زَعَمَ المُؤَدَّبُ أَنَّ عَيراً سائَهُ

زَعَمَ المُؤَدَّبُ أَنَّ عَيراً سائَهُ

أَن لا يُسارَ بِهِ إِلى المَيدانِ

أَن لا يُسارَ بِهِ إِلى المَيدانِ

The cultured man claimed that an ass was vexed

The trainer claimed a wild ass was aggrieved

at not being led into the arena.

That it was not led forth to the battlefield.

فَمَضى فَقَصَّرَتِ القَواطِعُ ذَيلَهُ

فَمَضى فَقَصَّرَتِ القَواطِعُ ذَيلَهُ

وَسَطَت مَواضيها عَلى الآذانِ

وَسَطَت مَواضيها عَلى الآذانِ

So off it went, and the blades shortened its tail,

So he proceeded, and shears docked its tail,

and their keen edges assailed its ears.

And sharp edges were wielded against its ears.

حَتّى إِذا جاءَ المُروضُ وَاِعتَلى

حَتّى إِذا جاءَ المُروضُ وَاِعتَلى

مَتنَيهِ رابَ الفارِسُ الكَشحانِ

مَتنَيهِ رابَ الفارِسُ الكَشحانِ

Then, when the trainer came and mounted

Until, when the horse-breaker came and mounted

its back, its flanks aroused the rider’s suspicion.

Upon its back, the flanks aroused the knight's doubt.

لَكِنَّهُ ما زالَ غَيرَ مُصَدِّقٍ

لَكِنَّهُ ما زالَ غَيرَ مُصَدِّقٍ

حَتّى عَلا صَوتٌ كَصَوتِ الجانِ

حَتّى عَلا صَوتٌ كَصَوتِ الجانِ

Yet he remained unconvinced

Yet he remained in a state of disbelief,

until a cry rose like the voice of the jinn.

Until a sound rose up like the scream of a Jinn.

فَاِستَلَّ صارِمَهُ فَطاحَ بِرَأسِهِ

فَاِستَلَّ صارِمَهُ فَطاحَ بِرَأسِهِ

وَرَمى بِجُثَّتِهِ إِلى الغُربانِ

وَرَمى بِجُثَّتِهِ إِلى الغُربانِ

So he drew his keen sword and struck off its head,

So he drew his sharp blade and struck off its head,

and flung its carcass to the crows.

And tossed its carcass to the waiting crows.

ما دامَ يَصحَبُ كُلُّ حَيٍّ صَوتُهُ

ما دامَ يَصحَبُ كُلُّ حَيٍّ صَوتُهُ

هَيهاتَ يَخفي العَيرَ جِلدُ حِصانِ

هَيهاتَ يَخفي العَيرَ جِلدُ حِصانِ

As long as each living creature’s voice accompanies it,

As long as every creature is betrayed by its voice,

a horse’s hide can never conceal an ass.

Far be it that a horse's skin could hide a donkey.