قَد أَغتَدي وَالصُبحُ في دُجاهُ

كَطُرَّةِ البُردِ عَلامَتاهُ

The morn has dawned with duskiness yet lingering,

I venture forth while dawn is veiled in gloom,

Like speckled frost its traces on the hill-slope cling.

Its signs appearing like a mantle's plume,

بِيُؤيُؤٍ يُعجِبُ مَن رَآهُ

ما في اليَآئي يُؤيُؤٌ شَرواهُ

With plaints melodious he doth make all hearers yearn,

With a merlin that delights the gazer's eye,

But mourns no creature like the Yá'ú mourner lone.

No hawk among its kind with it can vie.

مِن سُفعَةٍ طُرَّ بِها خَدّاهُ

أَزرَقُ لا تَكذِبُهُ عَيناهُ

From blows right frequent falls the morning star of blue,

With dusky markings tracing down his cheek,

Whose eye nor fails nor yet denies the tale as true.

An azure bird whose eyes the truth do speak.

فَلَو يَرى القانِصُ ما يَراهُ

فَدّاهُ بِالأُمِّ وَقَد فَدّاهُ

Would that the huntsman might behold him as he flies,

For if the huntsman saw what he descries,

Self-ransomed with his mother dear who ransom gave.

He'd ransom him with mother's sacrifice.

مِن بَعدِ ما يَذهَبُ حِملاقاهُ

لا يوئلُ المَكّاءُ مَنكِباهُ

After his harmless ramblings cease to spread alarm,

And when his piercing gaze has fixed its aim,

The geese no more will bend their necks and take to flight.

The whistling lark finds no escape from shame,

وَلا جَناحانِ تَكَنَّفاهُ

مِنهُ إِذا طارَ وَقَد تَلاهُ

No wings will overshadow him from hurt him to guard,

Nor can the wings that shield it offer aid,

When he, though faring forth, returns from perilous flight.

From him, when once the deadly flight is made,

دونَ اِنتِزاعِ السِحرِ مِن حَشاهُ

لَو أَكثَرَ التَسبيحَ ما نَجّاهُ

Without some charm withdrawn from him his food to mar,

Save tearing out the life from deep inside;

Naught would avail the utmost praise to keep him sound.

Though much it prayed, no mercy would betide.

ذاكَ الَّذي خَوَّلَناهُ اللَهُ

تَبارَكَ اللَهُ الَّذي هَداهُ

He whom the Lord inspired for us to frame and fix,

This is the bounty God to us has sent,

Blest be the Lord Most High who wisely shaped and planned.

Blessed be He who guided its descent.