الدُبُّ مَعروفٌ بِسوءِ الظَنِّ

الدُبُّ مَعروفٌ بِسوءِ الظَنِّ

فَاِسمَع حَديثَهُ العَجيبَ عَنّي

فَاِسمَع حَديثَهُ العَجيبَ عَنّي

The bear is known for his mistrust,

The bear is known for his mistrust

So hear his strange tale from me.

So listen to his wondrous tale about me

لَمّا اِستَطالَ المُكثَ في السَفينَه

لَمّا اِستَطالَ المُكثَ في السَفينَه

مَلَّ دَوامَ العيشَةِ الظَنينَه

مَلَّ دَوامَ العيشَةِ الظَنينَه

When he found his stay aboard the ship too long,

When my stay on the ship grew long

He grew weary of continuing that uncertain life.

I grew weary of this suspicious life

وَقالَ إِنَّ المَوتَ في اِنتِظاري

وَقالَ إِنَّ المَوتَ في اِنتِظاري

وَالماءُ لا شَكَّ بِهِ قَراري

وَالماءُ لا شَكَّ بِهِ قَراري

And said, "Death is waiting for me,

And said, "Death awaits me

And in the water, no doubt, is my resting place."

And the water, no doubt, will be my grave"

ثُمَّ رَأى مَوجاً عَلى بُعدٍ عَلا

ثُمَّ رَأى مَوجاً عَلى بُعدٍ عَلا

فَظَنَّ أَنَّ في الفَضاءِ جَبَلا

فَظَنَّ أَنَّ في الفَضاءِ جَبَلا

Then he saw a wave rise high in the distance,

Then he saw a wave in the distance

So he thought there was a mountain in the open expanse.

And thought a mountain filled the sky

فَقالَ لا بُدَّ مِنَ النُزولِ

فَقالَ لا بُدَّ مِنَ النُزولِ

وَصَلتُ أَو لَم أَحظَ بِالوُصولِ

وَصَلتُ أَو لَم أَحظَ بِالوُصولِ

So he said, "I must disembark,

"I must go down", he said

Whether I arrive or lack the good fortune to do so."

"Whether I make it or not"

قَد قالَ مَن أَدَّبَهُ اِختِبارُه

قَد قالَ مَن أَدَّبَهُ اِختِبارُه

السَعيُ لِلمَوتِ وَلا اِنتِظارُه

السَعيُ لِلمَوتِ وَلا اِنتِظارُه

One whom his experience had taught has said:

As one who had learned from experience said

"Seek death rather than wait for it."

"Seek death, do not await it"

فَأَسلَمَ النَفسَ إِلى الأَمواجِ

فَأَسلَمَ النَفسَ إِلى الأَمواجِ

وَهيَ مَعَ الرِياحِ في هياجِ

وَهيَ مَعَ الرِياحِ في هياجِ

So he surrendered himself to the waves,

So he surrendered himself to the waves

And they raged together with the winds.

As they raged with the winds

فَشَرِبَ التَعيسُ مِنها فَاِنتَفَخ

فَشَرِبَ التَعيسُ مِنها فَاِنتَفَخ

ثُمَّ رَسا عَلى القَرارِ وَرَسَخ

ثُمَّ رَسا عَلى القَرارِ وَرَسَخ

So the wretched creature drank from them and swelled up,

The wretched one drank from them and swelled up

Then he settled on the bottom and became firmly lodged.

Then settled on the sea floor, anchored

وَبَعدَ ساعَتَينِ غيضَ الماءُ

وَبَعدَ ساعَتَينِ غيضَ الماءُ

وَأَقلَعَت بِأَمرِهِ السَماءُ

وَأَقلَعَت بِأَمرِهِ السَماءُ

And after two hours the water receded,

After two hours the water subsided

And the sky stopped raining at His command.

And at his command the sky cleared

وَكانَ في صاحِبِنا بَعضُ الرَمَق

وَكانَ في صاحِبِنا بَعضُ الرَمَق

إِذ جاءَهُ المَوتُ بَطيئاً في الغَرَق

إِذ جاءَهُ المَوتُ بَطيئاً في الغَرَق

And a little life remained in our companion,

And our friend had some life left in him

For death came slowly to him as he drowned.

As death came slowly in his drowning

فَلَمَحَ المَركَبَ فَوقَ الجودي

فَلَمَحَ المَركَبَ فَوقَ الجودي

وَالرَكبُ في خَيرٍ وَفي سُعودِ

وَالرَكبُ في خَيرٍ وَفي سُعودِ

Then he glimpsed the ship atop Mount Judi,

He glimpsed the ship above the surface

And its passengers enjoyed well-being and good fortune.

And the crew safe and fortunate

فَقالَ يا لَجَدّيَ التَعيسِ

فَقالَ يا لَجَدّيَ التَعيسِ

أَسَأتَ ظَنّي بِالنَبي الرَئيسِ

أَسَأتَ ظَنّي بِالنَبي الرَئيسِ

Then he said, "Alas for my wretched luck!

He said, "Oh my wretched haste

You made me think ill of the prophet, our leader.

I mistrusted the eminent Prophet

ما كانَ ضَرَّني لَو اِمتَثَلتُ

ما كانَ ضَرَّني لَو اِمتَثَلتُ

وَمِثلَما قَد فَعَلوا فَعَلتُ

وَمِثلَما قَد فَعَلوا فَعَلتُ

It would have done me no harm had I obeyed,

It would not have harmed me had I obeyed

And done just as they had done."

And done as they did"