وَقَفَ الهُدهُدُ في با

بِ سُلَيمانَ بِذِلَّه

The hoopoe stood at the door of Solomon in misery

He said "O my lord, make my life easier for me

قالَ يا مَولايَ كُن لي

عيشَتي صارَت مُمِلَّه

I am dying of love for a grain of rice

That caused turmoil in my chest

متُّ مِن حَبَّةِ بُرٍّ

أَحدَثَت في الصَدرِ غُلَّه

Neither the Nile waters can quench it

Nor the waters of the Tigris

لا مِياهُ النيلِ تُروي

ها وَلا أَمواهُ دِجلَه

And if it lasts a little while

It will kill me the worst kind of death

وَإِذا دامَت قَليلاً

قَتَلَتني شَرَّ قتلَه

So the noble lord signaled

To those around him

فَأَشارَ السَيِّدُ العالي

إِلى مَن كانَ حَولَه

The hoopoe had committed a sin

And did an abhorrent deed

قَد جَنى الهُدهُدُ ذَنباً

وَأَتى في اللُؤمِ فَعلَه

That is the fire of sin in the chest

And the one complaining is causing it

تِلكَ نارُ الإِثمِ في الصَد

رِ وَذي الشَكوى تَعِلَّه

I see that the grain was

Stolen from an ant's home

ما أَرى الحَبَّةَ إِلّا

سُرِقَت مِن بَيتِ نَملَه

Indeed the oppressor has a chest

That complains without cause

إِنَّ لِلظالِمِ صَدراً

يَشتَكي مِن غَيرِ عِلَّه