لقد كان لي بغل به رتبتي تعلو

لقد كان لي بغل به رتبتي تعلو

فاصبحت امشي لا حمار ولا بغل

فاصبحت امشي لا حمار ولا بغل

Indeed, I had a mule by which my standing rose.

I once had a mule, by him my rank rose high

So now I go on foot, with neither donkey nor mule.

Now I walk with no donkey or mule close by

وقد كان حرا طاهر الذيل ماشيا

وقد كان حرا طاهر الذيل ماشيا

له باختبار يشهد العقل والنقل

له باختبار يشهد العقل والنقل

And it was noble, clean-tailed as it walked;

He was free and pure of tail, walking with pride

Reason and tradition testified in its favor upon testing.

Reason and tradition both him testify

وكان على حملي وحملي مرابطاً

وكان على حملي وحملي مرابطاً

ويحمل بعض الكل عني بل الكل

ويحمل بعض الكل عني بل الكل

And it stood ready to carry me and my load,

He would bear my weight, standing firm in place

And bore some of the burden for me—rather, all of it.

Carrying some or all with no sign of haste

وكان سليل الاصل من عربية

وكان سليل الاصل من عربية

نتيجة فحل نعم ما ينتج الفحل

نتيجة فحل نعم ما ينتج الفحل

And it was a scion of good stock, from an Arabian mare,

A true Arabian was his noble line

A sire's offspring—how fine is what the sire begets!

Sire a fine stallion, as stallions sire the best

وكان برجليه يخط اذا مشى

وكان برجليه يخط اذا مشى

على الرمل شكلا حبذا ذلك الشكل

على الرمل شكلا حبذا ذلك الشكل

And with its two hind legs it traced, as it walked,

His feet on the sand shaped patterns so fine

A figure on the sand—how lovely that figure!

Were the sand marks left, a sight so divine

وكان له صدر وسيع ومنكب

وكان له صدر وسيع ومنكب

فلا بعد ذا بعد ولا قبل ذا قبل

فلا بعد ذا بعد ولا قبل ذا قبل

And it had a broad chest and shoulder;

With chest full and shoulders broad and wide

So after this no 'after,' and before this no 'before.'

No behind him or front, or either side

فعاندني فيه من الجن سارقٌ

فعاندني فيه من الجن سارقٌ

كأن لديه العقد قد كان والحلل

كأن لديه العقد قد كان والحلل

Then a thief from among the jinn opposed me over it,

But a demon, a thief, fought with me for him

As though the necklace and robes were already in his keeping.

As if the contract and terms were agreed in full

ومد اليه في ظلام الدجا يداً

ومد اليه في ظلام الدجا يداً

بها كان يمشي حين تنقطع الرجل

بها كان يمشي حين تنقطع الرجل

And he stretched a hand toward it in the darkness of night,

Reaching in the dark night hands so dim

With which he would walk when foot traffic ceased.

By which it walked when hooves were pulled

فاصبح والاوتاد منه فواصل

فاصبح والاوتاد منه فواصل

وضاقت بي الاسباب وانقطع الحبل

وضاقت بي الاسباب وانقطع الحبل

So by morning it and its tethering stakes were parted;

And so the pegs between us were pried apart

My means grew straitened, and the rope was cut.

The ropes grew slack and rope was unbound from heart

واصبحت لا بغلي ولا وصله ارى

واصبحت لا بغلي ولا وصله ارى

وقد ذهب المركوب واستغرق الرحل

وقد ذهب المركوب واستغرق الرحل

And now I see neither my mule nor reunion with it;

Now no mule have I, nor any hope of tracks

The mount had gone, and the saddle was swallowed up.

The steed is gone, vanished is its noble pack

ولم ار لصا صيرفيا نظيره

ولم ار لصا صيرفيا نظيره

فليس عليه ينكر الحرج والدخل

فليس عليه ينكر الحرج والدخل

And I never saw a money-changing thief to match him;

No thief have I seen who could replace his worth

So wrongdoing and deceit are no surprise in him.

Blame and shame touch him not, no, not a smert

متى نحو دار الضرب يأتي لسبكه

متى نحو دار الضرب يأتي لسبكه

ويقتص من ذا الخارج الناقد العدل

ويقتص من ذا الخارج الناقد العدل

When will he come to the mint to be smelted,

When to the court of justice he comes to stand

And the just assayer exact retribution from this outlaw?

May the judge mete out justice with an impartial hand