سَمِعتُ بِأَنَّ طاووساً

سَمِعتُ بِأَنَّ طاووساً

أَتى يَوماً سُلَيمانا

أَتى يَوماً سُلَيمانا

I heard that a peacock

I heard that a peacock

came one day to Solomon,

Came one day to Solomon

يُجَرِّرُ دونَ وَفدِ الطَيـ

يُجَرِّرُ دونَ وَفدِ الطَيـ

ـرِ أَذيالاً وَأَردانا

ـرِ أَذيالاً وَأَردانا

dragging, before the birds' delegation,

Dragging, without the bird envoys,

his hems and sleeves,

Tails and feathers.

وَيُظهِرُ ريشَهُ طَوراً

وَيُظهِرُ ريشَهُ طَوراً

وَيُخفي الريشَ أَحيانا

وَيُخفي الريشَ أَحيانا

and showing his plumage at times,

Showing its feathers at times

and hiding his feathers at others.

And hiding them at others.

فَقالَ لَدَيَّ مَسأَلَةٌ

فَقالَ لَدَيَّ مَسأَلَةٌ

أَظُنُّ أَوانَها آنا

أَظُنُّ أَوانَها آنا

He said, “I have a request;

So it said: I have an issue

I think its time has come.

I think it's time I present it

وَها قَد جِئتُ أَعرضُها

وَها قَد جِئتُ أَعرضُها

عَلى أَعتابِ مَولانا

عَلى أَعتابِ مَولانا

And here I have come to present it

So I have come to lay it

at the thresholds of our lord.

At the threshold of my Master.

أَلَستُ الرَوضَ بِالأَزها

أَلَستُ الرَوضَ بِالأَزها

رِ وَالأَنوارِ مُزدانا

رِ وَالأَنوارِ مُزدانا

Am I not the garden, with flowers

Am I not the meadow with flowers

and blossoms adorned?

And lights decorated?

أَلَم أَستَوفِ آيَ الظَر

أَلَم أَستَوفِ آيَ الظَر

فِ أَشكالاً وَأَلوانا

فِ أَشكالاً وَأَلوانا

Have I not attained every mark of elegance,

Have I not been granted the perfections

in forms and colors?

Of form and color?

أَلَم أُصبِح بِبابِكُم

أَلَم أُصبِح بِبابِكُم

لِجَمعِ الطَيرِ سُلطانا

لِجَمعِ الطَيرِ سُلطانا

Have I not become, at your gate,

Have I not by your court

sovereign over all the birds?

Become king of all birds?

فَكَيفَ يَليقُ أَن أَبقى

فَكَيفَ يَليقُ أَن أَبقى

وَقَومي الغُرُّ أَوثانا

وَقَومي الغُرُّ أَوثانا

Then how can it be fitting that we remain—

How then is it fitting that I stay

my splendid kin and I—as idols?

While my people are idols?

فَحُسنُ الصَوتِ قَد أَمسى

فَحُسنُ الصَوتِ قَد أَمسى

نَصيبي مِنهُ حِرمانا

نَصيبي مِنهُ حِرمانا

For, as for sweetness of voice,

For the beauty of voice has been

my share of it has become deprivation.

Denied to me.

فَما تَيَّمتُ أَفئِدَةً

فَما تَيَّمتُ أَفئِدَةً

وَلا أَسكَرتُ آذانا

وَلا أَسكَرتُ آذانا

So I have never enthralled hearts,

I have not captivated hearts

nor intoxicated ears.

Nor intoxicated ears.

وَهَذي الطَيرُ أَحقَرها

وَهَذي الطَيرُ أَحقَرها

يَزيدُ الصَبَّ أَشجانا

يَزيدُ الصَبَّ أَشجانا

And of these birds, even the lowliest

And the most wretched of birds

adds to the lovesick one's sorrows.

Excells me in singing.

وَتَهتَزُّ المُلوكُ لَهُ

وَتَهتَزُّ المُلوكُ لَهُ

إِذا ما هَزَّ عيدانا

إِذا ما هَزَّ عيدانا

And kings are stirred by it

Kings shake for him

whenever it shakes branches.”

When he flutters branches.

فَقالَ لَهُ سُلَيمانٌ

فَقالَ لَهُ سُلَيمانٌ

لَقَد كانَ الَّذي كانا

لَقَد كانَ الَّذي كانا

Then Solomon said to him:

So Solomon said to him:

“Indeed, what has been has been.

What's happened has happened.

تَعالَت حِكمَةُ الباري

تَعالَت حِكمَةُ الباري

وَجَلَّ صَنيعُهُ شانا

وَجَلَّ صَنيعُهُ شانا

Exalted is the Creator's wisdom,

Exalted is the wisdom of the Creator,

and His handiwork is great in glory.

His work sublime in glory.

لَقَد صَغَّرتَ يا مَغرو

لَقَد صَغَّرتَ يا مَغرو

رُ نُعمى اللَهِ كُفرانا

رُ نُعمى اللَهِ كُفرانا

You have indeed belittled, O conceited one,

You have belittled, O ungrateful one,

God's bounty, out of ingratitude.

God's blessings showing ingratitude.

وَمُلكُ الطَيرِ لَم تَحفِل

وَمُلكُ الطَيرِ لَم تَحفِل

بِهِ كِبراً وَطُغيانا

بِهِ كِبراً وَطُغيانا

And you paid no heed to kingship over the birds,

The kingdom of birds which you did not care for

out of pride and insolence.

Arrogantly and tyrannically.

فَلَو أَصبَحتَ ذا صَوتٍ

فَلَو أَصبَحتَ ذا صَوتٍ

لَما كَلَّمتَ إِنسانا

لَما كَلَّمتَ إِنسانا

For if you had a voice,

Had you been given a voice

you would never speak to a human.”

You would not have spoken to humans.