وَقُلَّةِ طَودٍ مُشمَخِرٍّ شعافُهُ

لمُلتَمسٍ قَصدَ السَبيل مُزيلِ

With scarcely a tuft of down ruffling, stirring its feathers,

A fledgling, leaving the nest, heads for life's path.

بهِ وَكرُ فَتخاءِ الجَناحَينِ نِقوَةٍ

شَديدَةِ أَرساغِ الأكُفِّ قتولِ

With the strength of clasping talons and flapping wings

It bewilders the eyes of one gazing amazed.

تُقَلِّبُ عَينَي مُستَريبٍ أَكنّا

بقَلتي أشَمَّ المارِنَينِ أَسيلِ

I scent the sweet basil on its small beak

It has a neck like a weasel's, hiding its impudence

لَهُ جُؤجؤٌ كالفِهرِ يكتنُّ زَورَه

بمُحتَنكٍ صَدق الظُهارِ جَديلِ

In a cunning pretense of virtue and honor.

With legs like supports, were their cords cut

وَساقا ظليمٍ لَو ظنابيبُهُ عَلَت

رحيبُ أكُفٍّ غَير ذاتِ حجولِ

They'd be wider spread than destitute hands.

Its claws are tent pegs, as though they belong

أَظافيرُها حُجنُ الأشافي كأنَّها

شُعوبُ صياصي في قُرونِ وُعولِ

To the tribes of Sasaa in the era of camel raids.

When the beast turned aside, the abandoned nest

فَلمّا تراءى الوَحشُ مُنحَرِفاً دَعَت

لإعمارِها آجالُها برَحيلِ

Summoned its chicks' lifespan to depart.