كانَ اِبنُ داوُدٍ يُقَر
رِبُ في مَجالِسِهِ حَمامَه
The son of Dawood had a pigeon
That he pampered in his gatherings
خَدَمَتهُ عُمراً مِثلَما
قَد شاءَ صِدقاً وَاِستِقامَه
It served him for years
With truthfulness and rectitude
فَمَضَت إِلى عُمّالِهِ
يَوماً تُبَلِّغُهُم سَلامَه
One day it went to his workers
To deliver his greetings
وَالكُتبُ تَحتَ جَناحِها
كُتِبَت لَها فيها الكَرامَه
With letters under its wings
Written with honor for it
فَأَرادَتِ الحَمقاءُ تَع
رِفُ مِن رَسائِلِهِ مَرامَه
The foolish one wanted to
Know the contents of his letters
عَمَدَت لِأَوَّلِها وَكا
نَ إِلى خَليفَتِهِ برامَه
It went to the first one which
Was to his Caliph with prestige
فَرَأَتهُ يَأمُرُ فيهِ عا
مِلَهُ بِتاجٍ لِلحَمامَه
It saw him commanding his minister
To make a crown for the pigeon
وَيَقولُ وَفّوها الرِعا
يَةَ في الرَحيلِ وَفي الإِقامَه
And say: Serve it well
Whether settled or traveling
وَيُشيرُ في الثاني بِأَن
تُعطى رِياضاً في تِهامَه
And he indicated in the second
To give it meadows in Tihama
وَأَتَت لِثالِثِها وَلَم
تَستَحي أَن فضَّت خِتامَه
And it came to the third without
Shame to break its seal
فَرَأَتهُ يَأمُرُ أَن تَكو
نَ لَها عَلى الطَيرِ الزَعامَه
It saw him commanding
To give it leadership over the birds
فَبَكَت لِذاكَ تَنَدُّماً
هَيهاتَ لا تُجدي النَدامَه
It cried in regret for that
Alas, regret is futile
وَأَتَت نَبِيَّ اللَهِ وَه
يَ تَقولُ يا رَبِّ السَلامَه
And it came to the Prophet of God
Saying: O Lord of Safety
قالَت فَقَدتُ الكُتبَ يا
مَولايَ في أَرضِ اليَمامَه
It said: I lost the letters, my Master
In the land of Yamama
لِتَسَرُّعي لَمّا أَتا
ني البازُ يَدفَعُني أَمامَه
Due to my haste when
The falcon pushed me forward
فَأَجابَ بَل جِئتِ الَّذي
كادَت تَقومُ لَهُ القِيامَه
He replied: But you came to what
Almost brought about doom
لَكِن كَفاكِ عُقوبَةً
مَن خانَ خانَتهُ الكَرامَه
But your punishment is enough
Who betrays, his prestige is lost
