إِذا كنتَ للسُلطانِ خِدْنَاً فلا تُشِرْ

عليه بما يُؤذي به الدهرَ مسلما

If you are a servant of the sultan do not point out

Anything that may hurt or offend your fellow man.

فقد جاء في أمثالهم أنَّ ثعلباً

وذئباً أصابا عندَ ليثٍ تقدُّمَا

For it is said among their proverbs that a fox

And a wolf who visited a weakened lion

أضرَّ به جُوعٌ طويلٌ فشَفَّهُ

وأبقى له جِلداً رقيقاً وأعظُما

Whose gnawing hunger left him thin of skin

Yet still possessing jaws of might and strength.

ففازَ لديهِ الذئبُ يوماً بخلوةٍ

فقال كفاكَ الثعلبُ اليومَ مطعما

The wolf found a moment alone and said

"This fox has fed you enough for today.

فكُلْهُ وأطعِمْهُ فما هو شكلُنَا

ولستُ أرى في أكلهِ لك مأثما

Eat him yourself and have no qualms

For I see no sin in making him your meal."

فلما أحسَّ الثُعْلُبانُ بكيدِه

تطبَّبَ عندَ اللَّيثِ واحتال مُقدِما

When the two foxes sensed the wolf's deceit

One went to the lion feigning to be sick

وقال أرى بالمَلْكِ داءً مماطِلاً

تهدَّمَ منه جسمُه وتحطَّمَا

And said "I see the king bears a lingering illness

That has wasted his body and weakened his bones

وفي كَبِدِ الذئب الشِفاءُ لدائِه

فإِنْ نالَ منها يَنْجُ منه مُسَلَّما

Yet in the wolf's liver lies the cure

And if you take it you will quickly recover."

فصادفَ ذا منه قَبولاً فعندَها

أحال على الذئب الخبيث فصمَّما

The lion agreed and commanded the wicked wolf

Who escaped running as fast as he was able.

فأفلتَ ممسوخَ الإِهابِ مرمَّلاً

فلما رآه الثُعْلُبانُ تبسَّمَا

When the two foxes saw him they smiled and said

"Oh you who wear the robe of treachery

وصاحَ بهِ يا لابسَ الثوبِ قانياً

متى تخلُ بالسُلطانِ فاسكت لتسلما

When will you stop betraying the sultan? Be silent and you may yet be safe."