إِذا كُنتَ ذا مالٍ كَثيرٍ فَجُد بِهِ

إِذا كُنتَ ذا مالٍ كَثيرٍ فَجُد بِهِ

فَإِنَّ كَريمَ القَومِ مَن هوَ باذِلُ

فَإِنَّ كَريمَ القَومِ مَن هوَ باذِلُ

If you have abundant wealth, be generous with it,

If you possess abundant wealth then spend it generously

For the noble man among a people is one who gives.

For the noble of people is one who gives freely

وَقَومُكَ لا تَحمِل عَلَيهِم وَلا تَكُن

وَقَومُكَ لا تَحمِل عَلَيهِم وَلا تَكُن

بِهِم هارِشاً تَغتابُهُم وَتُقابِلُ

بِهِم هارِشاً تَغتابُهُم وَتُقابِلُ

And do not assail your people, nor be

And do not burden your people, nor be harsh with them

Quarrelsome toward them, backbiting them and confronting them.

Accusing and reproaching them constantly

فَما يَنهَضُ البازي بِغَيرِ جَناحِهِ

فَما يَنهَضُ البازي بِغَيرِ جَناحِهِ

وَما تَحمِلُ الساقَينِ إِلّا الحَوامِلُ

وَما تَحمِلُ الساقَينِ إِلّا الحَوامِلُ

For the hawk cannot rise without its wing,

For no falcon rises without its wings

And nothing bears the two legs but their supports.

And no legs bear but by their strength

وَما سابِقٌ إِلّا بِساقٍ سَليمَةٍ

وَما سابِقٌ إِلّا بِساقٍ سَليمَةٍ

وَما باطِشٌ إِن لَم تُعِنهُ الأَنامِلُ

وَما باطِشٌ إِن لَم تُعِنهُ الأَنامِلُ

And none can outstrip others except with a sound leg,

And no winner succeeds but by able legs

And none can strike unless his fingertips aid him.

And no warrior prevails unless aided by arms

إِذا أنتَ ناوأتَ القُرونَ وَلَم تَنُؤ

إِذا أنتَ ناوأتَ القُرونَ وَلَم تَنُؤ

بِقَرنَينِ غَرَّتكَ القُرونُ الأَطاوِلُ

بِقَرنَينِ غَرَّتكَ القُرونُ الأَطاوِلُ

If you challenge the horns and do not rise

When you butt horns and are bested not by two

With two horns, the longer horns will deceive you.

Long horns make you recklessly charge

إِذا ما استَوى روقاكَ لَم يَهتَضِمهُما

إِذا ما استَوى روقاكَ لَم يَهتَضِمهُما

عَدؤٌّ وَلَم يأكُل ضَعيفَكَ آكِلُ

عَدؤٌّ وَلَم يأكُل ضَعيفَكَ آكِلُ

When your two horns stand even, they will not be overpowered

When your spear points are aligned no enemy

By a foe, nor will any devourer consume your weak one.

Can overwhelm or devour your weak ones

وَما يَستوي قَرنُ النِطاحِ الَّذي بِهِ

وَما يَستوي قَرنُ النِطاحِ الَّذي بِهِ

تَنوءُ وَقَرنٌ كُلَّما نُؤتَ مائِلُ

تَنوءُ وَقَرنٌ كُلَّما نُؤتَ مائِلُ

Nor are these equal: the horn for butting with which

For the horn that gores when you butt

You rise, and a horn that bends whenever you rise.

Is not like a horn that bends when you strike