Take up the Rich Man’s burden
Like you should have in 89–
You let Afghanistan smolder
And you wasted precious time;
We told you of the danger
We told you what to do,
You’ve dithered long enough
It’s time to see it through!

Take up the Rich Man’s burden,
Afghanistan is in your hands.
There is no other nation
that can unite the warring bands.
Forget about the British,
The Russians, and the Greeks.
Forget about the Mongols,
The Persians, and the Sikhs.

Take up the Rich Man’s burden
and forget the failures past–
You have more money than they did
The nation you build can last.
You’ve made the same mistakes and worse it’s true
but it is not too late,
Afghanistan’s masses are calling to you
Will you leave them to their fate?

Take up the Rich Man’s burden–
There’s no imperialism in this sentiment,
Just keep at it a few decades more
And we’ll be ready for self-government.
Ignore our recent history
Ignore our far history too
We haven’t quite worked out how to govern this place
But you’ll keep trying, won’t you?