إِذَا افْتَقَرَ الْمَرْءُ اسْتَهَانَ بِفَضْلِهِ

إِذَا افْتَقَرَ الْمَرْءُ اسْتَهَانَ بِفَضْلِهِ

ذَوُو قُرْبِهِ وَاسْتَهْجَنَتْهُ الأَبَاعِدُ

ذَوُو قُرْبِهِ وَاسْتَهْجَنَتْهُ الأَبَاعِدُ

When a man falls into poverty, his merit is belittled

When a man becomes impoverished, his virtues are belittled.

by his kinsfolk, and strangers deem him contemptible.

His kinsmen scorn him, and strangers shun him.

فَإِنْ قَالَ حَقَّاً كَذَّبُوهُ وَإِنْ أَبى

فَإِنْ قَالَ حَقَّاً كَذَّبُوهُ وَإِنْ أَبى

مُجَارَاتَهُمْ في الْغَيِّ قَالُوا مُعَانِدُ

مُجَارَاتَهُمْ في الْغَيِّ قَالُوا مُعَانِدُ

For if he speaks the truth, they call him a liar; and if he refuses

If he speaks the truth, they call him a liar.

to follow them in error, they say, "He is obstinate."

If he refuses to conform to their wrongdoing, they call him stubborn.

فَحُجَّتُهُ مَطْلُولَةٌ وَهْيَ حَقَّةٌ

فَحُجَّتُهُ مَطْلُولَةٌ وَهْيَ حَقَّةٌ

وَمَنْطِقُهُ مُسْتَكْرَهٌ وَهْوَ قَاصِدُ

وَمَنْطِقُهُ مُسْتَكْرَهٌ وَهْوَ قَاصِدُ

So his argument is dismissed, though it is valid,

So his argument, though just, is rejected,

and his speech is disliked, though it is measured.

And his words, though sincere, are disliked.

فَحَافِظ عَلَى مَا نِلْتَ بِالسَّعْيِ مِنْ غِنىً

فَحَافِظ عَلَى مَا نِلْتَ بِالسَّعْيِ مِنْ غِنىً

فَبِالْمَالِ لا بِالْفَضْلِ تَعْنُو الْمَقَاصِدُ

فَبِالْمَالِ لا بِالْفَضْلِ تَعْنُو الْمَقَاصِدُ

So preserve the wealth you have gained through effort,

Therefore guard your wealth, gained through hard work,

for goals yield to wealth, not to merit.

For with money, not merit, you will achieve your goals.