إِذا نِلتَ الإِمارَةَ فَاِسمُ فيها

إِذا نِلتَ الإِمارَةَ فَاِسمُ فيها

إِلى العَلياءِ بِالحَسَبِ الوَثيقِ

إِلى العَلياءِ بِالحَسَبِ الوَثيقِ

If you attain authority, rise within it

When you attain leadership, act justly in it

to the heights through firmly rooted honor.

Aim for the heights through worthy lineage

فَكُلُّ إِمارَةٍ إِلّا قَليلاً

فَكُلُّ إِمارَةٍ إِلّا قَليلاً

مُغيرَةُ الصَديقِ عَلى الصَديقِ

مُغيرَةُ الصَديقِ عَلى الصَديقِ

For every position of power, with few exceptions,

For most authority, save but a little,

turns friend against friend.

Is fickle friendship turned on friendship

وَلا تَكُ عَندَها حُلواً فَتُحسي

وَلا تَكُ عَندَها حُلواً فَتُحسي

وَلا مُرّاً فَتَنشَبَ في الحلوقِ

وَلا مُرّاً فَتَنشَبَ في الحلوقِ

And do not be sweet while holding it, lest you be swallowed,

Be not over-sweet there, lest you be despised

nor bitter, lest you stick in throats.

Nor bitter, lest it stick in their throats

وَكُنتُ إِذا الصَديقُ أَرادَ غَيظي

وَكُنتُ إِذا الصَديقُ أَرادَ غَيظي

وَأَشرَقَني عَلى حَنَقٍ بِريقي

وَأَشرَقَني عَلى حَنَقٍ بِريقي

And whenever a friend wished to anger me,

Whenever a friend sought to provoke my rage

and made me choke with rage on my own saliva,

And flashed his teeth at me in bitter jest

غَفَرتُ ذُنوبَهُ وَصَفَحتُ عَنهُ

غَفَرتُ ذُنوبَهُ وَصَفَحتُ عَنهُ

مَخافَةَ أَن أَعيشَ بِلا صَديقِ

مَخافَةَ أَن أَعيشَ بِلا صَديقِ

I would forgive his offenses and pardon him,

I forgave his sins and turned away from him

for fear of living without a friend.

Fearing to live in a world devoid of friends