وطائِرةٍ تَهْوِي كأَنَّ جَناحها

وطائِرةٍ تَهْوِي كأَنَّ جَناحها

ضَمِيرٌ خَفِيُّ لا يُحَدِّدُهُ وهْمُ

ضَمِيرٌ خَفِيُّ لا يُحَدِّدُهُ وهْمُ

And a flying creature swoops down, as though her wing

Like a bird that swoops as though its wings

Were a hidden thought no imagination can define.

Are a hidden conscience not defined by delusions,

مُلازِمةٍ للرَّوْضِ حتى كأَنَّما

مُلازِمةٍ للرَّوْضِ حتى كأَنَّما

لها كُلُّ ما تفْتَرُّ عنه الرُّبى طُعْمُ

لها كُلُّ ما تفْتَرُّ عنه الرُّبى طُعْمُ

Keeping to the meadows, until it is as though

Closely accompanying the garden as though

All that the hills smile to reveal were food for her.

It finds in all that the meadows relinquish, sustenance,

تَمُجُّ بفِيها الشَّهْد صِرْفاً ويخْتَفِى

تَمُجُّ بفِيها الشَّهْد صِرْفاً ويخْتَفِى

لمُشْتارِهِ ما بيْنَ أَحْشائِها سَهْمُ

لمُشْتارِهِ ما بيْنَ أَحْشائِها سَهْمُ

She disgorges pure honey from her mouth, and there lies hidden

Drawing with its mouth the nectar purely and hiding

For its gatherer, an arrow amid her entrails.

From its suitor what lies between its entrails, an arrow,

مُنافِرةٍ للإِنْسِ تأنَسُ بالفَلا

مُنافِرةٍ للإِنْسِ تأنَسُ بالفَلا

مُفَرِّقةٍ للشَّهْدِ مِن بَعْضِها السُّمُّ

مُفَرِّقةٍ للشَّهْدِ مِن بَعْضِها السُّمُّ

Averse to humankind, she finds comfort in the wilderness,

Aloof from mankind, befriending the empty wilderness,

Dispensing honey, though venom comes from part of her.

Scattering the nectar from itself is poison,

فإِدْناؤُها رُشْدٌ وَهَتْكُ حِجابها

فإِدْناؤُها رُشْدٌ وَهَتْكُ حِجابها

إِذا احْتَجَبتْ في غَيْرِ أَيَّامِها ظُلْمُ

إِذا احْتَجَبتْ في غَيْرِ أَيَّامِها ظُلْمُ

So drawing her near is wise, and rending her veil,

Its approach is sanity, to rend its veil

When she has veiled herself outside her season, is an injustice.

When it veils itself outside its days is injustice.