تَجْرِي فَلِلْمَاءِ سَاقٌ عَائِمٌ دَرِبٌ

وَلِلرِّيَاحِ جَنَاحُ طَائِرٍ حَذِرِ

It sails—for the water, it has a skilled, floating leg,

And for the winds, the wing of a wary bird.

قَدْ قَسَمَتْهَا يَدُ التَّقْدِيرِ بَيْنَهُمَا

عَلَى السَّوَاءِ فَلَمْ تَسْبَحْ وَلَمْ تَطِرِ

The hand of destiny has divided it between the two,

In equal parts, so it neither swims nor flies.