إذا تقاعَسَ صَعبٌ في حَزامَتِهِ

إذا تقاعَسَ صَعبٌ في حَزامَتِهِ

وإن تعرَّضَ في خيشومِهِ صَيَدُ

وإن تعرَّضَ في خيشومِهِ صَيَدُ

When a stubborn one falters in his resolve,

If an obstinate one drags his feet in his strap,

and if haughtiness appears in his nose,

And if he extends his lips in arrogance,

رُضناهُ حتَّى يُذِلَّ القَسرُ هامَتَهُ

رُضناهُ حتَّى يُذِلَّ القَسرُ هامَتَهُ

كَما استَمَرَّ بكفِّ الفَاتِلِ المَسَدُ

كَما استَمَرَّ بكفِّ الفَاتِلِ المَسَدُ

we tame him until force humbles his head,

We will bend him until hardship humbles his zeal,

just as the cord is twisted tight in the rope-maker's palm.

As the victim's blood continues dripping from the killer's palm.

فلا تَكُونُوا كَمَن تَغذُو بِدِرَّتِها

فلا تَكُونُوا كَمَن تَغذُو بِدِرَّتِها

أولادَ أُخرى ولا يُغذى لَها ولَدُ

أولادَ أُخرى ولا يُغذى لَها ولَدُ

So do not be like one who feeds with her milk

So be not like one who feeds with her pearls

another's children, while no child of her own is fed.

The children of others, while her own child starves.

إِن تُصلِحوا أَمرَكُم تَصلُح جَماعَتُكُم

إِن تُصلِحوا أَمرَكُم تَصلُح جَماعَتُكُم

وفي الجَماعةِ ما يَستَمسِكُ العَمَدُ

وفي الجَماعةِ ما يَستَمسِكُ العَمَدُ

If you set your affairs right, your community will be sound;

If you set your own affairs right, your community will be set right,

and in unity lies what keeps the pillars standing.

And it is the community that upholds the pillars.