أُنبِئتُ أَنَّ سُلَيمانَ الزَمانِ وَمَن

أَصبى الطُيورَ فَناجَتهُ وَناجاها

I was told that Sulayman, the ruler of the age and the one

Whose birds would confide in him and he would confide in them

أَعطى بَلابِلَهُ يَوماً يُؤَدِّبُها

لِحُرمَةٍ عِندَهُ لِلبومِ يَرعاها

Once gave his nightingales a day of discipline

Out of respect he held for the owl he fostered

وَاِشتاقَ يَوماً مِنَ الأَيّامِ رُؤيَتَها

فَأَقبَلَت وَهيَ أَعصى الطَيرِ أَفواها

One day he longed to see them after many days passed

So they came, though the birds could hardly move their mouths

أَصابَها العِيُّ حَتّى لا اِقتِدارَ لَها

بِأَن تَبُثَّ نَبِيَّ اللَهِ شَكواها

Illness had overcome them, leaving them with no power

To convey to Allah's prophet their complaints

فَنالَ سَيِّدَها مِن دائِها غَضَبٌ

وَوَدَّ لَو أَنَّهُ بِالذَبحِ داواها

Their master was angered by their sickness

And wished that slaughter would cure them

فَجاءَهُ الهُدهُدُ المَعهودُ مُعتَذِراً

عَنها يَقولُ لِمَولاهُ وَمَولاها

Then came the loyal hoopoe making excuses

To his master and their master, saying:

بَلابِلُ اللَهِ لا تَخرَس وَلا وُلِدَت

خُرساً وَلَكِنَّ بومَ الشُؤمِ رَبّاها

Allah's nightingales are not mute, nor were they born

Mute, but the ominous owl raised them