يوسُفَ الشاعِرَ فَرخٌ

وَجَدوهُ بالأَبِلَّةِ

Yusuf the poet is a young bird

Yusuf the poet is a fledgling chick,

They found him in Abella

They found him in the town of al-Ubulla,

حَلقي قَد تَلَقّى

كامِناً في جَوفِ جُلَّةِ

My throat received

A gaping ring that had taken its fill,

Hidden in the interior of a skin

Lurking within the belly of a date-basket,

خَيَّطوها خِشيَةَ الكَلبِ

عَلَيهِ بِمَسلِهِ

They sewed it fearing the dog

They stitched it shut for fear of the dog,

Upon it with its awl

Sealing him in with a packing needle.