وَأعفر المَسكِ تَلقاهُ فَتَحسَبُهُ

وَأعفر المَسكِ تَلقاهُ فَتَحسَبُهُ

مِن أَدكَنِ الحَزِّ مَخبوءٍ بِخَيفانِ

مِن أَدكَنِ الحَزِّ مَخبوءٍ بِخَيفانِ

And a tawny-hided creature—you meet him and think him

Made of dusky ḥazz [unclear term], hidden in Khayfān.

كَأَنَّ أُذنَيهِ في حُسنِ اِنتِصابِهِما

كَأَنَّ أُذنَيهِ في حُسنِ اِنتِصابِهِما

إِذا هُما اِنتَصَبا لِلحِسِّ زُجّانِ

إِذا هُما اِنتَصَبا لِلحِسِّ زُجّانِ

As though his two ears, so finely erect,

When both stand upright to listen, were two spear-butt spikes.

يَسري وَيَتبَعُهُ مِن خَلفِهِ ذَنَبٌ

يَسري وَيَتبَعُهُ مِن خَلفِهِ ذَنَبٌ

كَأَنَّهُ حينَ يَبدو ثَعلَبٌ ثاني

كَأَنَّهُ حينَ يَبدو ثَعلَبٌ ثاني

He travels by night, and a tail follows behind him,

As though, when it appears, it were a second fox.

فَلا يَشُكُ الَّذي بِالبُعدِ يبصرُهُ

فَلا يَشُكُ الَّذي بِالبُعدِ يبصرُهُ

فَرداً بِأَنَّهُما في الخِلقَةِ اِثنانِ

فَرداً بِأَنَّهُما في الخِلقَةِ اِثنانِ

So whoever sees him from afar has no doubt,

Though he is but one, that they are two distinct creatures.