وَلَم أقطَع الوطواطَ بخُلاً بكُحْله

وَلَم أقطَع الوطواطَ بخُلاً بكُحْله

ولا أنا مَنْ يُعييه يوماً تَرَدُّدُ

ولا أنا مَنْ يُعييه يوماً تَرَدُّدُ

I did not cut off al-Watwat (the Bat) out of stinginess with his kohl;

I did not gouge out the bat's eyes out of stinginess over its kohl

nor am I one whom repeated visits ever weary.

Nor am I one who would ever tire it with harassment

ولكنّه ينبو عَن الشّمس طرفُه

ولكنّه ينبو عَن الشّمس طرفُه

وكيفَ به لي قُدْرَة وهو أرمَدُ

وكيفَ به لي قُدْرَة وهو أرمَدُ

But his gaze recoils from the sun;

But its eyes avert themselves from the sun

and what power have I over him, when he is sore-eyed?

So how could I have power over it when it is blind?