1. قام بِرِجْلٍ ومشى على يدِ

    ممترِياً للرزقِ من سيبِ يدِ

    It stood on a leg and walked on a hand,

    Drawing sustenance from a hand's bounty.

  2. أهيفُ وهو في السِّمانِ معرِقٌ

    وواحدٌ وهو كثيرُ العَدَدِ

    Slender-waisted, yet deeply rooted among the stout,

    And one, yet many in number.

  3. يمدُّه حبلٌ ضعيفٌ فتلهُ

    حتى يعودَ مُحْكماً ذا جلَدِ

    A cord, weak in its twisting, feeds it,

    Until it becomes firm and tough.

  4. يُشِتُّ شملاً كلّما فرقه

    أَلَّفَ منه بين شمل بددِ

    It scatters a gathering; whenever it divides it,

    From it, it brings a scattered gathering together.

  5. تُبصر من عظامهِ وجِلدهِ

    إذا اكتسى اللُّجينَ فوق العسجد

    You see something of its bones and its skin

    When it clothes itself in silver over gold.