رأى جمل حشائش فاشتهاها

رأى جمل حشائش فاشتهاها

وفاجأها ليجعلها غذاءَ

وفاجأها ليجعلها غذاءَ

A camel saw some grasses and craved them,

The camel saw the grass and craved it

And surprised them, intending to make them his food.

And startled it to make it his food

فأبصر حية بالقرب منها

فأبصر حية بالقرب منها

ففر مولياً منها اتقاء

ففر مولياً منها اتقاء

Then he spotted a snake close to them,

But he saw a snake nearby

So he fled, turning away from it to avoid harm.

So he fled, turning away in caution

وظنته الحشائش خاف بأسا

وظنته الحشائش خاف بأسا

لها فأطالت الضحك ازدراء

لها فأطالت الضحك ازدراء

The grasses thought he feared some power

The grass thought he feared their might

Of theirs, and laughed at length in scorn.

So they laughed long in scorn

فناداها رويدك إن خوفي

فناداها رويدك إن خوفي

لَمِنْ جار أمنت به اعتداء

لَمِنْ جار أمنت به اعتداء

So he called to them, “Easy now! My fear

He called to them: Gently, my fear

Is indeed of a neighbor who keeps you safe from attack.

Is of the neighbor I trusted, now turned to harm

ولولاه سكنت الآن بطني

ولولاه سكنت الآن بطني

وصار مكانك الزاهي خلاء

وصار مكانك الزاهي خلاء

And were it not for him, you would now dwell in my belly,

Without him, I'd now fill my stomach

And your flourishing patch would lie bare.”

And your flourishing place would be empty