بنفسي أميرٌ أنصف الناس كلهم

بنفسي أميرٌ أنصف الناس كلهم

سواي فإني لست في ذاك أُنصفُ

سواي فإني لست في ذاك أُنصفُ

With my life I would ransom an emir who has dealt justly with everyone—

My life for an emir who has treated everyone fairly—

everyone but me, for in this I am not dealt with justly.

Except me, for in this I am not treated fairly.

أتى المطل والتسويف دون ثوابه

أتى المطل والتسويف دون ثوابه

وعهدي به قبل المديح يسلِّفُ

وعهدي به قبل المديح يسلِّفُ

Delay and procrastination have come between me and his reward,

Delay and procrastination have come between me and his reward,

though I knew him, before the praise, to pay in advance.

Though I knew him to give in advance, before the praise.

أؤمل في النيروز رِبعيَّ جوده

أؤمل في النيروز رِبعيَّ جوده

وخِرفِيَّهُ في المهرجان فأُخلَف

وخِرفِيَّهُ في المهرجان فأُخلَف

At Nowruz I hope for my springtime share of his generosity,

At Nowruz I hope for the spring rain of his generosity,

and my autumn share at Mehregan—yet I am disappointed.

And its autumn rain at Mihragan, only to be disappointed.

وما خلت أني أستريث سماءه

وما خلت أني أستريث سماءه

ويُربَع غيري من جناها ويُخرَف

ويُربَع غيري من جناها ويُخرَف

I never thought I would find his sky so slow to rain,

I never thought I would find his sky slow to rain,

while someone else receives both spring and autumn from its yield.

While others receive spring and autumn rain from its bounty.