أَنا بِالأَهوازِ جارٌ لِعُمَرٍ

أَنا بِالأَهوازِ جارٌ لِعُمَرٍ

لَعَظيمٍ زَعَموا ضَخمَ الخَطَرِ

لَعَظيمٍ زَعَموا ضَخمَ الخَطَرِ

I am Umar’s neighbor in Ahwaz,

In Ahwaz, I dwell as a neighbor to Umar,

a great man, they claim, of mighty standing.

A figure, they claimed, of momentous esteem.

لا يرى مِنهُ عَلَينا أَثَرٌ

لا يرى مِنهُ عَلَينا أَثَرٌ

لا يَكونُ الجودُ إِلّا بِأَثَرِ

لا يَكونُ الجودُ إِلّا بِأَثَرِ

No trace of his bounty is seen upon us;

Yet upon us, not a single trace of him appears,

there is no generosity without a trace.

And generosity exists not without a trace.

إِن تَكُن وَرَّقَكَ عَنّا عَجِزتَ

إِن تَكُن وَرَّقَكَ عَنّا عَجِزتَ

يا أَبا حَفصٍ فَجُد لي بِحَجَرِ

يا أَبا حَفصٍ فَجُد لي بِحَجَرِ

If you cannot spare us your silver,

If you are powerless to offer us your silver,

O Abu Hafs, then grant me a stone.

O Abu Hafs, then grant me at least a stone,

يَكسِرُ الجَوزَ بِهِ صِبيانُنا

يَكسِرُ الجَوزَ بِهِ صِبيانُنا

وَإِذا ما حَضَرَ اللَوزُ كَسَرِ

وَإِذا ما حَضَرَ اللَوزُ كَسَرِ

Our boys can crack walnuts with it,

With which our children may crack open walnuts,

and when almonds are at hand, it cracks them too.

And crush the almonds whenever they are served.