وما أنثى بها رَعيُ الرعايا

وإمضاءُ المنايا والقضايا

She, whose pasturing nourishes all folk,

And decrees man's final days, his providence and fate,

وتقصدها بنوها من رضاع

إذا انبعثوا لإبرامِ القضايَا

Her sons seek her for suckling when they come

To resolve affairs and determine each man's state,

لها اسمٌ إن أزلت النُّقطَ منه

فعذ بالله من شرِّ البلايا

Her name - omit the dots and, God forbid,

You invoke the banes of ill destiny!

وإن أبدلتَ آخره بهمزٍ

فقد أبرأتَ نازلَةَ الشكايا

Change the last letter into a hamza,

And you have cured the cause of all adversity.

وإن بَدّلتَ أوّله بنونٍ

أتيت ببعض أرزاقِ المطايا

But change the first letter into a noon,

And you have found a source of steeds and cavalry.

فأوضح ما رمزناه بفكرٍ

سديد القصدِ مُبدٍ للخفايا

So unveil the meaning hidden in our verse

With insight focused on its core, displaying the obscure!