Note 389 — HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE DAMSEL AND ABU NOWAS.
Richard Francis Burton translation
The idea is that Abu Nowas was a thought-reader—such being the prerogative of inspired poets in the East. His drunkenness and debauchery only added to his power. I have already noticed that “Allah strike thee dead” (Kátala-k Allah) is like our phrase, “Confound the fellow, how clever he is.”