تَشَبَّهَ بِالأَسَدِ الثَعلَبُ

تَشَبَّهَ بِالأَسَدِ الثَعلَبُ

فَغادَرَهُ مُعنِقاً يُجنَبُ

فَغادَرَهُ مُعنِقاً يُجنَبُ

The fox imitated the lion;

The fox imitated the lion

then he left him hastening, led along.

So he left him embracing, leaning to the side

وَحاوَلَ ما لَيسَ في طَبعِهِ

وَحاوَلَ ما لَيسَ في طَبعِهِ

فَأَسلَمَهُ النابُ وَالمِخلَبُ

فَأَسلَمَهُ النابُ وَالمِخلَبُ

And he attempted what was not in his nature,

And he tried what was not in his nature

so fang and claw deserted him.

So his fangs and claws subdued him

فَلَم تُغنِ عَنهُ أَباطيلُهُ

فَلَم تُغنِ عَنهُ أَباطيلُهُ

وَحاصَ فَأَحرَزَهُ المَهرَبُ

وَحاصَ فَأَحرَزَهُ المَهرَبُ

His false pretenses availed him nothing;

Thus his lies did not avail him

and he darted aside, so the escape route sheltered him.

And he met adversity, so refuge evaded him

وَكانَ مَضِيّاً عَلى غَدرِهِ

وَكانَ مَضِيّاً عَلى غَدرِهِ

فَعُيِّبَ وَالغادِرُ الأَخيَبُ

فَعُيِّبَ وَالغادِرُ الأَخيَبُ

And he had persisted in his treachery,

And he went ahead with his treachery

so he was shamed—and the traitor fares worst.

So he was blamed, and the treacherous deceiver

أَيا بنَ حُمَيدٍ كَفَرتَ النَعي

أَيا بنَ حُمَيدٍ كَفَرتَ النَعي

مَ جَهلاً وَوَسوَسَكَ المَذهَبُ

مَ جَهلاً وَوَسوَسَكَ المَذهَبُ

O son of Humayd, you were ungrateful for blessings,

Oh son of Humaid, how you denied the news

out of ignorance, and your chosen course whispered delusions to you.

Out of ignorance, and your doctrine misled you

وَمَنَّتكَ نَفسُكَ ما لا يَكونُ

وَمَنَّتكَ نَفسُكَ ما لا يَكونُ

وَبَعضُ المُنى خُلَّبٌ يَكذِبُ

وَبَعضُ المُنى خُلَّبٌ يَكذِبُ

And your soul promised you what will never be,

And your soul wished for what would not be

and some hopes are deceptive, telling lies.

And some of the wishes are deceptive lies

وَمازِلتَ تَسعى عَلى مُنعَمٍ

وَمازِلتَ تَسعى عَلى مُنعَمٍ

بِبَغيٍ وَتُنهى فَلا تُعتِبُ

بِبَغيٍ وَتُنهى فَلا تُعتِبُ

And you kept plotting against a favored man,

And you kept striving against the gifted

with injustice; told to stop, you would not make amends.

With rebellion, and you don't get admonished

فَأَصبَحتَ بِالبَغيِ مُستَبذِلاً

فَأَصبَحتَ بِالبَغيِ مُستَبذِلاً

رَشاداً وَقَد فاتَ مُستَعتَبُ

رَشاداً وَقَد فاتَ مُستَعتَبُ

So through wrongdoing you have come to beg for

So you became, due to rebellion, despised

guidance, when the chance to make amends has already passed.

While you were rightly guided, and the time of accountability has passed