إنْif سُدتَyou led فيناamong us ولمand did not تقضِfulfill حَوائجَناour needs
إنْ سُدتَ فينا ولم تقضِ حَوائجَنا
فأنتthen you حينئذٍat that time منamong أكبرِthe greatest النّقَمِafflictions
فأنت حينئذٍ من أكبرِ النّقَمِ
If you hold sway among us yet do not meet our needs,
If you lead us yet do not fulfill our needs,
then you are among the greatest of afflictions.
then you are among the greatest afflictions.
ماnot صَيَّرَmade المرءَa man فيamong قومٍa people أخاa possessor of شرَفٍhonor
ما صَيَّرَ المرءَ في قومٍ أخا شرَفٍ
إِلّاexcept اِنتِفاعٌbenefit بِهِthrough him فيin الجاهِinfluence والكَرمِand generosity
إِلّا اِنتِفاعٌ بِهِ في الجاهِ والكَرمِ
Nothing makes a man among his people a man of honor
Nothing makes a man honorable among his people
except bestowing favors through influence and generosity.
except the benefit others gain through his influence and generosity.
مَنْwhoever لَمnot يَكُنbe نافِعاًbeneficial to قَوماًa people تَقدَّمَهمhe led them
مَنْ لَم يَكُن نافِعاً قَوماً تَقدَّمَهم
فَحَقُّهthen his due أَنto يُرىbe regarded فيin حَيِّزِthe realm of العَدمِnonexistence
فَحَقُّه أَن يُرى في حَيِّزِ العَدمِ
If a man’s preeminence brings no benefit to his people,
Whoever does not benefit the people he leads
his rightful place is to be counted in the realm of nonbeing.
deserves to be regarded as belonging to the realm of nonexistence.
