لموسى والجواد زججت عيسي

أجدُّ السير وخداً بعد وخدِ

Toward Musa and al-Jawad I urged on my white camels;

I hasten the journey, swift stride after swift stride.

قصدت بجدها جدين نفسي

لنفسها الفدا لأنال قصدي

My soul earnestly sought two forefathers;

May ransom be offered for it, that I may attain my aim.

رحلتُ إليهما بجميع أهلي

وولدي يا فديتهما بولدي

I journeyed to them both with all my family

And my offspring—oh, may I ransom them both with my offspring!

سكوت إليهما شكوى وشكوى

وشكوىً ثم شكوىً بعد عندي

Silence before them is complaint upon complaint;

And a complaint, then still another complaint I have.

ولست ببارح عن باب مغنى

علائهما وإن أجبه بردِّ

And I will not depart from the door of the abode

Of their glory, even if I am met with rejection.

بجدّكما أرفقا عفواً بعبدٍ

كذا المولى يرقُّ لحال عبد

By your grandfather, be gentle and forgiving to a servant;

Thus does a master feel compassion for a servant's plight.