تَكَثَّر مِنَ الإِخوانِ ما اِسطَعتَ إِنَّهُم

تَكَثَّر مِنَ الإِخوانِ ما اِسطَعتَ إِنَّهُم

بُطونٌ إِذا اِستَنجَدتَهُم وَظُهورُ

بُطونٌ إِذا اِستَنجَدتَهُم وَظُهورُ

Make as many friends as you can, for they are

Many brothers abound when riches gleam bright

bellies and backs when you call on them for help.

In times of need, they leave you in the lurch

وَما بِكَثيرٍ أَلفُ خِلٍّ لِعاقِلٍ

وَما بِكَثيرٍ أَلفُ خِلٍّ لِعاقِلٍ

وَإِنَّ عَدُوّاً واحِداً لَكَثيرُ

وَإِنَّ عَدُوّاً واحِداً لَكَثيرُ

And a thousand close friends are not too many for a wise person,

With sense, one finds that friends are few indeed

yet a single enemy is surely too many.

While a single foe outnumbers a host perched