أُنظرُ إلى الفيلِ في تهويلِ خِلقَته

أُنظرُ إلى الفيلِ في تهويلِ خِلقَته

واعجَبْ لإتقانِ صُنعِ الخالق الباري

واعجَبْ لإتقانِ صُنعِ الخالق الباري

Look at the elephant, so awe-inspiring in its form,

I look upon the elephant, amazed by its monstrous form

And marvel at the perfect handiwork of the Creator, the Maker.

And marvel at the perfection of the Creator's work

كَقُبّةٍ بُنيتْ عمداً على عَمَد

كَقُبّةٍ بُنيتْ عمداً على عَمَد

وَقُيِّرَت ظاهراً بالزّفتِ والقارِ

وَقُيِّرَت ظاهراً بالزّفتِ والقارِ

Like a dome deliberately built upon pillars,

Like a dome built upon pillars

And coated on the outside with pitch and tar.

Coated externally with tar and pitch

بل كالسّفينةِ في يمٍ قد انقَلَبتْ

بل كالسّفينةِ في يمٍ قد انقَلَبتْ

وَقد رمى ظهرها رام ببتارِ

وَقد رمى ظهرها رام ببتارِ

Rather, like a ship that has capsized in a sea,

Nay, like a ship overturned in a swelling sea

And a thrower has hurled a keen-edged sword at its back.

Whose deck the waves strike with force

تخالُ من وَرَقِ القلقاسِ قد نَبَتَتْ

تخالُ من وَرَقِ القلقاسِ قد نَبَتَتْ

أذناهُ حينَ تراهُ غادياً ساري

أذناهُ حينَ تراهُ غادياً ساري

You would think that, from taro leaves, there had sprouted

You'd think its ears, when you see it walking,

Its two ears, when you see it journeying by morning and by night.

Were leaves of the colocasia plant, sprouted up