أَعدَدتُ كَلباً لِطِرادِ سَلطا

مُقَلَّداً قَلائِداً وَمَقطا

I prepared a dog to hunt the sultan

I trained a hound for chasing swift-foot game,

Adorned with collars and well-trained

Adorned with collars and a leading-rope,

فَهوَ النَجيبُ وَالحَسيبُ رَهطا

تَرى لَهُ خَطَّينِ خُطّا خَطّا

Noble and wise, the best of company

He is the noble one, of high-born stock,

Marked with two lines drawn line by line

You see upon him two lines, clearly drawn,

وَمَلَطاً سَهلاً وَلَحياً سَبطا

ذاكَ وَمَتنَينِ إِذا تَمَطّى

With smooth fur and hanging jowls

A smooth shoulder-blade and slender jaw,

When he struts his imposing figure

With that, two back-sinews when he stretches out,

قُلتَ شِراكانِ أَجيدا قَطّا

مِن أَدَمِ الطائِفِ عُطّا عَطّا

You'd say two leather straps, well-crafted

You’d say: "Two leather straps, cut flawlessly,"

Of fine Edomite leather, cut and given

"From Ta'if's hide, split with severity."

تَفري إِذا كانَ الجِراءُ عُبطا

بَراثِناً سُحمَ الأَثافي مُلطا

He'd chase when the terrain gets rough

He cleaves the earth while whelps are yet unskilled,

With thighs like pillars, body alert

With paws like blackened hearth-stones, smooth and bare,

يَنشِطُ أُذنَيهِ بِهِنَّ نَشطا

تَخالُ مَأزَمَينِ مِنهُ شَرطا

Flapping his ears, energetic and keen

He perks his ears with brisk alacrity,

As if impatient, eager for the chase

You'd think his narrow ear-canals were slit,

ما إِن يَقَعنَ الأَرضَ إِلّا فَرطا

كَأَنَّما يُعجِلنَ شَيئاً لَقطا

No sooner would his paws hit the ground

His feet touch not the ground save glancingly,

Than off he'd sprint, chasing anything spotted

As if they hasten to snatch up a prize,

أَسرَعَ مِن قَولِ قَطاةٍ قَطّا

يَكتالُ خُزّانَ الصَحاري الرُقطا

Swifter than the cry of hunters, "Over here!"

Swifter than sandgrouse calling out "qatta",

He takes down prey on barren hills

He measures out the speckled desert hares,

يَلقَينَ مِنهُ حاكِماً مُشتَطّا

لِلعَظمِ حَطماً وَالأَديمِ عَبطا

Meeting the Ruler in high spirits

They find in him a tyrant judge's rule,

Shattering bones and piercing hides

To smash the bone and tear the fresh-flayed skin,

فَريَ الصَناعِ سابِراً وَقَبطا

إِذا النَجيعُ بِالغُبارِ اِشمَطّا

Frightening hunters, resolute and brave

As artisans cut silk or Coptic cloth,

When the pack raises dust in the fray

When crimson blood turns grey with rising dust,

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ عَلى ما أَعطى

So praise be to God for what He has given

So praise belongs to God for what He gave.