1'When you were a small child, Jugurtha, and had lost your father, without hope, without resources, I took you into my kingdom, thinking that because of my kindnesses I would be no less dear to you than to my own children, if I had any. 2Nor did that hope deceive me. 2For, to pass over your other great and outstanding deeds, most recently, returning from Numantia, you honoured both me and my kingdom with glory, and by your valour you made the Romans, who were already our friends, our closest friends. 2In Spain the name of our family has been renewed. 2Finally, what is most difficult among mortals, you have overcome envy by glory.
3Now, since nature is bringing my life to its end, by this right hand, by the loyalty owed to the kingdom, I warn and implore you to hold dear these who are your kinsmen by birth and your brothers by my kindness, and not to prefer attaching strangers to keeping those joined to you by blood. 4Not armies nor treasuries are the defences of a kingdom, but friends, whom you can neither compel by arms nor procure with gold: they are won by service and good faith. 4And who is a better friend than brother to brother? 4Or what stranger will you find faithful, if you have been an enemy to your own?
5I for my part hand on to you a kingdom that is strong if you are good, but weak if you are bad. 6For by harmony small states grow, by discord the greatest fall apart. 7But it is fitting that you, Jugurtha, who are older and wiser than these, should take care before them that nothing turns out otherwise. 7For in every conflict he who is more powerful, even if he suffers the wrong, nevertheless, because he has more power, seems to commit it. 8And you, Adherbal and Hiempsal, respect and honour this man, so fine as he is, imitate his merit and strive, so that I may not seem to have adopted better children than I fathered.'