قُلتُ لِلكَلبَتَينِ إِذ عَجَزَت عَن

قُلتُ لِلكَلبَتَينِ إِذ عَجَزَت عَن

ضِرسِ يَحيى مِن بَعدِ جُهدٍ عَنيفِ

ضِرسِ يَحيى مِن بَعدِ جُهدٍ عَنيفِ

I said to the pincers, when they failed to extract

I said to the two dogs, when they failed

Yahya’s molar after strenuous effort:

To extract Yahya's molar after mighty strife-

كَيفَ أَعياكِ نَزعُ ذَلِكَ وَالكَل

كَيفَ أَعياكِ نَزعُ ذَلِكَ وَالكَل

بُ بِسَلبِ العِظامِ غَيرُ ضَعيفِ

بُ بِسَلبِ العِظامِ غَيرُ ضَعيفِ

“How did pulling that defeat you, when a dog

How hard for you is wrestling out that fang

is no weakling at snatching bones?”

When dogs are weak at pulling sturdy bone!

فَأَعادَت مِنَ الصَليلِ جَواباً

فَأَعادَت مِنَ الصَليلِ جَواباً

بادَرَتنا مِنهُ بِعُذرٍ لَطيفِ

بادَرَتنا مِنهُ بِعُذرٍ لَطيفِ

So they answered with a clang,

Their yelping brought this gentle, prompt reply-

promptly offering us this clever excuse:

Excusing them, they made their reasons known-

لا تُطيقُ الكِلابُ تَنزِعُ عِظماً

لا تُطيقُ الكِلابُ تَنزِعُ عِظماً

موثَقَ السُمرِ في قَرارِ كَنيفِ

موثَقَ السُمرِ في قَرارِ كَنيفِ

“Dogs cannot pull out a bone

Dogs cannot wrench away a tooth secure,

nailed fast at the bottom of a latrine.”

Deep-rooted in a tightened jaw's repose.