted it.

For not all called to sustenance are provided

وَبارِز تَميماً بِالغِنى إِنَّ لِلغِنى

وَبارِز تَميماً بِالغِنى إِنَّ لِلغِنى

لِساناً بِهِ المَرءُ الهَيوبَةُ يَنطِقُ

لِساناً بِهِ المَرءُ الهَيوبَةُ يَنطِقُ

And challenge Tamim with wealth; indeed, wealth has

And compete against Tamim with wealth, for wealth

a tongue through which the timid man speaks.

Has a tongue with which the awe-inspiring man speaks