نَظَرَ اللَيثُ إِلى عِجلٍ سَمين

نَظَرَ اللَيثُ إِلى عِجلٍ سَمين

كانَ بِالقُربِ عَلى غَيطٍ أَمين

كانَ بِالقُربِ عَلى غَيطٍ أَمين

The lion looked at a fat calf,

The lion looked upon a plump calf

Which was nearby, in a safe field.

That was nearby, in a safe valley.

فَاِشتَهَت مِن لَحمِهِ نَفسُ الرَئيس

فَاِشتَهَت مِن لَحمِهِ نَفسُ الرَئيس

وَكَذا الأَنفُسُ يُصيبُها النَفيس

وَكَذا الأَنفُسُ يُصيبُها النَفيس

Then the chief's soul craved some of its flesh;

The soul of the chief craved its flesh,

And so precious things take hold of souls.

As refined souls are struck by the exquisite.

قالَ لِلثَعلَبِ يا ذا الاِحتِيال

قالَ لِلثَعلَبِ يا ذا الاِحتِيال

رَأسُكَ المَحبوبُ أَو ذاكَ الغَزال

رَأسُكَ المَحبوبُ أَو ذاكَ الغَزال

He said to the fox, 'O master of cunning:

He said to the fox, “Oh master schemer,

Your beloved head—or that gazelle!'

Your beloved head or that gazelle?”

فَدَعا بِالسَعدِ وَالعُمرِ الطَويل

فَدَعا بِالسَعدِ وَالعُمرِ الطَويل

وَمَضى في الحالِ لِلأَمرِ الجَليل

وَمَضى في الحالِ لِلأَمرِ الجَليل

The fox then wished him good fortune and long life,

He invoked blessings and a long life,

And set out at once on the momentous task.

And immediately went to the glorious task.

وَأَتى الغَيطَ وَقَد جَنَّ الظَلام

وَأَتى الغَيطَ وَقَد جَنَّ الظَلام

فَرَأى العِجلَ فَأَهداهُ السَلام

فَرَأى العِجلَ فَأَهداهُ السَلام

And he came to the field when darkness had fallen,

He came to the valley as dusk fell,

Then saw the calf and offered it a greeting,

And saw the calf, greeting it with peace,

قائِلاً يا أَيُّها المَولى الوَزير

قائِلاً يا أَيُّها المَولى الوَزير

أَنتَ أَهلُ العَفوِ وَالبِرِّ الغَزير

أَنتَ أَهلُ العَفوِ وَالبِرِّ الغَزير

Saying, 'O my lord the minister,

Saying “Oh steward, minister master,

You are a man of pardon and abundant kindness.

You are deserving of pardon and abundant grace.”

حَمَلَ الذِئبَ عَلى قَتلى الحَسَد

حَمَلَ الذِئبَ عَلى قَتلى الحَسَد

فَوَشى بي عِندَ مَولانا الأَسَد

فَوَشى بي عِندَ مَولانا الأَسَد

Envy drove the wolf to seek my death,

“Jealousy led the wolf to falsely accuse me,

So he denounced me before our lord the lion.

And slander me to our lord the lion.”

فَتَرامَيتُ عَلى الجاهِ الرَفيع

فَتَرامَيتُ عَلى الجاهِ الرَفيع

وَهوَ فينا لَم يَزَل نِعمَ الشَفيع

وَهوَ فينا لَم يَزَل نِعمَ الشَفيع

So I sought refuge in your exalted standing,

“So I fell from high favor,

Which has always been a fine intercessor among us.'

Though he has never ceased being our gracious advocate.”

فَبَكى المَغرورُ مِن حالِ الخَبيث

فَبَكى المَغرورُ مِن حالِ الخَبيث

وَدَنا يَسأَلُ عَن شَرحِ الحَديث

وَدَنا يَسأَلُ عَن شَرحِ الحَديث

Then the deluded calf wept at the villain's plight,

The deluded one wept at the state of the villain,

And drew near, asking for an explanation of the story.

And came near, asking to explain the tale.

قالَ هَل تَجهَلُ يا حُلوَ الصِفات

قالَ هَل تَجهَلُ يا حُلوَ الصِفات

أَنَّ مَولانا أَبا الأَفيالِ مات

أَنَّ مَولانا أَبا الأَفيالِ مات

The fox said, 'Do you not know, O sweet-natured one,

“Are you unaware, oh gentle of nature,

That our lord, the Father of Elephants, has died?

That our lord the father of elephants has died?”

فَرَأى السُلطانُ في الرَأسِ الكَبير

فَرَأى السُلطانُ في الرَأسِ الكَبير

مَوطِنَ الحِكمَةِ وَالحِذقِ الكَثير

مَوطِنَ الحِكمَةِ وَالحِذقِ الكَثير

So the sovereign saw in the large head

“The sultan saw in your great head

A seat of wisdom and abundant skill.

The seat of wisdom and abundant skill.”

وَرَآكُم خَيرَ مَن يُستَوزَرُ

وَرَآكُم خَيرَ مَن يُستَوزَرُ

وَلِأَمرِ المُلكِ رُكناً يُذخَرُ

وَلِأَمرِ المُلكِ رُكناً يُذخَرُ

And deemed you the best to be appointed minister,

“And he saw you as the best advisor,

And a pillar in reserve for the affairs of the realm.

A pillar reserved for the kingdom’s rule.”

