أُنبِئتُ أَنَّ سُلَيمانَ الزَمانِ وَمَن

أُنبِئتُ أَنَّ سُلَيمانَ الزَمانِ وَمَن

أَصبى الطُيورَ فَناجَتهُ وَناجاها

أَصبى الطُيورَ فَناجَتهُ وَناجاها

I was told that the Solomon of the age—the one who

I was told that Sulayman, the ruler of the age and the one

charmed the birds, so they confided in him and he in them—

Whose birds would confide in him and he would confide in them

أَعطى بَلابِلَهُ يَوماً يُؤَدِّبُها

أَعطى بَلابِلَهُ يَوماً يُؤَدِّبُها

لِحُرمَةٍ عِندَهُ لِلبومِ يَرعاها

لِحُرمَةٍ عِندَهُ لِلبومِ يَرعاها

one day handed his nightingales over to be schooled,

Once gave his nightingales a day of discipline

out of a respect for the owls that he maintained.

Out of respect he held for the owl he fostered

وَاِشتاقَ يَوماً مِنَ الأَيّامِ رُؤيَتَها

وَاِشتاقَ يَوماً مِنَ الأَيّامِ رُؤيَتَها

فَأَقبَلَت وَهيَ أَعصى الطَيرِ أَفواها

فَأَقبَلَت وَهيَ أَعصى الطَيرِ أَفواها

And one day he longed to see them,

One day he longed to see them after many days passed

so they came, with the most unyielding mouths of all birds.

So they came, though the birds could hardly move their mouths

أَصابَها العِيُّ حَتّى لا اِقتِدارَ لَها

أَصابَها العِيُّ حَتّى لا اِقتِدارَ لَها

بِأَن تَبُثَّ نَبِيَّ اللَهِ شَكواها

بِأَن تَبُثَّ نَبِيَّ اللَهِ شَكواها

Speechlessness had struck them, leaving them powerless

Illness had overcome them, leaving them with no power

to pour out their complaint to God’s prophet.

To convey to Allah's prophet their complaints

فَنالَ سَيِّدَها مِن دائِها غَضَبٌ

فَنالَ سَيِّدَها مِن دائِها غَضَبٌ

وَوَدَّ لَو أَنَّهُ بِالذَبحِ داواها

وَوَدَّ لَو أَنَّهُ بِالذَبحِ داواها

So their affliction roused their master’s anger,

Their master was angered by their sickness

and he wished he could cure them by slaughter.

And wished that slaughter would cure them

فَجاءَهُ الهُدهُدُ المَعهودُ مُعتَذِراً

فَجاءَهُ الهُدهُدُ المَعهودُ مُعتَذِراً

عَنها يَقولُ لِمَولاهُ وَمَولاها

عَنها يَقولُ لِمَولاهُ وَمَولاها

Then the familiar hoopoe came to him, making excuses

Then came the loyal hoopoe making excuses

for them, saying to his master and theirs:

To his master and their master, saying:

بَلابِلُ اللَهِ لا تَخرَس وَلا وُلِدَت

بَلابِلُ اللَهِ لا تَخرَس وَلا وُلِدَت

خُرساً وَلَكِنَّ بومَ الشُؤمِ رَبّاها

خُرساً وَلَكِنَّ بومَ الشُؤمِ رَبّاها

God’s nightingales do not go mute, nor were they born

Allah's nightingales are not mute, nor were they born

mute; but the owls of ill omen reared them.

Mute, but the ominous owl raised them