قام إلى كلبٍ له مثله

قام إلى كلبٍ له مثله

فلم يزل يعلوه بالسيفِ

فلم يزل يعلوه بالسيفِ

He set upon a dog—the very image of himself,

He rose against a dog of his, one like himself,

and kept raining blows on it with his sword.

and kept striking it with the sword.

فقلت ما ذنب أخيك الذي

فقلت ما ذنب أخيك الذي

يقنع من زادك بالطيفِ

يقنع من زادك بالطيفِ

I said, “What sin has your brother committed—

So I said, “What is the sin of your brother, who

he who is content with the mere shadow of your fare?”

is content with the mere phantom of your provisions?”

فقال لي لا عفو عن ذنبه

فقال لي لا عفو عن ذنبه

حاف علينا أيما حيف

حاف علينا أيما حيف

He told me, “His offense cannot be forgiven:

So he said to me, “There is no pardon for his sin;

he has wronged us—what monstrous wrong!

he has done us such a grievous wrong.

صانعه الضيف بعظمٍ له

صانعه الضيف بعظمٍ له

فنحن في ريب من الضيف

فنحن في ريب من الضيف

The guest bought him off with a bone,

The guest bribed him with a bone of his,

so now we harbor doubts about the guest.”

so we are suspicious of the guest.”