وَكَيفَ تَخافُ مِن بُؤسٍ بِدارٍ

وَكَيفَ تَخافُ مِن بُؤسٍ بِدارٍ

تَكَنَّفَها البَرامِكَةُ البُحورُ

تَكَنَّفَها البَرامِكَةُ البُحورُ

And how can you fear hardship in a dwelling

How could you fear misery in a land

And how can you fear destitution in an abode

Enfolded by the Barmakids, those seas?

Surrounded by skilled warriors and oceans,

Encompassed by the Barmakids, those oceans of generosity?

وَقَومٌ مِنهُمُ الفَضلُ بنُ يَحيى

وَقَومٌ مِنهُمُ الفَضلُ بنُ يَحيى

نَفيرٌ ما يُوازِنُهُ نَفيرُ

نَفيرٌ ما يُوازِنُهُ نَفيرُ

And a people among whom is al-Fadl ibn Yahya

And a people led by Al-Fadl bin Yahya-

A people among whom stands Al-Fadl ibn Yahya,

Are a host no host can match.

A band unmatched by any other band.

A host whose measure no other host can rival.

لَهُ يَومانِ يَومُ نَدىً وَبَأسٍ

لَهُ يَومانِ يَومُ نَدىً وَبَأسٍ

كَأَنَّ الدَهرَ بَينَهُما أَسيرُ

كَأَنَّ الدَهرَ بَينَهُما أَسيرُ

He has two days: one of bounty and one of battle;

They have two days: a day of prosperity and a day of valor,

He holds two days: a day of bounty and a day of might,

As though Time were a captive between them.

As if fate itself were captive between them.

As though Fate itself were held captive between the two.

إِذا ما البَرمَكِيُّ غَدا اِبنَ عَشرٍ

إِذا ما البَرمَكِيُّ غَدا اِبنَ عَشرٍ

فَهِمَّتُهُ وَزيرٌ أَو أَميرُ

فَهِمَّتُهُ وَزيرٌ أَو أَميرُ

When a Barmakid reaches the age of ten,

When the Berber starts a raid with ten warriors,

For when a Barmakid reaches the age of merely ten,

Then his ambition is to be a vizier or an emir.

His ambition makes him vizier or prince.

His sole ambition is to be a Vizier or an Amir.