طَيّارَةٌ وَلها فَرْخانِ وَاعَجَبا

طَيّارَةٌ وَلها فَرْخانِ وَاعَجَبا

إذ لا تَزُفّهُما حتى تَرقّاها

إذ لا تَزُفّهُما حتى تَرقّاها

A flier with two chicks—how wondrous!

A bird with two chicks astounded

For she does not bear them along until they climb onto her.

As she would not feed them till they fully feathered

كَأنّما البَحرُ عَينٌ وَهيَ أسودَها

كَأنّما البَحرُ عَينٌ وَهيَ أسودَها

فَسَبْحُها فيه وَالعَبْرَانِ جفناها

فَسَبْحُها فيه وَالعَبْرَانِ جفناها

As though the sea were an eye, and she its dark pupil;

As though the sea were her eye and they its pupils

So she swims in it, and the two banks are its eyelids.

So she swims in it, while they blink their lids