ثَلاثونَ أَلفاً كُلُّها طَبَرِيَّةٌ

ثَلاثونَ أَلفاً كُلُّها طَبَرِيَّةٌ

دَعا لي بِها لَمّا رَأى الصَكَّ صالِحُ

دَعا لي بِها لَمّا رَأى الصَكَّ صالِحُ

Thirty thousand, all of them Tabari coins—

Thirty thousand, all of them Tabariyyah

Salih called for them for me when he saw the payment order.

He called upon me to give them when he saw the deed valid

دَعا بِالزُيوفِ الناقِصات وَإِنَّما

دَعا بِالزُيوفِ الناقِصات وَإِنَّما

عَطاءُ أَبي الفَضل الجِياد الرَواجِحُ

عَطاءُ أَبي الفَضل الجِياد الرَواجِحُ

He called for debased, underweight coins, whereas

He called for the deficient saddlebags, yet truly

Abu al-Fadl's gifts are only fine, weighty coins.

The gift of my father Al-Fadl, the excellent steeds

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَمّا دَعا بِزُيوفِهِ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَمّا دَعا بِزُيوفِهِ

أَأَلجَدُّ هَذا مِنكَ أَم أَنتَ مازِحُ

أَأَلجَدُّ هَذا مِنكَ أَم أَنتَ مازِحُ

So I said to him when he called for his debased coins:

So I said to him when he called for his saddlebags

Is this in earnest on your part, or are you joking?

“Is this serious from you, or are you joking?”