وخِلٍّ أتَى التّدخينَ زهواً ونشوةً

وخِلٍّ أتَى التّدخينَ زهواً ونشوةً

وقد كَان ذا نشقَ السَّحيقِ المُصَدَّع

وقد كَان ذا نشقَ السَّحيقِ المُصَدَّع

And a friend took up smoking in pride and elation,

A khil came to smoking in delight and ecstasy

And he had been one to sniff the head-splitting powder.

Though it had torn open the perfumed tobacco pouch

فقلتُ عفَاك اللهُ من نَشقِ نفحَةٍ

فقلتُ عفَاك اللهُ من نَشقِ نفحَةٍ

فقالَ عفَاني اللهُ لَكِن بِأُصبُعِ

فقالَ عفَاني اللهُ لَكِن بِأُصبُعِ

So I said, “May God spare you from inhaling a whiff!”

So I said, may God pardon you from tearing open a scent

He replied, “God has spared me—but with a finger.”

And he said, God pardoned me, but with a finger