وَلَقَد عَدّوا لَكُم بَينَ الجُدود

وَلَقَد عَدّوا لَكُم بَينَ الجُدود

مِثلَ آبيسَ وَمَعبودِ اليَهود

مِثلَ آبيسَ وَمَعبودِ اليَهود

And indeed, among your forefathers they counted

“They have counted you among the ancestors,

The likes of Apis and the idol of the Jews.

Like Haman and the god of the Jews.”

فَأَقاموا لِمَعاليكُم سَرير

فَأَقاموا لِمَعاليكُم سَرير

عَن يَمينِ المَلكِ السامي الخَطير

عَن يَمينِ المَلكِ السامي الخَطير

So they set up a throne for Your Excellency,

“They set up a throne for your eminence

At the right hand of the exalted, eminent king.

At the right hand of the sublime, fateful king.”

وَاِستَعَدَّ الطَيرُ وَالوَحشُ لِذاك

وَاِستَعَدَّ الطَيرُ وَالوَحشُ لِذاك

في اِنتِظارِ السَيِّدِ العالي هُناك

في اِنتِظارِ السَيِّدِ العالي هُناك

And the birds and beasts made ready for that,

“The birds and beasts prepared for that,

Awaiting the exalted lord there.

Awaiting the noble master there.”

فَإِذا قُمتُم بِأَعباءِ الأُمور

فَإِذا قُمتُم بِأَعباءِ الأُمور

وَاِنتَهى الأُنسُ إِلَيكُم وَالسُرور

وَاِنتَهى الأُنسُ إِلَيكُم وَالسُرور

So when you shoulder the burdens of affairs,

“And when you take up the burdens of rule,

And fellowship and joy have come to you,

Joy and bliss will come to you.”

بَرِّؤوني عِندَ سُلطانِ الزَمان

بَرِّؤوني عِندَ سُلطانِ الزَمان

وَاِطلُبوا لي العَفوَ مِنهُ وَالأَمان

وَاِطلُبوا لي العَفوَ مِنهُ وَالأَمان

Exonerate me before the sovereign of the age,

“Acquit me before the sultan of time,

And seek from him pardon and protection for me.

And seek pardon and safety for me from him.”

وَكَفاكُم أَنَّني العَبدُ المُطيع

وَكَفاكُم أَنَّني العَبدُ المُطيع

أَخدُمُ المُنعِمَ جَهدَ المُستَطيع

أَخدُمُ المُنعِمَ جَهدَ المُستَطيع

And let it suffice you that I am an obedient servant:

“It is enough that I am the obedient servant,

I serve my benefactor to the utmost of my ability.'

Serving the benefactor to the best of my ability.”

فَأَحَدَّ العِجلُ قَرنَيهِ وَقالَ

فَأَحَدَّ العِجلُ قَرنَيهِ وَقالَ

أَنتَ مُنذُ اليَومِ جاري لا تُنال

أَنتَ مُنذُ اليَومِ جاري لا تُنال

Then the calf sharpened its horns and said,

The calf sharpened his horns and said,

'From today you are under my protection; you shall not be harmed.

“From today onward, you will have no power over me.”

فَاِمضِ وَاِكشِف لي إِلى اللَيثِ الطَريق

فَاِمضِ وَاِكشِف لي إِلى اللَيثِ الطَريق

أَنا لا يَشقى لَدَيهِ بي رَفيق

أَنا لا يَشقى لَدَيهِ بي رَفيق

So go and show me the way to the lion;

“Go, and show me the way to the lion,

As for me, no companion shall suffer on my account before him.'

For I will have no trouble being his companion.”

فَمَضى الخِلّانِ تَوّاً لِلفَلاه

فَمَضى الخِلّانِ تَوّاً لِلفَلاه

ذا إِلى المَوتِ وَهَذا لِلحَياه

ذا إِلى المَوتِ وَهَذا لِلحَياه

So the two friends went at once into the wilderness—

The two traitors went into the wilderness,

One to death, and the other to life.

One to death, the other to life.

وَهُناكَ اِبتَلَعَ اللَيثُ الوَزير

وَهُناكَ اِبتَلَعَ اللَيثُ الوَزير

وَحَبا الثَعلَبَ مِنهُ بِاليَسير

وَحَبا الثَعلَبَ مِنهُ بِاليَسير

And there the lion swallowed the minister,

There, the lion swallowed the vizier,

And rewarded the fox with a little of him.

And easily forgave the fox.

فَاِنثَنى يَضحَكُ مِن طَيشِ العُجول

فَاِنثَنى يَضحَكُ مِن طَيشِ العُجول

وَجَرى في حَلبَةِ الفَخرِ يَقول

وَجَرى في حَلبَةِ الفَخرِ يَقول

So he turned back, laughing at the folly of calves,

The fox turned back, laughing at the folly of fools,

And raced in the arena of boasting, saying:

And raced in the arena of pride, saying:

سَلِمَ الثَعلَبُ بِالرَأسِ الصَغير

سَلِمَ الثَعلَبُ بِالرَأسِ الصَغير

فَفَداهُ كُلُّ ذي رَأسٍ كَبير

فَفَداهُ كُلُّ ذي رَأسٍ كَبير

'The fox escaped unharmed with his small head;

“The small-headed fox was saved

So everyone with a large head ransomed him.'

By every large-headed one.”