كانَ لِبَعضِ الناسِ بَبَّغاءُ

كانَ لِبَعضِ الناسِ بَبَّغاءُ

ما مَلَّ يَوماً نُطقَها الإِصغاءُ

ما مَلَّ يَوماً نُطقَها الإِصغاءُ

A certain person had a parrot;

A man had a parrot, whose speech was always eloquent.

Listening never tired of her speech.

She was dear to her master, and all in the house adored her.

رَفيعَةُ القَدرِ لَدى مَولاها

رَفيعَةُ القَدرِ لَدى مَولاها

وَكُلُّ مَن في بَيتِهِ يَهواها

وَكُلُّ مَن في بَيتِهِ يَهواها

She was highly esteemed by her master,

Yet there was also a dog living there, considered cheap

And everyone in his house loved her.

Next to the value of this exotic bird.

وَكانَ في المَنزِلِ كَلبٌ عالي

وَكانَ في المَنزِلِ كَلبٌ عالي

أَرخَصَهُ وُجودُ هَذا الغالي

أَرخَصَهُ وُجودُ هَذا الغالي

There was also a dog of high standing in the house;

Thus the little lowers the great, its presence taken for granted.

This precious creature’s presence lowered his worth.

Excellence itself seems common among the excellent.

كَذا القَليلُ بِالكَثيرِ يَنقُصُ

كَذا القَليلُ بِالكَثيرِ يَنقُصُ

وَالفَضلُ بَعضُهُ لِبَعضٍ مُرخِصُ

وَالفَضلُ بَعضُهُ لِبَعضٍ مُرخِصُ

Thus the lesser is diminished by the greater,

One day the dog came to her furious with envy

And one kind of merit cheapens another.

And his heart burning with hatred for her.

فَجاءَها يَوماً عَلى غِرارِ

فَجاءَها يَوماً عَلى غِرارِ

وَقَلبُهُ مِن بُغضِها في نارِ

وَقَلبُهُ مِن بُغضِها في نارِ

So one day he approached her with guile,

He said “O queen of birds, life of joy and cheer!

And his heart was afire with hatred for her.

Your lovely talk has become nothing but prattle to my ear

وَقالَ يا مَليكَةَ الطُيورِ

وَقالَ يا مَليكَةَ الطُيورِ

وَيا حَياةَ الأُنسِ وَالسُرورِ

وَيا حَياةَ الأُنسِ وَالسُرورِ

And he said, “O queen of birds,

For I’m puzzled by thoughts that your words are but sugar.

And O life of companionship and joy,

Show me your tongue, let me see it up close!”

بِحُسنِ نُطقِكِ الَّذي قَد أَصبى

بِحُسنِ نُطقِكِ الَّذي قَد أَصبى

إِلّا أَرَيتِني اللِسانَ العَذبا

إِلّا أَرَيتِني اللِسانَ العَذبا

By the beauty of your speech, so enchanting,

Then in her foolishness she stuck out her tongue,

Won’t you show me your sweet tongue?

And he bit it with his teeth and defamed her.

لِأَنَّني قَد حِرتُ في التَفَكُّرِ

لِأَنَّني قَد حِرتُ في التَفَكُّرِ

لَمّا سَمِعتُ أَنَّهُ مِن سُكَّرِ

لَمّا سَمِعتُ أَنَّهُ مِن سُكَّرِ

For I have been bewildered in thought,

Then he left in his rage, barking as he went:

Since hearing that it was made of sugar.”

“I have silenced her, for her speech meant only taunts!”

فَأَخرَجَت مِن طَيشِها لِسانَها

فَأَخرَجَت مِن طَيشِها لِسانَها

فَعَضَّهُ بِنابِهِ فَشانَها

فَعَضَّهُ بِنابِهِ فَشانَها

So, in her rashness, she stuck out her tongue;

But for me she had no equal, no revenge could suffice,

Then he bit it with his fang, disfiguring her.

Save what they call the blow of fate – envy’s bite.

ثُمَّ مَضى مِن فَورِهِ يَصيحُ

ثُمَّ مَضى مِن فَورِهِ يَصيحُ

قَطَعتُهُ لِأَنَّهُ فَصيحُ

قَطَعتُهُ لِأَنَّهُ فَصيحُ

Then he went off at once, crying:

“I cut it off because it was eloquent!

وَما لَها عِندِيَ مِن ثَأرٍ يُعَدُّ

وَما لَها عِندِيَ مِن ثَأرٍ يُعَدُّ

غَيرَ الَّذي سَمَّوهُ قِدماً بِالحَسَد

غَيرَ الَّذي سَمَّوهُ قِدماً بِالحَسَد

And I had no score to settle with her worth counting,

Except what they long ago called envy.”