كان لي ابن المعدل

كان لي ابن المعدل

بالقفيز المعدلِ

بالقفيز المعدلِ

I had Ibn al-Muʿaddal,

I had a son, a model one,

by the leveled qafiz measure,

With a waist beautifully slim,

من شعيرٍ بلا ترا

من شعيرٍ بلا ترا

ب نقي مغربل

ب نقي مغربل

of barley without du—

Of the finest barley with no chaff—

—st, clean and sifted.

Sifted, clean, and trimmed.

ما أرى مثله فلا

ما أرى مثله فلا

نٌ قضيماً لدلدل

نٌ قضيماً لدلدل

I see none like him, so-and—

None can match him, no, not one—

—so, as fodder for Duldul.

Slender, delicate, and slim.