أَبا جَعفَرٍ لَيسَ فَضلُ الفَتى

إِذا راحَ في فَرطِ إِعجابِهِ

Abu Ja'far, the merit of a young man does not lie

In his excessive self-pride,

وَلا في فَراهَةِ بِرذَونِهِ

وَلا في نَظافَةِ أَثوابِهِ

Nor in the elegance of his attire,

Nor in the cleanliness of his clothes.

وَلَكِنَّهُ في الفِعالِ الكَريـ

ـمِ وَالخَطَرِ الأَشرَفِ النابِهِ

Rather, it lies in his noble deeds,

And perilous feats, the most glorious.

رَأَيتُكَ تَهوى اِقتِناءَ المَديـ

ـحِ وَتَجهَلُ مِقدارَ إيجابِهِ

I saw you covet acquiring wealth,

Yet ignore the extent of its obligations.

وَكَيفَ تُرَجّي وُصولاً إِلَيـ

ـهِ وَلَم تَتَوَصَّل بِأَسبابِهِ

How can you wish to attain it,

Without utilizing its means?

لَئِن كُنتُ أَمنَحُهُ الأَكرَميـ

ـنَ فَما أَنتَ أَوَّلُ أَربابِهِ

If I were to grant it to you generously,

You would not be its first owner.

وَإِن أَتَطَلَّب بِهِ نائِلاً

فَلَستَ مَلِيّاً بِإِطلابِهِ

And if you sought it persistently,

You could not compel me to give it to you.

وَإِن أَتَصَدَّق بِهِ حِسبَةً

فَإِنَّ المَساكينَ أَولى بِهِ

And if I gave it away as charity,

The poor would be more deserving of it.