ألم تَرَ لابن بلبلَ إذ حماني

مَواردَهُ وأَوْرادِي ظِماءُ

Did you not see the son of the nightingale when he strangled me

His springs and my retreats are thirsty

سألت الأرضَ تنكيراً عليه

فلم تفعلْ فنكَّرتِ السماءُ

I asked the earth to deny him

But it did not so the sky denied

وصاعدُ ما تَصعَّدَ بل تَهَاوَى

ولكنْ جادَ ما صَعِد الدعاءُ

And ascending what ascends but falling

But bestowing what the supplication ascended

رعى هذا الأنامَ فكان ذئباً

أحصَّ وما الذئابُ وما الرِّعاءُ

He pastured the people so he was a wolf

He counted and what are the wolves and what are the shepherds