قلsay لأبيto Abu حفصٍHafs إذاwhen جئتَهyou come to him
قل لأبي حفصٍ إذا جئتَه
قولthe words of أخيa brother of نصْحٍcounsel وإرشادِand guidance
قول أخي نصْحٍ وإرشادِ
Tell Abu Hafs, when you come to him,
Say to Abu Hafs when you meet him
with a brother’s words of counsel and guidance:
My brother's advice and guidance
أنّىhow تزوّجتَyou married علىwith صَلْعةٍa bald pate
أنّى تزوّجتَ على صَلْعةٍ
كأنهاas though it were سِنْدانُan anvil حدادِa blacksmith
كأنها سِنْدانُ حدادِ
How did you marry with a bald pate
That you married a bald woman
like a blacksmith’s anvil?
As if she were a blacksmith's anvil
لاdo not تعْذِلوهreproach him ليسit was not عنby رأيهhis choice
لا تعْذِلوه ليس عن رأيه
تزوَّجhe married المشقوقةthe woman with a cleft الصَّادِṣād (the letter, alluding to the vulva)
تزوَّج المشقوقة الصَّادِ
Do not reproach him: it was not by his own choice
Do not blame him, it was not his opinion
that he married the woman with the cleft ṣād.
That you married the split-lipped one
أمرthe affairs of أبيAbu حفْصٍHafs إلىin the hands of خالدKhalid
أمر أبي حفْصٍ إلى خالد
ياO لكfor you منof قرْدٍa monkey وقَرَّادِand a monkey-trainer
يا لك من قرْدٍ وقَرَّادِ
Abu Hafs’s affairs are in Khalid’s hands—
Abu Hafs's affair is for Khalid
Oh, what a monkey and a monkey-trainer!
What a monkey and blabbermouth you are