قسما أن ابن كرسا

قسما أن ابن كرسا

أمهن العالم نفسا

أمهن العالم نفسا

I swear that Ibn Karsa

Alas for Ibn Kursa

is the world's most abject soul.

The world's most miserly soul

رجل ما زال ينسي

رجل ما زال ينسي

ثمن المدع وينسى

ثمن المدع وينسى

A man who keeps making others forget

A man who never forgets

the price of al-madʿ [unclear], and forgets it himself.

The price of gifts, and forgets

شرسا تلقاه إن رم

شرسا تلقاه إن رم

ت لديه الرفد جبسا

ت لديه الرفد جبسا

You find him surly if you seek

The harshness he meets when he throws

a gift from him—a base fellow;

At petitioners a dry crust

كيسا سهلا كتوما

كيسا سهلا كتوما

إن رأى في الدار حسا

إن رأى في الدار حسا

shrewd, easygoing, discreet,

Cunning, easy-mannered, close-lipped

if he detects a sound in the house.

If he spies in the house a guest

فهو من زان يراه

فهو من زان يراه

يتكسى يتكسى

يتكسى يتكسى

For from an adulterer he sees

So from his looks you’d suppose

getting dressed, he clothes himself.

He was honey, honey

أي صدر هو لوكا

أي صدر هو لوكا

ن على جذع مقسى

ن على جذع مقسى

What a dignitary he would be, if he were

What heart lies inside the breast

on a hardened tree trunk!

Of a man like a sapless tree?

يا إمام العصر خلد

يا إمام العصر خلد

ه بمن يبقيك حبسا

ه بمن يبقيك حبسا

O Imam of the age, keep him forever

O Imam of the Age, may he

in prison, by Him who preserves you.

Who keeps you imprisoned stay imprisoned

واشوه بالضرب حتى

واشوه بالضرب حتى

يتقيا ما تحسى

يتقيا ما تحسى

And roast him with blows until

Beat him till he becomes meek

he vomits up what he has sipped.

And fears what you intend

فهو قالوع من البر

فهو قالوع من البر

طيل ما يقلع ضرسا

طيل ما يقلع ضرسا

For he is a great extractor of bribes,

He is a miser with grain,

yet does not extract a molar.

Never drawing it out like a molar

خزن الأموال وابتا

خزن الأموال وابتا

ع بها كأسا وكُسّبا

ع بها كأسا وكُسّبا

He hoarded wealth and bought

Hoarding riches, selling them

with it a cup and oilseed cake.

For a cup and a dice-throw