إذا توسَّلْتَ إلى حاجَةٍ

فبِالرُّشا فهيَ رِشاءُ النَّجاحْ

If you plead for a need,

Then with bribery, for it is the path to success,

ولا تُعَوِّلْ غيرَها شافِعاً

فكُلُّ ما دُونَ الرُّشا في الرِّياحْ

And do not rely on any other intercessor,

For all else besides bribery is just hot air,

لِلنَّاسِ في أخراهُمُ جَنَّةٌ

وجَنَّةُ الدُّنْيا سَمَرْقَنْدُ

People have a paradise in their end days,

And the paradise of this world is apricot juice,

يا مَنْ يُساوي أرضَ بَلْخٍ بِها

هلْ يَستَوي الحَنظَلُ والقَنْدُ

O you who makes the land of Balkh equal to it,

Can wormwood ever equal sugar candy?