عَجَبتُ لِهارونَ الإِمامَ وَما الَّذي

عَجَبتُ لِهارونَ الإِمامَ وَما الَّذي

يُوَدُّ وَيَرجو فيكَ يا خِلقَةَ السِلقِ

يُوَدُّ وَيَرجو فيكَ يا خِلقَةَ السِلقِ

I marveled at Harun, the Imam—what is it

I wonder at Harun the Imam, what is it that he loves and hopes for in you, O character of meanness?

I marvel at Harun the Imam—what is there to be loved / Or hoped for in you, O creature fashioned like a she-wolf?

he desires and hopes for in you, O chard-shaped creature?

With a nape behind a face that is prolonged as if it were the nape of an angel who alleviates worries with generosity.

A nape behind a face drawn long, appearing as if it were / The nape of Malik, settling matters in a daze of confusion.

قَفاً خَلفَ وَجهٍ قَد أُطيلَ كَأَنَّهُ

قَفاً خَلفَ وَجهٍ قَد أُطيلَ كَأَنَّهُ

قَفا مالِكٍ يَقضي الهُمومَ عَلى ثَبقِ

قَفا مالِكٍ يَقضي الهُمومَ عَلى ثَبقِ

A nape behind a face drawn long, as though it were

I see Ja'far growing more miserly and stingy,

I see Ja'far increasing in his miserliness and pettiness, / Even as the Merciful increases the abundance of his wealth.

Malik's nape as he dispels worries in haste.

whenever the Merciful increases him in ample sustenance.

And were something other than stinginess to issue from Ja'far, / The people would deem it nothing but a sign of folly.

أَرى جَعفَراً يَزدادُ بُخلاً وَدِقَّةً

أَرى جَعفَراً يَزدادُ بُخلاً وَدِقَّةً

إِذا زادَهُ الرَحمَنُ في سَعَةِ الرِزقِ

إِذا زادَهُ الرَحمَنُ في سَعَةِ الرِزقِ

I see Ja'far growing ever stingier and thinner

And if it were not for Ja'far's miserliness, people would not consider him except a fool.

whenever the All-Merciful grants him more abundant sustenance.

وَلَو جاءَ غَيرُ البُخلِ مِن عِندِ جَعفَرٍ

وَلَو جاءَ غَيرُ البُخلِ مِن عِندِ جَعفَرٍ

لَما حَسِبَتهُ الناسُ إِلّا مِنَ الحُمقِ

لَما حَسِبَتهُ الناسُ إِلّا مِنَ الحُمقِ

And if anything other than stinginess came from Ja'far,

people would regard it as nothing but foolishness.