لَمّاwhen دَعاcalled out داعيthe herald of أَبيfather of الأَشبالِthe lion cubs
لَمّا دَعا داعي أَبي الأَشبالِ
مُبَشِّراًbringing glad tidings بِأَوَّلِof the first الأَنجالِoffspring
مُبَشِّراً بِأَوَّلِ الأَنجالِ
When the herald of Abu al-Ashbal called out,
When the caller called the cubs of the lion
Bringing glad tidings of his firstborn,
Announcing the birth of the first cub,
سَعَتhurried سِباعُbeasts of prey الأَرضِthe earth وَالسَماءِand the sky
سَعَت سِباعُ الأَرضِ وَالسَماءِ
وَاِنعَقَدَand convened المَجلِسُthe assembly لِلهَناءِfor congratulations
وَاِنعَقَدَ المَجلِسُ لِلهَناءِ
The beasts of prey of earth and sky came hurrying,
The beasts of the earth and sky rejoiced
And the assembly convened to offer congratulations.
And gathered for celebration.
وَصَدَرَand was issued المَرسومُthe decree بِالأَمانِgranting safe conduct
وَصَدَرَ المَرسومُ بِالأَمانِ
فيin الأَرضِthe land لِلقاصيfor those far away بِهاwithin it وَالدانيand those near
في الأَرضِ لِلقاصي بِها وَالداني
And a decree of safe conduct was issued
The decree was issued, promising safety
Throughout the land, for those within it, far and near.
Throughout the land, far and near.
فَضاقَso became crowded بِالذُيولِwith tails صَحنُthe courtyard of الدارthe house
فَضاقَ بِالذُيولِ صَحنُ الدار
مِنof كُلِّevery ذيone with صوفٍwool وَذيand one with مِنقارِa beak
مِن كُلِّ ذي صوفٍ وَذي مِنقارِ
So the house's courtyard was crowded with tails,
The courtyard was crowded with tails
Of every woolly creature and every creature with a beak.
Of woolly and beaked creatures.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِستَكمَلتwas complete الجَمعِيَّهthe assembly
حَتّى إِذا اِستَكمَلت الجَمعِيَّه
نادىcalled out مُناديthe herald of اللَيثِthe lion فيamong المَعِيَّهthe retinue
نادى مُنادي اللَيثِ في المَعِيَّه
When at last the gathering was complete,
When all had assembled,
The lion's herald called out among the retinue:
The lion's caller loudly proclaimed:
هَلis there مِنany خَطيبٍorator مُحسِنٍskillful خَبيرexperienced
هَل مِن خَطيبٍ مُحسِنٍ خَبير
يَدعوprays بِطولِfor length of العُمرِlife لِلأَميرfor the prince
يَدعو بِطولِ العُمرِ لِلأَمير
“Is there a skilled, experienced orator
"Is there a skilled orator among you
Who will pray for a long life for the prince?”
To wish the prince long life?"
فَنَهَضَthen rose الفيلُthe elephant المُشيرُthe marshal الساميthe exalted
فَنَهَضَ الفيلُ المُشيرُ السامي
وَقالَand said ماwhat يَليقُis fitting بِالمَقامfor the occasion
وَقالَ ما يَليقُ بِالمَقام
Then the elephant, the exalted marshal, rose,
The eminent elephant rose
And said what befitted the occasion.
And spoke fittingly.
ثُمَّthen تَلاهُfollowed him الثَعلَبُthe fox السَفيرُthe ambassador
ثُمَّ تَلاهُ الثَعلَبُ السَفيرُ
يُنشِدُreciting poetry حَتّىuntil قيلَit was said ذاthis جَريرJarir
يُنشِدُ حَتّى قيلَ ذا جَرير
Then the fox, the ambassador, followed him,
Next was the fox, the ambassador,
Reciting verses, until they said, “This is Jarir!”
Who recited beautifully, called the new Jareer.
وَاِندَفَعَand sprang forward القِردُthe monkey مُديرُthe server of الكاسِthe cup
وَاِندَفَعَ القِردُ مُديرُ الكاسِ
فَقيلَthen it was said أَحسَنتَyou did well أَباAbu (father of) نُواسِNuwas
فَقيلَ أَحسَنتَ أَبا نُواسِ
And the monkey, the cupbearer, sprang forward,
Then the ape, the butler, came forth
Then they said, “Well done, Abu Nuwas!”
And was told: "Well done, Abu Nuwas!"
وَأَومَأَand signaled الحِمارُthe donkey بِالعَقيرَةwith his voice
وَأَومَأَ الحِمارُ بِالعَقيرَة
يُريدُhe wishes أَنto يُشَرِّفَhonor العَشيرَهthe clan
يُريدُ أَن يُشَرِّفَ العَشيرَه
And the donkey signaled with his voice,
The donkey gestured with his ear
Wishing to honor the clan.
Wishing to honor his clan.
فَقالَthen he said بِاِسمِin the name of خالِقِthe creator of الشَعيرbarley
فَقالَ بِاِسمِ خالِقِ الشَعير
وَباعِثِand the sender of العَصاthe stick إِلىto الحَميرthe donkeys
وَباعِثِ العَصا إِلى الحَمير
Then he said, “In the name of the Creator of barley,
He spoke in the name of the Creator of barley
And the sender of the stick to donkeys!”
And Sender of the stick to the donkeys.
فَأَزعَجَso startled الصَوتُthe sound وَلِيَّthe heir to العَهدِthe succession
فَأَزعَجَ الصَوتُ وَلِيَّ العَهدِ
فَماتَso he died مِنfrom رَعدَتِهِhis trembling فيin المَهدِthe cradle
فَماتَ مِن رَعدَتِهِ في المَهدِ
The sound then startled the heir apparent,
His voice disturbed the heir apparent
So he died of fright in his cradle.
Who died of fright in his crib.
فَحَمَلَthen charged القَومُthe company عَلىat الحِمارِthe donkey
فَحَمَلَ القَومُ عَلى الحِمارِ
بِجُملَةِwith all الأَنيابِthe fangs وَالأَظفارِand the claws
بِجُملَةِ الأَنيابِ وَالأَظفارِ
Then the company fell upon the donkey,
So the beasts attacked the donkey
With all their fangs and claws.
With fangs and claws.
وَاِنتُدِبَand was appointed الثَعلَبُthe fox لِلتَأبينto deliver a eulogy
وَاِنتُدِبَ الثَعلَبُ لِلتَأبين
فَقالَthen he said فيin التَعريضِveiled mockery بِالمِسكينof the poor wretch
فَقالَ في التَعريضِ بِالمِسكين
And the fox was appointed to deliver the eulogy,
The fox was commissioned to eulogize
Then he said, slyly mocking the poor wretch:
And subtly blamed the victim:
لاmay ... not جَعَلَgrant اللَهُGod لَهُto him قَراراًrest
لا جَعَلَ اللَهُ لَهُ قَراراً
عاشَhe lived حِماراًas a donkey وَمَضىand passed away حِماراas a donkey
عاشَ حِماراً وَمَضى حِمارا
“May God grant him no rest!
"May God give you no rest,
He lived a donkey and died a donkey.”
You lived a donkey and died a donkey."
Sol 6.1