من كان من طالبي الأنباء يسألني

من كان من طالبي الأنباء يسألني

عن الكلاب لماذا تنبح القمرا

عن الكلاب لماذا تنبح القمرا

Whoever among seekers of news should ask me

Whoever of those seeking news should ask me

About dogs—why they bark at the moon—

Why dogs bark at the moon

فليس يعرف لِمْ ينبحْنَهُ أحدٌ

فليس يعرف لِمْ ينبحْنَهُ أحدٌ

إلا امرؤ كان كلباً مثلها عُصُرا

إلا امرؤ كان كلباً مثلها عُصُرا

For no one knows why they bark at it

Does not know why they bark at it

Except a man who was a dog like them for ages.

Except one who was himself a dog in the evening past

وهو المكنّى أباه بعد مهلكهِ

وهو المكنّى أباه بعد مهلكهِ

بطاهرٍ ولعمر اللَه ما طهرا

بطاهرٍ ولعمر اللَه ما طهرا

And he is the one who called his father, after his death,

He who was nicknamed "his father" after his doom

Tahir—and, by God's life, he never became pure.

With "the pure", but by God he was not pure

فسائِلوهُ لماذا كان ينبحُهُ

فسائِلوهُ لماذا كان ينبحُهُ

فإن صاحبكم يُوفيكُمُ الخبرا

فإن صاحبكم يُوفيكُمُ الخبرا

So ask him why he used to bark at it;

Ask him why he used to bark at it

For your companion will give you the full account.

For your friend will give you the full story