شخصa man مُعاويُّMuʿāwiya-like المِعِيْthe gut
شخص مُعاويُّ المِعِيْ
يُهديoffers لهاto it طَرفاهhis two ends زَرْداgulping
يُهدي لها طَرفاه زَرْدا
A man with a Muʿāwiya-like gut:
his two ends offer it gulp after gulp.
يحكيresembles العصاthe staff إنif راحhe sets out يبhe swal-
يحكي العصا إن راح يب
تلعُ-lows العصاthe staff لاno بلrather أشدّاmore fiercely
تلعُ العصا لا بل أشدّا
He resembles the staff when he sets out to swal-
low a staff—no, more fiercely still.
وتظنهand you think him بلعاBulaʿ (the Swallower) لشدfrom the inten-
وتظنه بلعا لشد
دة-sity بلعهhis swallowing لوif كانhe were سعداSaʿd
دة بلعه لو كان سعدا
You would think him Bulaʿ, from the inten-
sity of his swallowing, were he Saʿd.
Sol 6.1