بكّارُBakkār ياO صاحبpossessor of المعاليhigh honors
بكّارُ يا صاحب المعالي
وحاكماand a ruler للعداto the enemies مُهيناhumbling
وحاكما للعدا مُهينا
Bakkār, O possessor of high honors,
Sadness, O master of nobility
and ruler who humbles enemies,
And ruler of the unjust people
أوليتyou appointed غيرnot الحسيبthe honorable man فيناamong us
أوليت غير الحسيب فينا
مُحتسباas a market inspector جائراًunjust عليناtoward us
مُحتسبا جائراً علينا
you have appointed among us a man without honor,
You gave the unworthy power over us
as a market inspector unjust toward us.
Appointing an oppressive tax collector
فالخمسfor the five رطلa ratl (weight measure) الهزبلal-hazbal (unclear term) لكنbut
فالخمس رطل الهزبل لكن
بأربعwith four يمنىhe gives false hopes العيناthe eye
بأربع يمنى العينا
For five make a ratl of al-hazbal (unclear term), yet
So the tax is five pounds of chaff
with four he beguiles the eye.
But with four measures it fills the container
يدُلُّindicates هذاthis علىto ارتشافsipping; siphoning off
يدُلُّ هذا على ارتشاف
قلّلdiminished فعلthe practice of الصّلاحrighteousness فيناamong us
قلّل فعل الصّلاح فينا
This points to a siphoning-off
This indicates dishonesty
that has diminished the practice of righteousness among us.
And little benevolence among us
هلcan? يكثرُabound الخيرُgoodness فيin بلادa land
هل يكثرُ الخيرُ في بلاد
قلالQallāl أضحىhas become بهاin it أميناa trustee
قلال أضحى بها أمينا
Can goodness abound in a land
Can good increase in a country
where Qallāl has become a trustee?
With scarce honesty among its people?
Sol 6.1