قالَsaid السَلوقيthe Saluki hound مَرَّةًonce لِلجَوادto the steed
قالَ السَلوقي مَرَّةً لِلجَواد
وَهوَwhile he إِلىto الصَيدِthe hunt مَسوقُled by القِيادthe reins
وَهوَ إِلى الصَيدِ مَسوقُ القِياد
The Saluki once said to the steed,
Al-Saluki once said to his steed
As he was being led by the reins to the hunt:
As he was led to the hunt, reins in the lead:
بِاللَهِby God قُلtell ليme ياO رَفيقَcompanion of الهَناjoy
بِاللَهِ قُل لي يا رَفيقَ الهَنا
فَأَنتَfor you تَدريknow ليin me الوَفاloyalty فيin الوِدادfriendship
فَأَنتَ تَدري لي الوَفا في الوِداد
“By God, tell me, O companion in joy—
"For God's sake, tell me O friend of delight
For you know my loyalty in friendship—
You know in me loyalty and love unite
أَلَستَare you not أَهلَsuited to البيدِthe deserts أَهلَsuited to الفَلاthe wilderness
أَلَستَ أَهلَ البيدِ أَهلَ الفَلا
أَهلَsuited to السُرىnight journeys وَالسَيرِand travel أَهلَsuited to الجِهادbattle
أَهلَ السُرى وَالسَيرِ أَهلَ الجِهاد
Are you not suited to deserts, suited to wilderness,
Are you not the noble steed of the chase?
Suited to night journeys and travel, suited to battle?
The stalwart mount of the trail and race?
أَلَمdid you not تَكُنbe رَبَّpossessor of الصِفاتِthe qualities الَّتيthat
أَلَم تَكُن رَبَّ الصِفاتِ الَّتي
هامَwas enraptured بِهاby them الشاعِرُthe poet فيin كُلِّevery وادvalley
هامَ بِها الشاعِرُ في كُلِّ واد
Did you not possess the qualities
Were you not gifted the traits ideal
That enthralled the poet in every valley?”
That stir the poet's verse with zeal?
قالَhe said بَلىyes indeed كُلَّall الَّذيthat which قُلتهُyou said it
قالَ بَلى كُلَّ الَّذي قُلتهُ
أَناI بِهِfor it المَشهورُrenowned بَينَamong العِبادpeople
أَنا بِهِ المَشهورُ بَينَ العِباد
He said, “Yes; all that you have said
"Yes," said the horse "All you say rings true
Is what I am renowned for among people.”
These gifts I bear, and my fame they accrue"
قالَhe said فَماthen what بالُكَyour condition ياO صاحِبيmy friend
قالَ فَما بالُكَ يا صاحِبي
إِذاwhen دَعاcalls الصَيدُthe hunt وَجَدَّand grows fierce الطِرادthe chase
إِذا دَعا الصَيدُ وَجَدَّ الطِراد
He said, “Then what ails you, my friend,
"Why then, my friend" said the poet, distressed
When the hunt calls and the chase grows fierce,
"When the hunt calls, the hawks take wing with zest
تَشكوyou complain فَتُشكيكَso gives you cause to complain عَصاthe stick of سَيِّديmy master
تَشكو فَتُشكيكَ عَصا سَيِّدي
إِنَّindeed العَصاthe stick ماnot خُلِقَتwas created لِلجَوادfor the steed
إِنَّ العَصا ما خُلِقَت لِلجَواد
That you complain, and my master's stick gives you cause to complain?
Do you balk and jib at your master's crop
Surely the stick was not made for a noble steed!
No whip, for the steed, was ever meant or wrought
وَتَنثَنيand you turn back فيin عَرَقٍsweat سائِلٍflowing
وَتَنثَني في عَرَقٍ سائِلٍ
مُنَكَّسَbowed الرَأسِthe head ضَئيلَfeeble الفُؤادthe heart
مُنَكَّسَ الرَأسِ ضَئيلَ الفُؤاد
And you turn back, streaming with sweat,
Bucking and plunging in sweat profuse
Head bowed, faint of heart,
Head hung low, and courage obtuse
وَذاand this السَلوقيthe Saluki hound أَبَداًalways صابِرٌpatient
وَذا السَلوقي أَبَداً صابِرٌ
يَنقادُsubmits لِلمالِكِto the owner أَيَّutter اِنقِيادobedience
يَنقادُ لِلمالِكِ أَيَّ اِنقِياد
While this Saluki is ever patient,
While I, Al-Saluki, patient remain
Submitting to the owner in utter obedience.”
And docile to my master's rein"
فَقالَthen he said مَهلاًeasy now ياO كَبيرَgreat in النُهىintellect
فَقالَ مَهلاً يا كَبيرَ النُهى
ماnot هَكَذاlike this أَنظارُthe views of أَهلِthose possessing الرَشادsound judgment
ما هَكَذا أَنظارُ أَهلِ الرَشاد
Then he replied, “Easy now, O you of great intellect!
The horse replied "Gentle teacher of hearts
That is not how those with sound judgment see things.
The enlightened look beyond surface parts
السِرُّthe secret فيin الطَيرِbirds وَفيand in الوَحشِwild beasts لاnot
السِرُّ في الطَيرِ وَفي الوَحشِ لا
فيin عَظمِthe bones of سيقانِكَyour legs ياO ذاone possessing السَدادsound judgment
في عَظمِ سيقانِكَ يا ذا السَداد
The secret lies in birds and in wild beasts, not
The rapture of birds and animals free
In the bones of your legs, O wise one.
Is not found in your shanks, steadfast as they be
ماnot الرِجلُthe foot إِلّاexcept حَيثُwhere كانَis الهَوىdesire
ما الرِجلُ إِلّا حَيثُ كانَ الهَوى
إِنَّindeed البُطونَbellies قادِراتٌpowerful شِدادstrong
إِنَّ البُطونَ قادِراتٌ شِداد
The foot goes only where desire leads;
Passion flies where desire leads
Indeed, bellies are powerful and strong.
For the belly commands, and hunger heeds
أَماdo you not تَرىsee الطَيرَthe birds عَلىdespite ضَعفِهاtheir weakness
أَما تَرى الطَيرَ عَلى ضَعفِها
تَطويtraverse إِلىtoward الحَبِّthe grain مِئاتَhundreds of البِلادlands
تَطوي إِلى الحَبِّ مِئاتَ البِلاد
Do you not see the birds, despite their weakness,
See how birds, though fragile of frame
Crossing hundreds of lands to reach the grain?”
Cross continents, when love lights aflame"
Sol 6.1