1. قَصيرُ الأَنابيبِ لكِنَّهُ

    يَطولُ مَضاءً طِوالَ الرِماحِ

    Short in its reed-joints, yet it

    outstrips long spears in sharpness.

  2. إِذا عَبَّ مِ النِقسٍ في دامِسٍ

    وَدَبَّ مِنَ الطِرسِ فَوقَ الصَباحِ

    When it drinks deeply of ink in pitch darkness

    and creeps over the page's dawn,

  3. تَجَلَّت لَهُ مُشكِلاتُ الأُمورِ

    وَلانَ لَهُ الصَعبُ بَعدَ الجِماحِ

    the perplexities of affairs become clear to it,

    and what is difficult yields to it after defiance.