رأسthe head of أبيAbu (father of) حفصHafs عظيمgreat in المنفعَهْusefulness
رأس أبي حفص عظيم المنفعَهْ
كمhow many منof يدa hand أمستreached evening بهby it ممتعَهْdelighted
كم من يد أمست به ممتعَهْ
Abu Hafs's head is of great use.
The head of Abu Hafs is of great benefit
How many a hand has ended the day delighted by it!
How many hands have derived pleasure from it
لوif عدمتهit lost it لبكتit would surely weep بأربعهfourfold
لو عدمته لبكت بأربعه
وأصبحتand awoke لفقدهat its loss مفجَّعهgrief-stricken
وأصبحت لفقده مفجَّعه
Were it to lose that head, it would weep fourfold,
If I lost it, I would cry with four laments
And awaken grief-stricken at its loss.
And without it I would become disconsolate
رأسa head جلاهpolished it الدهرtime حتىuntil قرَّعهmade it bald
رأس جلاه الدهر حتى قرَّعه
فلمand did not يدعleave فيon جانبيهits two sides قزعهa tuft of hair
فلم يدع في جانبيه قزعه
A head that time polished until it made it bald,
Time has exposed his head until it cracked it
Leaving not a tuft of hair on either side,
Leaving no hair on its sides
كأنماas though قرَّعهmade it bald ليصفعهto slap it
كأنما قرَّعه ليصفعه
للهfor God (in admiration) تلكthat الهامةthe skull المربعهsquare-shaped
لله تلك الهامة المربعه
As though time had made it bald just to slap it.
As if it had cracked it only to slap it
What a marvel, that square-shaped skull,
That square turban belongs to God
إذاwhen بدتit appears كالفيشةlike the glans المقصَّعهbared
إذا بدت كالفيشة المقصَّعه
مصقولةًpolished مدهونةًoiled مصنعهfinely finished
مصقولةً مدهونةً مصنعه
When it appears like a bared glans,
When it appears like an engraved fez
Polished, oiled, and finely finished!
Polished, glazed, and manufactured
ثمthen هوتswooped down فيهاupon it يدa hand كالمقمعهlike a mace
ثم هوت فيها يد كالمقمعه
بصفعةwith a slap هائلةtremendous مشعشعهdazzling
بصفعة هائلة مشعشعه
Then a hand like a mace swoops down upon it,
Then a hand like a funnel falls on it
With a tremendous, dazzling slap,
With a tremendous, blinding slap
كأنهاas though it were نُفاخةan inflated bladder مفرقعهbursting
كأنها نُفاخة مفرقعه
ياah ليتwould that ليmine يافوخهhis crown وأخدعهand his neck-vein
يا ليت لي يافوخه وأخدعه
As though it were an inflated bladder bursting.
As if it were an exploding balloon
Ah, would that his crown and neck-vein were mine,
Oh, if only I had a stick to deceive him
ملكpossession يدa hand منfrom فضلthe bounty of ربa Lord ذيpossessing سعهabundance
ملك يد من فضل رب ذي سعه
بلrather ليتنيwould that I أسمعcould hear تلكthat القعقعهclatter
بل ليتني أسمع تلك القعقعه
As possessions in my hand, by the bounty of a Lord of plenty!
A king whose hand was by the grace of the Lord of bounty
Nay, would that I could hear that clatter,
Rather, I wish I could hear that knocking sound
مكانin place of أعلىthe finest مسمعa male singer ومسمعهand a songstress
مكان أعلى مسمع ومسمعه
Instead of the finest singer and songstress.
Above my hearing and hearing range