وَمُستَنبحٍ تَستَكشِفُ الريحُ ثَوبَهُ

وَمُستَنبحٍ تَستَكشِفُ الريحُ ثَوبَهُ

لِيَسقُطَ عَنهُ وَهوَ بالثَوبِ مُعصِمُ

لِيَسقُطَ عَنهُ وَهوَ بالثَوبِ مُعصِمُ

And many a traveler, howling to draw a dog’s bark, whose robe the wind keeps stripping bare,

And a traveler seeking a dog's bark, whose cloak the wind tries to strip away,

so that it may fall from him, though he clings fast to the cloth,

to make it fall from him, while he clings fast to it,

عَوى في سَوادِ الَليلِ بَعدَ اِعتِسافِهِ

عَوى في سَوادِ الَليلِ بَعدَ اِعتِسافِهِ

لِيَنبَحَ كَلبٌ أَو لِيوقِظَ نُوَّمُ

لِيَنبَحَ كَلبٌ أَو لِيوقِظَ نُوَّمُ

has howled in the darkness of night after his blind, pathless wandering,

howled in the blackness of night after wandering without a path,

so that a dog might bark at him, or sleepers might kindle a fire.

to draw a dog's bark or rouse sleepers.

فَجاوَبَهُ مُستَسمِعُ الصَوتِ لِلنَّدى

فَجاوَبَهُ مُستَسمِعُ الصَوتِ لِلنَّدى

لَهُ عِندَ إِتيانِ المُحِبِّينَ مَطَعُم

لَهُ عِندَ إِتيانِ المُحِبِّينَ مَطَعُم

Then the dog—listening keenly for the sound in hope of bounty—answered him;

Then one listening for voices in hope of bounty answered him;

for when loving friends arrive, there is food for him.

a meal awaits him when travelers with exhausted mounts arrive.

يَكادُ إِذا ما أَبصَرَ الضَيفَ مُقبِلاً

يَكادُ إِذا ما أَبصَرَ الضَيفَ مُقبِلاً

يُكَلِّمُهُ مِن حُبِّهِ وَهوَ أَعجَمُ

يُكَلِّمُهُ مِن حُبِّهِ وَهوَ أَعجَمُ

Whenever he sees a guest approaching, he nearly

Whenever he sees a guest approaching, he almost

speaks to him out of love, though he cannot speak.

speaks to him out of love, though he has no human speech.