لا تأَمَنَنَّ عَلى سرّي وَسِرّكُم

لا تأَمَنَنَّ عَلى سرّي وَسِرّكُم

غَيري وَغيرك أَوطيّ القَراطيسِ

غَيري وَغيرك أَوطيّ القَراطيسِ

Never entrust my secret and yours

Do not trust me with your secret, nor should I trust you with mine,

to anyone but me and you—or the folds of paper,

Lest others betray our confidential writings,

أَو طائر سَأَصليهِ وأَنعَتُهُ

أَو طائر سَأَصليهِ وأَنعَتُهُ

ما زالَ صاحِبَ تَنقير وَتَدسيسِ

ما زالَ صاحِبَ تَنقير وَتَدسيسِ

or a bird. I shall consign it to the fire—and I will describe it:

Or a bird I will shoot down and gut,

it has always been given to pecking and prying,

Still given to gossiping and backstabbing.

سودٍ بَراثِنُهُ ميلٍ ذَوائِبُهُ

سودٍ بَراثِنُهُ ميلٍ ذَوائِبُهُ

صُفر حَمالِقُه في الحُسنِ مَغموس

صُفر حَمالِقُه في الحُسنِ مَغموس

its talons black, its crest-feathers slanting,

A black snake, winding is its movement,

its eye-sockets yellow, steeped in beauty.

Yellow are its large fangs though beautiful,

قَد كانَ هَمَّ سُليمانٌ ليَذبَحَهُ

قَد كانَ هَمَّ سُليمانٌ ليَذبَحَهُ

لَولا سَعايتَهُ في مُلكِ بلقيس

لَولا سَعايتَهُ في مُلكِ بلقيس

Solomon had indeed intended to slaughter it,

Solomon once wanted to slaughter it,

had it not informed him about the kingdom of Bilqis.

Had it not helped him gain Bilqis’ kingdom.