قولا لِمَن يَرتَجي الحَياةَ أَما

في جَعفَرٍ عِبرَةٌ وَيَحياهُ

Tell those who hope for life, surely

In Ja'far there is a lesson, may he live long.

كانا وَزيرَي خَليفَةِ اللَهِ ها

رونَ هُما ما هُما سَليلاهُ

They were the two ministers of God's Caliph,

Look at who they were, his heirs.

فَذاكُمُ جَعفَرٌ بِرِمَّتِهِ

في حالِقٍ رَأسُهُ وَنِصفاهُ

So this is Ja'far with his honor,

His head shaved and half his hair.

وَالشَيخُ يَحيى الوَزيرُ أَصبَحَ قَد

نَحّاهُ عَن نَفسِهِ وَأَقصاهُ

And the elder minister Yahya, lo,

He removed himself and was exiled.

شُتِّتَ بَعدَ التَجميعِ شَملُهُمُ

فَأَصبَحوا في البِلادِ قَد تاهوا

After being united, their group was scattered,

And they wandered through the lands, lost.

كَذاكَ مَن يُسخِطُ الإِلَهَ بِما

يُرضي بِهِ العَبدَ يَجزِهِ اللَهُ

Thus whoever angers God with what

Satisfies the servant, God will punish him.

سُبحانَ مَن دانَتِ المُلوكُ لَهُ

أَشهَدُ أَن لا إِلَهَ إِلّاهُ

Glory to Him whom kings submit to.

I testify there is no god but Him.

طوبى لِمَن تابَ بَعدَ غِرَّتِهِ

فَتابَ قَبلَ المَماتِ طوباهُ

Blessed is he who repents after his arrogance

And repents before death, blessed is he.