وافىarrived نظامكyour verse ياO خبيرone who knows حاليmy state
وافى نظامك يا خبير حالي
مثلlike العساليal-ʿAsālī
مثل العسالي
Your verse arrived, O you who know my state,
Your system has met my expectation
like al-ʿAsālī.
Like honey
بداappeared وهوand he لابسwearing قميصa shirt باليthreadbare
بدا وهو لابس قميص بالي
لكنbut حلاwas pleasing ليto me
لكن حلا لي
He appeared wearing a threadbare shirt,
He arrived wearing a faded shirt
yet he pleased me.
But it suited me
وصلarrived وقنبرand squatted فيin المكانthe place قباليopposite me
وصل وقنبر في المكان قبالي
بوجهwith a face باليhaggard
بوجه بالي
He arrived and squatted in the place opposite me,
And sat arrogantly before me
with a haggard face.
With a faded face
وبعدand after ساعهan hour قامrose زقمseized قذاليthe back of my head
وبعد ساعه قام زقم قذالي
ماnot هوhe مباليcaring
ما هو مبالي
An hour later, he rose and seized the back of my head,
And after an hour, he rudely rebuked me
not caring at all,
Not caring at all
بزوجwith a pair of شواربmustaches تشبهresembling المكانسbrooms
بزوج شوارب تشبه المكانس
منfrom نخلpalm trees يابسdry
من نخل يابس
with a pair of mustaches resembling brooms
With socks resembling brooms
made from dry palm fronds.
Of dry palm
شيبهan old man كبيرaged مجنونmad سخيفfoolish عابسscowling
شيبه كبير مجنون سخيف عابس
يلعبplaying بدارسat dāris, a game
يلعب بدارس
An aged old man, mad, foolish, and scowling,
An old crazy gloomy man
playing dāris.
Playing with lies
سامرa night companion مطفىunlit فيin الظلامthe darkness جالسsitting
سامر مطفى في الظلام جالس
يضربturns over وساوسanxious fancies
يضرب وساوس
A night companion, his light out, sitting in darkness,
Samer, put out in the darkness, sitting
turning over anxious fancies.
Hitting delusions
فيin فرنan oven خبازa baker يحملcarries المقاليthe pans
في فرن خباز يحمل المقالي
ياoh كمhow often بصاليhe stared at me
يا كم بصالي
In a baker's oven, he carries the pans—
In a baker's oven carrying tongs
oh, how often he stared at me!
Oh how many times I've been burnt
حميلa porter معيضيMuʿayḍī منsince صباحdawn بلادهhis homeland
حميل معيضي من صباح بلاده
كدtoiling كودhard عادهhe still is
كد كود عاده
A Muʿayḍī porter, since dawn in his homeland,
A carrier disgusted since the morning of his country
still toiling hard.
Like an old habit
وصالand charged نزيعan outsider ماnot قدever نقضunfastened شدادهhis saddle-girth
وصال نزيع ما قد نقض شداده
علىupon جوادهhis steed
على جواده
And an outsider charged, his saddle-girth never yet loosened,
And a visitor who did not keep his promise
upon his steed.
On his horse
ياO سعدgood fortune واللهby God منwhoever طرحlaid aside كنادهhis obstinacy
يا سعد والله من طرح كناده
وادكىand quelled عنادهhis defiance
وادكى عناده
How fortunate, by God, is whoever has laid aside his obstinacy
Oh Saad, by God, from one who threw away his jug
and quelled his defiance!
And cried over his stubbornness
هذاthis الجوابthe reply ياO احسنAhsan بقدرwithin the measure of حاليmy ability
هذا الجواب يا احسن بقدر حالي
خطرoccurred بباليto my mind
خطر ببالي
This reply, O Ahsan, within my powers,
This is the answer, the best I can
came to mind.
It came to my mind
Sol 6.1