كانَ عَلى بَعضِ الدُروبِ جَمَلُ

كانَ عَلى بَعضِ الدُروبِ جَمَلُ

حَمَّلَهُ المالِكُ ما لا يُحمَلُ

حَمَّلَهُ المالِكُ ما لا يُحمَلُ

There was a camel on one of the roads.

There was a camel on a road

His owner loaded him with what could not be borne.

Whose owner had overloaded beyond what could be borne

فَقالَ يا لِلنَحسِ وَالشَقاءِ

فَقالَ يا لِلنَحسِ وَالشَقاءِ

إِن طالَ هَذا لَم يَطُل بَقائي

إِن طالَ هَذا لَم يَطُل بَقائي

So he said, “Oh, what misfortune and misery!

He said: Oh what ill-luck and misery is mine

If this lasts long, I shall not live long.

If this continues, my life will not last long

لَم تَحمِلِ الجِبالُ مِثلَ حِملي

لَم تَحمِلِ الجِبالُ مِثلَ حِملي

أَظُنُّ مَولايَ يُريدُ قَتلي

أَظُنُّ مَولايَ يُريدُ قَتلي

The mountains have borne no burden like mine.

Mountains could not carry a load like mine

I think my master wants to kill me.”

I think my owner wants me dead

فَجاءَهُ الثَعلَبُ مِن أَمامِه

فَجاءَهُ الثَعلَبُ مِن أَمامِه

وَكانَ نالَ القَصدَ مِن كَلامِه

وَكانَ نالَ القَصدَ مِن كَلامِه

Then the fox came to him from ahead,

Then a fox came in front of him

And he had grasped the meaning of his words.

And grasped the meaning of his words

فَقالَ مَهلاً يا أَخا الأَحمالِ

فَقالَ مَهلاً يا أَخا الأَحمالِ

وَيا طَويلَ الباعِ في الجِمالِ

وَيا طَويلَ الباعِ في الجِمالِ

So he said, “Easy now, O brother of burdens,

He said: Gently O burden-laden brother

And you of long reach among camels!

And O tall of stature among camels

فَأَنتَ خَيرٌ مِن أَخيكَ حالا

فَأَنتَ خَيرٌ مِن أَخيكَ حالا

لِأَنَّني أَتعَبُ مِنكَ بالا

لِأَنَّني أَتعَبُ مِنكَ بالا

For you are better off than your brother,

You are better off than your brother presently

Since I am wearier in mind than you.

For I struggle more than you do

كَأَنَّ قُدّامِيَ أَلفَ ديكِ

كَأَنَّ قُدّامِيَ أَلفَ ديكِ

تَسأَلُني عَن دَمِها المَسفوكِ

تَسأَلُني عَن دَمِها المَسفوكِ

It is as though a thousand roosters stand before me,

It's as if a thousand roosters are before me

Asking me about their shed blood.

Asking about their spilled blood

كَأَنَّ خَلفي أَلفَ أَلفِ أَرنَبِ

كَأَنَّ خَلفي أَلفَ أَلفِ أَرنَبِ

إِذا نَهَضتُ جاذَبتني ذَنَبي

إِذا نَهَضتُ جاذَبتني ذَنَبي

It is as though a thousand thousand rabbits are behind me:

It's as if a thousand thousand rabbits behind

Whenever I rise, they tug at my tail.

Pulling my tail when I get up

وَرُبَّ أُمٍّ جِئتُ في مُناخِها

وَرُبَّ أُمٍّ جِئتُ في مُناخِها

فَجعتُها بِالفَتكِ في أَفراخِها

فَجعتُها بِالفَتكِ في أَفراخِها

And many a mother whose dwelling I entered,

And many a mother whose abode I visited

I bereaved by slaughtering her chicks.

I made weep for the slaughter of her chicks

يَبعَثُني مِن مَرقَدي بُكاها

يَبعَثُني مِن مَرقَدي بُكاها

وَأَفتَحُ العَينَ عَلى شَكواها

وَأَفتَحُ العَينَ عَلى شَكواها

Her weeping rouses me from my bed,

Her crying wakes me from my slumber

And I open my eyes to her lament.

And I open my eyes to her lament

وَقَد عَرَفتَ خافِيَ الأَحمالِ

وَقَد عَرَفتَ خافِيَ الأَحمالِ

فَاِصبِر وَقُل لِأُمَّةِ الجِمالِ

فَاِصبِر وَقُل لِأُمَّةِ الجِمالِ

And now you know the unseen burdens;

You know the hidden nature of burdens

So be patient, and tell the nation of camels:

So be patient and say to the nation of camels

لَيسَ بِحملٍ ما يَمَلُّ الظَهرُ

لَيسَ بِحملٍ ما يَمَلُّ الظَهرُ

ما الحِملُ إِلّا ما يُعاني الصَدرُ

ما الحِملُ إِلّا ما يُعاني الصَدرُ

What wearies the back is no burden;

No load weighs down the back

A burden is only what the breast endures.”

The only load is what pains the heart