عَجَبتُ لِهارونَ الإِمامَ وَما الَّذي

يُوَدُّ وَيَرجو فيكَ يا خِلقَةَ السِلقِ

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?

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

قَفا مالِكٍ يَقضي الهُمومَ عَلى ثَبقِ

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.

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

إِذا زادَهُ الرَحمَنُ في سَعَةِ الرِزقِ

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

وَلَو جاءَ غَيرُ البُخلِ مِن عِندِ جَعفَرٍ

لَما حَسِبَتهُ الناسُ إِلّا مِنَ الحُمقِ