قَد أَغتَدي بِزُرَّقٍ صَبيحٍ

قَد أَغتَدي بِزُرَّقٍ صَبيحٍ

مَحضٍ لِمَن يَنسِبُهُ صَريحِ

مَحضٍ لِمَن يَنسِبُهُ صَريحِ

At times I set out at dawn with a handsome zurraq hawk,

With a fresh, bright complexion at dawn

I set out early with a bright-faced sparrowhawk,

Purebred, of untainted stock to anyone tracing its lineage,

Evident to whoever examines him closely.

Pure-bred for those who trace his lineage true,

صَلتِ الخُدودِ واضِحٍ مَليحٍ

صَلتِ الخُدودِ واضِحٍ مَليحٍ

وَلَيسَ ما يُغمَزُ كَالصَحيحِ

وَلَيسَ ما يُغمَزُ كَالصَحيحِ

Smooth-cheeked, bright and fair.

The cheeks' prayer is clear and beautiful,

Smooth of cheek, distinct, and fair of form,

And what can be faulted is not like what is sound.

Not what is implied like what is correct.

For the flawed is never equal to the sound,

بِكَفِّ ضَنّانٍ بِهِ شَحيحِ

بِكَفِّ ضَنّانٍ بِهِ شَحيحِ

مِمّا اِشتَرى بِالثَمَنِ الرَبيحِ

مِمّا اِشتَرى بِالثَمَنِ الرَبيحِ

In the hand of one jealous of it, loath to part with it,

With a miser's palm that purchased it

Held in a hand that guards him jealously,

One of his purchases at a profitable price.

With an exorbitant price,

Prized among those bought for profitable gain,

فَلَم يَزَل بِالنَهمِ وَالتَقديحِ

فَلَم يَزَل بِالنَهمِ وَالتَقديحِ

وَرَشِّهِ بِالماءِ وَالتَلويحِ

وَرَشِّهِ بِالماءِ وَالتَلويحِ

He kept on calling and coaxing it,

He did not stop blowing and making fun

Ceaselessly trained with restraint and urging calls,

And sprinkling it with water and signaling,

Sprinkling it with water and waving,

Sprayed with water, taught by the waving lure,

حَتّى اِنطَوى إِلّا جَنانَ الروحِ

حَتّى اِنطَوى إِلّا جَنانَ الروحِ

وَعَرَفِ الصَوتِ وَوَحيِ الموحي

وَعَرَفِ الصَوتِ وَوَحيِ الموحي

Until it dwindled, save for the heart of its spirit,

Until he retired except for the soul's gardens,

Until he wasted thin, save for his spirit’s core,

And recognition of the voice and the signaler's signals.

And knew the voice and the inspirer's revelation.

Knowing the voice and the master’s subtle sign,

فَكَم وَكَم مِن طُوَّلٍ طَموحِ

فَكَم وَكَم مِن طُوَّلٍ طَموحِ

لَم يُنجِهِ طُمورُهُ في اللوحِ

لَم يُنجِهِ طُمورُهُ في اللوحِ

How many, how many a tall, high-soaring bird

So how much and how much of ambitious height

How many a long-legged, high-ambitious bird,

Was not saved by its leap into the sky

Did its ambition not deliver on the tablet,

Was not saved by its soaring in the sky,

مِن فَلَتاتِ صَلَتاتٍ شيحِ

مِن فَلَتاتِ صَلَتاتٍ شيحِ

تُرجِلُهُ الريحُ بِكَفِّ الريحِ

تُرجِلُهُ الريحُ بِكَفِّ الريحِ

From sudden lunges, swift and wary—

From the slips and lapses of feeble prayers

From sudden, sharp, and zealous swooping strikes,

The wind brings it down with the wind's hand—

That the wind topples with the wind’s palm

That the wind brings down with the wind's own hand,

وَضَربَةٍ بِنَيزَكٍ مَذروحِ

وَضَربَةٍ بِنَيزَكٍ مَذروحِ

فَاِصطادَ قَبلَ الأَينِ وَالتَبريحِ

فَاِصطادَ قَبلَ الأَينِ وَالتَبريحِ

And from a blow with a poisoned spear.

And a blow with a shaken spear

And a blow from a beak like a poisoned spear,

So it caught, before weariness and great strain,

So he hunted before the time of dispersal

So he hunted, before fatigue or strain could set,

خَمسينَ مُستَحيىً إِلى مَذبوحِ

خَمسينَ مُستَحيىً إِلى مَذبوحِ

خَمسينَ مُستَحيىً إِلى مَذبوحِ

خَمسينَ مُستَحيىً إِلى مَذبوحِ

Fifty, some kept alive and others slaughtered.

Fifty shy ones to the slaughter

Fifty, some taken alive and others slain,

Fifty, some kept alive and others slaughtered.

Fifty shy ones to the slaughter

Fifty, some taken alive and others slain.