سَمِعتُ بِأَنَّ طاووساً

أَتى يَوماً سُلَيمانا

I heard that a peacock

Came one day to Solomon

يُجَرِّرُ دونَ وَفدِ الطَيـ

ـرِ أَذيالاً وَأَردانا

Dragging, without the bird envoys,

Tails and feathers.

وَيُظهِرُ ريشَهُ طَوراً

وَيُخفي الريشَ أَحيانا

Showing its feathers at times

And hiding them at others.

فَقالَ لَدَيَّ مَسأَلَةٌ

أَظُنُّ أَوانَها آنا

So it said: I have an issue

I think it's time I present it

وَها قَد جِئتُ أَعرضُها

عَلى أَعتابِ مَولانا

So I have come to lay it

At the threshold of my Master.

أَلَستُ الرَوضَ بِالأَزها

رِ وَالأَنوارِ مُزدانا

Am I not the meadow with flowers

And lights decorated?

أَلَم أَستَوفِ آيَ الظَر

فِ أَشكالاً وَأَلوانا

Have I not been granted the perfections

Of form and color?

أَلَم أُصبِح بِبابِكُم

لِجَمعِ الطَيرِ سُلطانا

Have I not by your court

Become king of all birds?

فَكَيفَ يَليقُ أَن أَبقى

وَقَومي الغُرُّ أَوثانا

How then is it fitting that I stay

While my people are idols?

فَحُسنُ الصَوتِ قَد أَمسى

نَصيبي مِنهُ حِرمانا

For the beauty of voice has been

Denied to me.

فَما تَيَّمتُ أَفئِدَةً

وَلا أَسكَرتُ آذانا

I have not captivated hearts

Nor intoxicated ears.

وَهَذي الطَيرُ أَحقَرها

يَزيدُ الصَبَّ أَشجانا

And the most wretched of birds

Excells me in singing.

وَتَهتَزُّ المُلوكُ لَهُ

إِذا ما هَزَّ عيدانا

Kings shake for him

When he flutters branches.

فَقالَ لَهُ سُلَيمانٌ

لَقَد كانَ الَّذي كانا

So Solomon said to him:

What's happened has happened.

تَعالَت حِكمَةُ الباري

وَجَلَّ صَنيعُهُ شانا

Exalted is the wisdom of the Creator,

His work sublime in glory.

لَقَد صَغَّرتَ يا مَغرو

رُ نُعمى اللَهِ كُفرانا

You have belittled, O ungrateful one,

God's blessings showing ingratitude.

وَمُلكُ الطَيرِ لَم تَحفِل

بِهِ كِبراً وَطُغيانا

The kingdom of birds which you did not care for

Arrogantly and tyrannically.

فَلَو أَصبَحتَ ذا صَوتٍ

لَما كَلَّمتَ إِنسانا

Had you been given a voice

You would not have spoken to humans.