لَوif أُنزِلَwere sent down الوَحيُthe revelation عَلىupon نِفطَوَيهNiftawayh
لَو أُنزِلَ الوَحيُ عَلى نِفطَوَيه
لَكانَwould be ذاكَthat الوَحيُthe revelation سُخطاًwrath عَلَيهupon him
لَكانَ ذاكَ الوَحيُ سُخطاً عَلَيه
Had revelation descended upon Niftawayh,
If revelation were sent down upon Niftawayh,
that revelation would have been wrath against him.
That revelation would be wrath upon him.
وَشاعِرٌand a poet يُدعىis called بِنِصفِby half of اِسمِهِhis name
وَشاعِرٌ يُدعى بِنِصفِ اِسمِهِ
مُستأهلٌdeserving لِلصَفعِof being slapped فيon أَخدَعَيهboth sides of his neck
مُستأهلٌ لِلصَفعِ في أَخدَعَيه
And a poet called by half his name
And a poet called by half his name
deserves to be slapped on both sides of his neck.
Deserves slaps on both sides of his neck.
أُفٍّfie! عَلىupon النَحوِgrammar وَأَربابِهِand its masters
أُفٍّ عَلى النَحوِ وَأَربابِهِ
قَدindeed صارَhas become مِنamong أَربابِهِits masters نِفطَوَيهNiftawayh
قَد صارَ مِن أَربابِهِ نِفطَوَيه
Fie upon grammar and its masters!
Fie upon grammar and its masters!
For Niftawayh has now become one of its masters.
Niftawayh has indeed become one of its masters.
أَحرَقَهُmay burn him اللَهُGod بِنِصفِwith half of اِسمِهِhis name
أَحرَقَهُ اللَهُ بِنِصفِ اِسمِهِ
وَصَيَّرَand may turn الباقيthe remainder صُراخاًa cry عَلَيهagainst him
وَصَيَّرَ الباقي صُراخاً عَلَيه
May God burn him with half his name—nifṭ, “naphtha”—
May God burn him with half his name,
and turn the remainder—wayh, “woe!”—into a wail over him.
And turn the remainder into a cry against him.
Sol 6.1