قَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ في مَآبِهِ

كَالحَبَشِيُّ فَرَّ مِن أَصحابِهِ

The night has departed in its abode

Like an Abyssinian who fled from his friends

وَالصُبحُ قَد كَشَّفَ عَن أَنيابِهِ

كَأَنَّهُ يَضحَكُ مِن ذَهابِهِ

And the dawn has uncovered its fangs

As if it laughs at its going

وَأَزرَفٍ رَيّانَ في شَبابِهِ

كُلَّ مَديحٍ حَسَنٍ يُعنى بِهِ

With abundant, glistening drops in its youth

Every good, splendid praise is meant for it

ذي مِخلَبٍ مُكِّنَ مِن نِصابِهِ

ما جَفَّ يَومَ الصَيدِ مِن خِضابِهِ

With claws enabled from its hunting

Its dye has not dried from the day of prey

كَأَنَّ سِلخَ الأَيمِ مِن أَثوابِهِ

ما ذادَنا البازي عَلى حِسابِهِ

As if the skinning of the prey stripped it of its clothes

The falconer did not increase us in its account

وَلا وَدَدنا أَنَّهُ لَنا بِهِ

كَأَنَّما الوَشيُ الَّذي اِكتَسى بِهِ

Nor did we wish that it was ours

As if the page on which it was written

شَكلٌ خَلا القِرطاسُ مِن كِتابِهِ

ما طارَ إِلّا لِدَمٍ وَفى بِهِ

Lacked any writing from its book

It flew not except for blood, and it sufficed with it

واحِدَةٌ تَكفي إِذا إِدَّعى بِهِ

One strike suffices if claimed with it