The Mac. Edit. gives two couplets which have already occurred from the Bul. Edit. i. 540.
The lines are half of four couplets in vol. iv. 192; so I quote Lane.
_i.e._ none hath pleased me. I have quoted the popular saying, “The son of the quarter filleth not the eye.” _i.e._ women prefer stranger faces.
Here after the favourite Oriental fashion, she tells the truth but so enigmatically that it is more deceptive than an untruth; a good Eastern quibble infinitely more dangerous than an honest downright lie. The consciousness that the falsehood is part fact applies a salve to conscience and supplies a force lacking in the mere fib. When an Egyptian lies to you look straight in his eyes and he will most often betray himself either by boggling or by a look of injured innocence.
Arab. “Yastaghíbúní,” lit. = they deem my absence too long.
An euphemistic form of questioning after absence: “Is all right with thee?”
Arab. “Kallim al-Sultan!” the formula of summoning which has often occurred in The Nights.
Lane translates “Almost died,” Payne “well-nigh died;” but the text says “died.” I would suggest to translators
Be bould, be bould and every where be bould!
He is the usual poltroon contrasted with the manly and masterful girl, a conjunction of the lioness and the lamb sometimes seen in real life.
That he might see Jamilah as Ibrahim had promised.
A popular saying, _i.e._, les absents ont toujours tort.
Who had a prior right to marry her, but not against her consent after she was of age.
Arab. “Sirwál.” In Al-Hariri it is a singular form (see No. ii. of the twelve riddles in Ass. xxiv.); but Mohammed said to his followers “Tuakhkhizú” (adopt ye) “Saráwílát.” The latter is regularly declinable but the broken form Saráwíl is imperfectly declinable on account of its “heaviness,” as are all plurals whose third letter is an Alif followed by i or í in the next syllable.
Arab. “Matarik” from mitrak or mitrakah a small wooden shield coated with hide. This even in the present day is the policeman’s equipment in the outer parts of the East.
“Arab. “Sabíyah” for which I prefer Mr. Payne’s “young lady” to Lane’s “damsel”; the latter should be confined to Járiyah as both bear the double sense of girl and slave (or servant) girl. “Bint” again is daughter, maid or simply girl.