يَخافُ التِّبْرُ سَطْوَةَ رَاحَتَيْهِ

يَخافُ التِّبْرُ سَطْوَةَ رَاحَتَيْهِ

وَلَوْنُ الخَائفِ المُرْتَاعِ أَصْفَرُ

وَلَوْنُ الخَائفِ المُرْتَاعِ أَصْفَرُ

Uncoined gold fears the might of his two palms.

The prey fears the prowess of its hunter’s palms,

And yellow is the color of one frightened and terrified.

And the hue of the frightened, startled one, is yellow.

يُقصِّرُ آلُ بَرْمكَ عَن نَداهُ

يُقصِّرُ آلُ بَرْمكَ عَن نَداهُ

فَنِعماهُمْ لِذِي نَعْماهُ تُكْفَرْ

فَنِعماهُمْ لِذِي نَعْماهُ تُكْفَرْ

The house of Barmak falls short of his generosity.

The people of Barmk’s lineage fall short of his nobility,

So their bounty goes unacknowledged by one who enjoys his bounty.

So their virtues to the virtuous one seem ingratitude.

لَهُ فَضْلٌ لَنا فيهُ رَبِيعٌ

لَهُ فَضْلٌ لَنا فيهُ رَبِيعٌ

وَبَحرُ نَدًى وَما أَرْضَى بِجَعْفَرْ

وَبَحرُ نَدًى وَما أَرْضَى بِجَعْفَرْ

He has bounty, in which lies springtime for us,

He excels - for us in him there is springtime;

And a sea of generosity; I am not content with Jaʿfar.

An ocean of dew - and none like Ja’far pleases me!