لي وَرَشانٌ تَبْهَى به الدارُ

لي وَرَشانٌ تَبْهَى به الدارُ

ويسعدُ الزائرونُ والجارُ

ويسعدُ الزائرونُ والجارُ

I have a ringdove that lends the house splendor,

I have two nightingales whose song brings joy to my home

And visitors and the neighbor rejoice.

And delights both visitors and neighbors

أقلُّ ما فيه أَنَّ مَنْطِقَهُ

أقلُّ ما فيه أَنَّ مَنْطِقَهُ

تُقْدَحُ من فرطِ حُسْنه النار

تُقْدَحُ من فرطِ حُسْنه النار

The least of its charms is that its voice

The least of their virtues is that their melody

Kindles fire through its surpassing beauty.

Is so beautiful it could kindle flames

مُفْتَرِقُ النغمتين تَحْسَبُهُ

مُفْتَرِقُ النغمتين تَحْسَبُهُ

تُضْرَبُ في الحلقِ منه أوتار

تُضْرَبُ في الحلقِ منه أوتار

Its two tones are distinct; you would think

Their two interwoven melodies make you think

Strings were being plucked within its throat.

Their throats sound like well-tuned strings

أغنُّ لدنُ الغناءِ سَجْسَجُهُ

أغنُّ لدنُ الغناءِ سَجْسَجُهُ

منقارُهُ في الغناءِ مِزْمار

منقارُهُ في الغناءِ مِزْمار

Nasal-voiced, soft and mellow in song,

The richest of songs is their twittering

Its beak, when singing, is a flute.

Their beaks turn their singing into flute music

وطائرٌ واحدٌ إِذا كَثُرَتْ

وطائرٌ واحدٌ إِذا كَثُرَتْ

دابُهُ كان فيه أطيار

دابُهُ كان فيه أطيار

And it is a single bird; when they multiply—

And a single bird, when his twitterings multiply

[Its accomplishments]—it holds many birds within.

Makes it seem like many birds are there