تم لبعض الناس فيما قد سلف

كلب وقرد وحمار فاحترف

In days gone by, a certain man acquired

A dog, a monkey, and a donkey, and took up a trade.

وصار يغتدى بها ويسرح

كجوقة لها الطريق مرسح

He would set out with them each morning and roam,

Like a troupe whose stage was the road.

علمها بالجهد كيف تفهم

وكل شئ بالمراس يعلم

With effort, he taught them how to understand,

And everything is learned through practice.

جاءته ليلا وهو في المنام

تقول قم يا سيد الكرام

They came to him at night while he was asleep,

Saying, 'Rise, O master of the noble!

ها قد تجلت ليلة القدر لنا

وقبل مولانا سألنا سؤلنا

Behold, the Night of Decree has revealed itself to us,

And we asked for our wishes before our master did.'

فقام يستعدّ للضراعه

وقال ماذا طلب الجماعة

So he rose, preparing to supplicate,

And said, 'What did the troupe ask for?'

قال له القرد طلبت المملكة

تكون لي وحدى بغير شركة

The monkey told him, 'I asked for the kingdom,

To be mine alone, with no one sharing it.'

قال الحمار وأنا الوزير

والصدر في الدولة والمشير

The donkey said, 'And I am the minister,

And the state's chief dignitary and counselor.'

والكلب قال قد سألت الباريا

يجعلني في ملك هذا قاضيا

And the dog said, 'I have asked the Creator

To make me a judge in this one's kingdom.'

فراعَ رب الجوق ما قد سمعا

ثم جثا لربه وضرعا

So the troupe's master was alarmed at what he had heard;

Then he knelt before his Lord and pleaded,

وقال يا صاحب هذه الليلة

سألتك الموت ولا ذى الدوله

And said, 'O Master of this night,

I ask You for death—not this government!'