ماhow أحلىsweet عودstalk القصبthe sugarcane معهwith him
ما أحلى عود القصب معه
أبوfather of; Abu زعيزعتهhis little wobble (playful diminutive)
أبو زعيزعته
How sweet the sugarcane stalk he has!
How sweet is the reed flute with him
Abu Zuʿayziʿatah.
His buzzing
قلتI said قومget up صلنيjoin me قالhe said أناI عليAli
قلت قوم صلني قال أنا علي
ياO كنينتهhis kunayna (obscure diminutive)
يا كنينته
I said, “Rise, join me”; he said, “I am Ali.”
I said stand and pray for me, he said I am upon you
O his Kunayna!
Oh his melodiousness
ماhow أحلىsweet طعمهits taste وماand how أطرفهdelightful it is
ما أحلى طعمه وما أطرفه
منwhoever ذاقهtastes it يعرفهknows it
من ذاقه يعرفه
How sweet its taste, and how delightful it is!
How sweet is his taste and how delightful he is
Whoever tastes it knows it.
Whoever tastes him knows him
أيah ولوand even so فويلحthen woe! (playful form) لهto him الهوىlove يلولحmakes sway
أي ولو فويلح له الهوى يلولح
منbecause of طريفتهhis charm
من طريفته
Ah, even so—woe to him! Love makes him sway
Yes, and if passion inclines towards him, it inclines
because of his charm.
From his delicateness
قُديديmy little Qudayd (possibly “my little figure”) الأهيفthe slender one الرشيقthe graceful one
قُديدي الأهيف الرشيق
كمhow many لهhe has ترىyou see عشيقa lover
كم له ترى عشيق
My little Qudayd, slender and graceful!
My slender, graceful beloved
How many lovers he has, you see!
How many lovers do you think he has
أيah وفيهand in him مقوسsomething curved تلقيهyou find him معوسtwisted
أي وفيه مقوس تلقيه معوس
منfrom قعيدتهhis little seat/backside (uncertain)
من قعيدته
Ah, and there is a curve in him; you find him twisted
Yes, and in it a curved one you find it bent
from his little seat.
From his sitting
Sol 6.1