يَسعى لَكَ المَولى ذَليلاً مُدَقِّعاً

يَسعى لَكَ المَولى ذَليلاً مُدَقِّعاً

وَيَخذِلُكَ المَولى إِذا اِشتَدَّ كاهِلُه

وَيَخذِلُكَ المَولى إِذا اِشتَدَّ كاهِلُه

The client toils for you, abject and utterly destitute;

The dependent toils for you, abased and destitute.

yet that client will desert you once his shoulders have grown strong.

And the dependent abandons you when his shoulders grow strong.

فَأَمسِك عَلَيكَ العَبدَ أَوَّلَ وَهلَةٍ

فَأَمسِك عَلَيكَ العَبدَ أَوَّلَ وَهلَةٍ

وَلا تَنفَلِت مِن راحَتَيكَ حَبائِلُهُ

وَلا تَنفَلِت مِن راحَتَيكَ حَبائِلُهُ

So keep the slave firmly in hand from the very first moment,

So keep the slave for yourself from the outset,

and do not let his binding cords slip from your palms.

And do not let his tethers slip from your palms.