وشادنand a gazelle-like youth بالكرخin al-Karkh ذيwith لثغةٍa lisp
وشادن بالكرخ ذي لثغةٍ
وإنماand only شرطيَmy stipulation فيin اللثغِlisping
وإنما شرطيَ في اللثغِ
And a gazelle-like youth in al-Karkh, with a lisp—
He's stuttering with a lisp so bad,
And my only stipulation is a lisp.
My condition's just as sad.
ماhow أشبهhe resembles الزنبورthe wasp فيin خصرهhis waist
ما أشبه الزنبور في خصره
حتىeven حكىhe mimics العقربthe scorpion فيat الصدغِthe temple-lock
حتى حكى العقرب في الصدغِ
How wasp-like he is at the waist,
His waist is shaped just like a wasp's,
Even mimicking a scorpion in his temple-lock!
His temples sting like scorpion gasps.
فيin فمِهِhis mouth دِرياقan antidote لدغٍfor stinging إذاwhen
في فمِهِ دِرياق لدغٍ إذا
أحرقsets ablaze قلبيmy heart شدةthe fierceness of اللدغِthe sting
أحرق قلبي شدة اللدغِ
In his mouth is an antidote to stings, when
In his mouth reside viper bites
The sting’s fierceness sets my heart ablaze.
That set my heart ablaze from their might.
إنif قلتُI say فيduring ضَمّيmy embrace لهof him أينwhere هُوْit
إن قلتُ في ضَمّي له أين هُوْ
تفديكmay ransom you روحيmy soul قالhe says لاnot أدغيI know (lisped)
تفديك روحي قال لا أدغي
If, as I embrace him, I say, “Where is it?
If I ask where can he be found,
May my soul ransom you!” he says, lisping, “I don’t know.”
He says "Don't pester me, back off now."
Sol 6.1