1. لَمّا أَتَمَّ نوحٌ السَفينَه

    وَحَرَّكَتها القُدرَةُ المُعينَه

    When Noah completed the ark,

    and the aiding Power set it in motion,

  2. جَرى بِها ما لا جَرى بِبالِ

    فَما تَعالى المَوجُ كَالجِبالِ

    what no mind had imagined happened aboard it.

    No sooner had the waves towered like mountains

  3. حَتّى مَشى اللَيثُ مَعَ الحِمارِ

    وَأَخَذَ القِطُّ بِأَيدي الفارِ

    than the lion walked with the donkey,

    and the cat took the mice by their hands,

  4. وَاِستَمَعَ الفيلُ إِلى الخِنزيرِ

    مُوتَنِساً بِصَوتِهِ النَكيرِ

    and the elephant listened to the pig,

    finding comfort in its harsh voice,

  5. وَجَلَسَ الهِرُّ بِجَنبِ الكَلبِ

    وَقَبَّلَ الخَروفُ نابَ الذِئبِ

    and the cat sat beside the dog,

    and the lamb kissed the wolf's fang,

  6. وَعَطَفَ البازُ عَلى الغَزالِ

    وَاِجتَمَعَ النَملُ عَلى الأَكّالِ

    and the hawk showed kindness to the gazelle,

    and the ants gathered upon the devourer,

  7. وَفَلَتِ الفَرخَةُ صوفَ الثَعلَبِ

    وَتَيَّمَ اِبنَ عِرسَ حُبُّ الأَرنَبِ

    and the hen picked vermin from the fox's fur,

    and love for the rabbit enthralled the weasel.

  8. فَذَهَبَت سَوابِقُ الأَحقادِ

    وَظَهَرَ الأَحبابُ في الأَعادي

    So old grudges vanished,

    and friends appeared among foes.

  9. حَتّى إِذا حَطّوا بِسَفحِ الجودي

    وَأَيقَنوا بِعَودَةِ الوُجودِ

    Until, when they alighted at the foot of Mount Judi,

    and were certain that life had returned,

  10. عادوا إِلى ما تَقتَضيهِ الشيمَه

    وَرَجَعوا لِلحالَةِ القَديمَه

    they returned to what their nature demanded,

    and went back to their former state.

  11. فَقِس عَلى ذَلِكَ أَحوالَ البَشَر

    إِن شَمِلَ المَحذورُ أَو عَمَّ الخَطَر

    So judge human affairs by this example:

    if the dreaded peril encompasses all, or danger is universal,

  12. بَينا تَرى العالَمَ في جِهادِ

    إِذ كُلُّهُم عَلى الزَمانِ العادي

    while you see the world in strife,

    suddenly they all stand together against hostile Time.