وَقَدْand indeed كُنْتُI was كاتِبَsecretary of جَيْشِthe army of الأَميthe emir (continued in line 2)
وَقَدْ كُنْتُ كاتِبَ جَيْشِ الأَمي
رِcompletion of “the emir” وَمُجْريand manager of الأُمورِaffairs علىaccording to رَسْمِهاtheir established order
رِ وَمُجْري الأُمورِ على رَسْمِها
And I once was secretary to the emir’s army,
I used to be the scribe of the emir's army
and managed affairs according to their established order.
And execute affairs as prescribed
وَهاand here أَناI تاجِرُa trader in سُوقِthe market of الْمَحَabsurdity (continued in line 4)
وَها أَنا تاجِرُ سُوقِ الْمَحَ
الcompletion of “absurdity” وَسُوقُand a market كَفَىsuffices باسْمِهاby its name
ال وَسُوقُ كَفَى باسْمِها
And here I am, a trader in the market of absurdity—
Yet here I am, a peddler in the street market
a market whose name alone says enough.
Where the name of the market is enough introduction