أَبا جَعفَرٍ لا تَنالُ العُلا

أَبا جَعفَرٍ لا تَنالُ العُلا

بِتيهِكَ في المَجلِسِ الحاشِدِ

بِتيهِكَ في المَجلِسِ الحاشِدِ

O Abu Jaʿfar, you will not attain eminence

Abu Ja'far, you will not attain glory

by your conceit in the crowded assembly,

By jesting in a crowded gathering,

وَلا بِغُلامٍ كَبَدرِ التَما

وَلا بِغُلامٍ كَبَدرِ التَما

مِ رُكِّبَ في غُصُنٍ مائِدِ

مِ رُكِّبَ في غُصُنٍ مائِدِ

nor through a boy like the full

Nor with a young man like a full moon

moon, set upon a swaying branch;

Mounted on a supple bough,

وَلا بِازيارَ إِذا ما أَتا

وَلا بِازيارَ إِذا ما أَتا

كَ يَخطِرُ بِالذَّرِّ وَالصائِدِ

كَ يَخطِرُ بِالذَّرِّ وَالصائِدِ

nor through a falconer, when he comes

Nor with visitors when they come

to you, strutting with the tiny ants and the hunter.

Like a thought that flashes through the mind of the hunter.

فَكَيفَ وَما لَكَ من شاكِرٍ

فَكَيفَ وَما لَكَ من شاكِرٍ

وَكَيفَ وَما لَكَ من حامِدِ

وَكَيفَ وَما لَكَ من حامِدِ

How, then, when no one thanks you?

So how can you have anyone who thanks you

And how, when no one praises you?

And how can you have anyone who praises you?

أَتَذكُرُ إِذ أَنتَ تَحتَ الزَمانِ

أَتَذكُرُ إِذ أَنتَ تَحتَ الزَمانِ

وَحيدٌ بِلا دِرهَمٍ واحِدِ

وَحيدٌ بِلا دِرهَمٍ واحِدِ

Do you remember when you were at Time’s mercy,

Do you remember when you were under adversity

alone, without a single dirham?

Alone without a single dirham?