عَجَباً لِمَن أَمسى وَكُلُّ فَخارِهِ

بِنُضارِهِ المَخبوءِ في الصُندوقِ

How strange is he who spent the night

I marvel at the one whose entire pride lies

With all his pride stored out of sight

In his gold, hidden away within a chest.

ماذا يَقولُ إِذا اللُصوصُ مَضوا بِهِ

وَأَقامَ بَعدَ نُضارِهِ المَسروقِ

What will he say when thieves make off

What will he say if thieves make off with it,

And left his secret pride aloft?

And he is left behind, surviving his stolen wealth?

إِن يَرفَعِ المالُ الكَريمَ فَإِنَّهُ

لِلنَذلِ مِثلُ الحَبلِ لِلمَشنوقِ

If wealth ennobles generous men

If money elevates the noble man, then truly,

It shames the mean ones time again

For the scoundrel, it is like the rope for the hanged.

لَمّا صَديقي صارَ مِن أَهلِ الغِنى

أَيقَنتُ أَنّي قَد أَضَعتُ صَديقي

When my friend joined the rich elite

When my friend became one of the people of riches,

I knew my friend was now complete

I realized with certainty that I had lost my friend.