قسماI swear أنthat ابنson of كرساKarsa
قسما أن ابن كرسا
أمهنmost abject العالمthe world نفساin soul
أمهن العالم نفسا
I swear that Ibn Karsa
Alas for Ibn Kursa
is the world's most abject soul.
The world's most miserly soul
رجلa man ماnot زالceased ينسيhe makes others forget
رجل ما زال ينسي
ثمنthe price of المدعal-madʿ (unclear term) وينسىand he forgets
ثمن المدع وينسى
A man who keeps making others forget
A man who never forgets
the price of al-madʿ [unclear], and forgets it himself.
The price of gifts, and forgets
شرساsurly تلقاهyou find him إنif رمsought (beginning of رمت)
شرسا تلقاه إن رم
تyou (ending of رمت) لديهfrom him الرفدa gift جبساa base fellow
ت لديه الرفد جبسا
You find him surly if you seek
The harshness he meets when he throws
a gift from him—a base fellow;
At petitioners a dry crust
كيساshrewd سهلاeasygoing كتوماdiscreet
كيسا سهلا كتوما
إنif رأىhe perceives فيin الدارthe house حساa sound
إن رأى في الدار حسا
shrewd, easygoing, discreet,
Cunning, easy-mannered, close-lipped
if he detects a sound in the house.
If he spies in the house a guest
فهوfor he منfrom زانan adulterer يراهhe sees him
فهو من زان يراه
يتكسىgetting dressed يتكسىhe clothes himself
يتكسى يتكسى
For from an adulterer he sees
So from his looks you’d suppose
getting dressed, he clothes himself.
He was honey, honey
أيwhat a صدرdignitary هوhe لوكاif he were (لو كان, continued)
أي صدر هو لوكا
نcompletion of كان ('were') علىon جذعa tree trunk مقسىhardened
ن على جذع مقسى
What a dignitary he would be, if he were
What heart lies inside the breast
on a hardened tree trunk!
Of a man like a sapless tree?
ياO إمامImam of العصرthe age خلدkeep forever
يا إمام العصر خلد
هhim بمنby Him who يبقيكpreserves you حبساimprisoned
ه بمن يبقيك حبسا
O Imam of the age, keep him forever
O Imam of the Age, may he
in prison, by Him who preserves you.
Who keeps you imprisoned stay imprisoned
واشوهand roast him بالضربwith blows حتىuntil
واشوه بالضرب حتى
يتقياhe vomits ماwhat تحسىhe sipped
يتقيا ما تحسى
And roast him with blows until
Beat him till he becomes meek
he vomits up what he has sipped.
And fears what you intend
فهوfor he قالوعa great extractor منof البرbribes (beginning of البرطيل)
فهو قالوع من البر
طيلcompletion of البرطيل ('bribes') ماnot يقلعhe extracts ضرساa molar
طيل ما يقلع ضرسا
For he is a great extractor of bribes,
He is a miser with grain,
yet does not extract a molar.
Never drawing it out like a molar
خزنhe hoarded الأموالthe wealth وابتاand bought (وابتاع, continued)
خزن الأموال وابتا
عcompletion of ابتاع ('bought') بهاwith it كأساa cup وكُسّباand oilseed cake
ع بها كأسا وكُسّبا
He hoarded wealth and bought
Hoarding riches, selling them
with it a cup and oilseed cake.
For a cup and a dice-throw
Sol 6.1