إذاif جاءَنيcame to me يوماًone day نعيُnews of the death of أبيAbu (father of) الوَحشal-Wahsh (the wild beast)
إذا جاءَني يوماً نعيُ أبي الوَحش
وأبصرتُهand I saw him فوقabove الرُؤوسthe heads علىupon النَعشthe bier
وأبصرتُه فوق الرُؤوس على النَعش
If one day news of Abu al-Wahsh's death reaches me,
and I see him above the heads upon the bier,
وقدand already جَعلواthey made منfrom نهرthe river فَلّوطFallut غُسلَهhis washing
وقد جَعلوا من نهر فَلّوط غُسلَه
وكُفِّنand he was shrouded فيin كِرشa paunch وَأُلحِدand he was buried فيin حُشِّa privy
وكُفِّن في كِرش وَأُلحِد في حُشِّ
and they have used water from the river Fallut to wash him,
and he is shrouded in a paunch and buried in a privy,
وَظلَّand he kept on لماbecause of what يَلقاهhe encounters it منof هَولthe terror of مُنكَرMunkar
وَظلَّ لما يَلقاه من هَول مُنكَر
وشِدَّةِand the severity of ضيقِthe confinement of القَبرthe grave يَضرطhe farts كالجَحشlike a donkey foal
وشِدَّةِ ضيقِ القَبر يَضرط كالجَحش
and he keeps on—because of the terror of Munkar he faces
and the grave's crushing confinement—farting like a donkey foal,
بذلتُI gave freely لصَحبيto my companions زقَa wineskin of خَمرwine وقَنيةًand possessions
بذلتُ لصَحبي زقَ خَمر وقَنيةً
وزخرفتُand I adorned داريmy home بالنَمارقwith cushions والفَرشand bedding
وزخرفتُ داري بالنَمارق والفَرش
I will give my companions a wineskin of wine and possessions,
and adorn my home with cushions and bedding.
فإنthen if قيلit is said ليto me ماذاwhy this التكرُّمgenerosity والسَخاand largesse
فإن قيل لي ماذا التكرُّم والسَخا
أقُلI will say لهمُto them ماتhas died الوَضيعُthe vile fellow أبوAbu (father of) الوَحشِal-Wahsh (the wild beast)
أقُل لهمُ مات الوَضيعُ أبو الوَحشِ
Then, if I am asked, 'Why this generosity and largesse?'
I will tell them, 'The vile Abu al-Wahsh has died.'