إذا ما شرفَ الإشرافُ قَوماً

إذا ما شرفَ الإشرافُ قَوماً

فإنَّ بني رَحيمٍ شَرَّفُوهُ

فإنَّ بني رَحيمٍ شَرَّفُوهُ

If oversight ennobles a people,

If nobility graces a people,

Then the sons of Rahim have ennobled it.

Then the sons of Raheem were graced by it.

ومن يعرف به لهمُ قديماً

ومن يعرف به لهمُ قديماً

وإن رغِمت أُنوفٌ عَرّفُوهُ

وإن رغِمت أُنوفٌ عَرّفُوهُ

And whoever has long been known to them through it,

And he who knows their ancient repute—

Though noses be rubbed in dust, they have made him known.

Though noses scorn—they made him recognize it.

كُفاةٌ للملوكِ على سَبيلٍ

كُفاةٌ للملوكِ على سَبيلٍ

ودينُ نصيحةٍ ما حَرَّفُوه

ودينُ نصيحةٍ ما حَرَّفُوه

Capable men serving kings, upon a path

Competent stewards for kings in the way,

And a creed of sincere counsel they have never distorted.

And a religion of honest counsel they kept it.

أبو بكىٍ لَهُ ولَهُم كفيلٌ

أبو بكىٍ لَهُ ولَهُم كفيلٌ

بكلِّ كِفايةٍ إذ صَرَّفُوهُ

بكلِّ كِفايةٍ إذ صَرَّفُوهُ

Abu Baka is guarantor for it and for them,

Abu Bakr vouches for them and for him,

For every need met, when they put it to work.

With every sufficient guarantee when they commissioned him.

وما الإشرافُ إلى عبدُ قنٍّ

وما الإشرافُ إلى عبدُ قنٍّ

لَهُ فَمتى تولّى استصرَفُوه

لَهُ فَمتى تولّى استصرَفُوه

And oversight is nothing but a chattel slave,

And nobility belongs not to a slave of Qann,

To him; whenever it turns away, they call it back into service.

Whoever supports him, they soon dismissed him.