ياO ابنson نصرNasr وأنتand you أكmost deceitful (first part)
يا ابن نصر وأنت أك
ذبmost deceitful (completion) خَلقcreatures إذاwhen حلفhe swears an oath
ذب خَلق إذا حلف
O son of Nasr, you are the most
O son of Nasr, though you are most
deceitful of creatures when swearing an oath.
Untruthful when swearing an oath
طبعكyour nature الجورoppression والخياand treachery (first part)
طبعك الجور والخيا
نةُtreachery (completion) والظّلمand injustice والجنفand crookedness
نةُ والظّلم والجنف
Your nature is oppression and
Oppression, betrayal, injustice, tyranny
treachery, injustice and perversity.
Are your nature, habits and ethos
ياO أقلleast; lowest الأنامmankind فيin الthe (article beginning 'the eye')
يا أقل الأنام في ال
عينeye; esteem (completion) معdespite; with كبرةgreat size الظَفَفthe throng of dependants
عين مع كبرة الظَفَف
O lowest of mankind in
O meanest of men in the eyes
esteem, despite your great throng of dependants.
While boasting of greatest éclat
قدalready; indeed عرفناكwe have known you بالقياfor pimping (first part)
قد عرفناك بالقيا
دpimping (completion) وطوبىand blessedness لمنto whoever عرفknows
د وطوبى لمن عرف
We have known you for
We've known you through leadership
pimping—and blessed is whoever knows.
Blessed is he who has known
أنتyou فيin الدستthe seat of honor قاعدsitting
أنت في الدست قاعد
والمصاباتand the afflicted women فيin الغرفthe chambers
والمصابات في الغرف
You sit in the seat of honor,
You sit planted while disasters
while the afflicted women are in the chambers.
Are shut up in the sanctum
يتقاسمنthey share among themselves بالأيوwith penises (first part)
يتقاسمن بالأيو
رِpenises (completion) كماas تُقسَمُare divided التُحَفthe precious gifts
رِ كما تُقسَمُ التُحَف
They share among themselves
Sharing the livelihoods
penises, as precious gifts are shared.
As gifts are shared
كلeach شالفةa shālifa (feminine epithet; meaning uncertain) تعدcounts out (first part)
كل شالفة تعد
دcounts out (completion) لعشاقهاfor her lovers الشلفthe shalf (possibly spearheads; sense uncertain)
د لعشاقها الشلف
Each shālifa [feminine epithet, meaning uncertain] counts
Each concubine you count
out shalf [possibly spearheads; sense uncertain] for her lovers,
For her ardent lovers
منfrom همايينكyour money-belts التيwhich
من همايينك التي
خلفleft behind; bequeathed الوالدthe father العقفthe crooked one
خلف الوالد العقف
from your money-belts, which
From your Hmayyin guards
your crooked father left behind.
Behind the father, head covered
أنتyou ياO مخلفbreaker of المواthe promises (first part)
أنت يا مخلف الموا
عيدpromises (completion) حقاtruly أبوAbu; father of خلفKhalaf; promise-breaking (wordplay)
عيد حقا أبو خلف
You, O breaker of
You, O violator of trusts, are truly
promises, are truly Abu Khalaf.
Abu Khalaf (father of nothingness)
لاdo not تكلفburden; impose expense لسدfor a dam قوpeople (first part)
لا تكلف لسد قو
مpeople (completion) بغدادناour Baghdad الكلفthe expenses
م بغدادنا الكلف
Do not burden, for a dam,
Do not trouble to block off
the people of our Baghdad with expenses.
Our Baghdad with dams
واطرحand discard كثرةthe multitude القواthe barges (first part)
واطرح كثرة القوا
بيرbarges (completion) والسفنand the ships والعلفand the fodder
بير والسفن والعلف
And dispense with the many
And discard the many
barges, ships and fodder.
Ships, fodder and provender
حطlower; put down فيinto الماءthe water راحتيtwo palms (before possessive suffix)
حط في الماء راحتي
كyour (suffix completing 'your two palms') وقدand already صارhas become كالنجفlike Najaf
ك وقد صار كالنجف
Lower into the water the two palms
Sink your leisure
of yours—and it will have become like Najaf.
In the water, now a marsh
Sol 6.1