نَظَرَ اللَيثُ إِلى عِجلٍ سَمين
كانَ بِالقُربِ عَلى غَيطٍ أَمين
The lion looked upon a plump calf
That was nearby, in a safe valley.
فَاِشتَهَت مِن لَحمِهِ نَفسُ الرَئيس
وَكَذا الأَنفُسُ يُصيبُها النَفيس
The soul of the chief craved its flesh,
As refined souls are struck by the exquisite.
قالَ لِلثَعلَبِ يا ذا الاِحتِيال
رَأسُكَ المَحبوبُ أَو ذاكَ الغَزال
He said to the fox, “Oh master schemer,
Your beloved head or that gazelle?”
فَدَعا بِالسَعدِ وَالعُمرِ الطَويل
وَمَضى في الحالِ لِلأَمرِ الجَليل
He invoked blessings and a long life,
And immediately went to the glorious task.
وَأَتى الغَيطَ وَقَد جَنَّ الظَلام
فَرَأى العِجلَ فَأَهداهُ السَلام
He came to the valley as dusk fell,
And saw the calf, greeting it with peace,
قائِلاً يا أَيُّها المَولى الوَزير
أَنتَ أَهلُ العَفوِ وَالبِرِّ الغَزير
Saying “Oh steward, minister master,
You are deserving of pardon and abundant grace.”
حَمَلَ الذِئبَ عَلى قَتلى الحَسَد
فَوَشى بي عِندَ مَولانا الأَسَد
“Jealousy led the wolf to falsely accuse me,
And slander me to our lord the lion.”
فَتَرامَيتُ عَلى الجاهِ الرَفيع
وَهوَ فينا لَم يَزَل نِعمَ الشَفيع
“So I fell from high favor,
Though he has never ceased being our gracious advocate.”
فَبَكى المَغرورُ مِن حالِ الخَبيث
وَدَنا يَسأَلُ عَن شَرحِ الحَديث
The deluded one wept at the state of the villain,
And came near, asking to explain the tale.
قالَ هَل تَجهَلُ يا حُلوَ الصِفات
أَنَّ مَولانا أَبا الأَفيالِ مات
“Are you unaware, oh gentle of nature,
That our lord the father of elephants has died?”
فَرَأى السُلطانُ في الرَأسِ الكَبير
مَوطِنَ الحِكمَةِ وَالحِذقِ الكَثير
“The sultan saw in your great head
The seat of wisdom and abundant skill.”
وَرَآكُم خَيرَ مَن يُستَوزَرُ
وَلِأَمرِ المُلكِ رُكناً يُذخَرُ
“And he saw you as the best advisor,
A pillar reserved for the kingdom’s rule.”
وَلَقَد عَدّوا لَكُم بَينَ الجُدود
مِثلَ آبيسَ وَمَعبودِ اليَهود
“They have counted you among the ancestors,
Like Haman and the god of the Jews.”
فَأَقاموا لِمَعاليكُم سَرير
عَن يَمينِ المَلكِ السامي الخَطير
“They set up a throne for your eminence
At the right hand of the sublime, fateful king.”
وَاِستَعَدَّ الطَيرُ وَالوَحشُ لِذاك
في اِنتِظارِ السَيِّدِ العالي هُناك
“The birds and beasts prepared for that,
Awaiting the noble master there.”
فَإِذا قُمتُم بِأَعباءِ الأُمور
وَاِنتَهى الأُنسُ إِلَيكُم وَالسُرور
“And when you take up the burdens of rule,
Joy and bliss will come to you.”
بَرِّؤوني عِندَ سُلطانِ الزَمان
وَاِطلُبوا لي العَفوَ مِنهُ وَالأَمان
“Acquit me before the sultan of time,
And seek pardon and safety for me from him.”
وَكَفاكُم أَنَّني العَبدُ المُطيع
أَخدُمُ المُنعِمَ جَهدَ المُستَطيع
“It is enough that I am the obedient servant,
Serving the benefactor to the best of my ability.”
فَأَحَدَّ العِجلُ قَرنَيهِ وَقالَ
أَنتَ مُنذُ اليَومِ جاري لا تُنال
The calf sharpened his horns and said,
“From today onward, you will have no power over me.”
فَاِمضِ وَاِكشِف لي إِلى اللَيثِ الطَريق
أَنا لا يَشقى لَدَيهِ بي رَفيق
“Go, and show me the way to the lion,
For I will have no trouble being his companion.”
فَمَضى الخِلّانِ تَوّاً لِلفَلاه
ذا إِلى المَوتِ وَهَذا لِلحَياه
The two traitors went into the wilderness,
One to death, the other to life.
وَهُناكَ اِبتَلَعَ اللَيثُ الوَزير
وَحَبا الثَعلَبَ مِنهُ بِاليَسير
There, the lion swallowed the vizier,
And easily forgave the fox.
فَاِنثَنى يَضحَكُ مِن طَيشِ العُجول
وَجَرى في حَلبَةِ الفَخرِ يَقول
The fox turned back, laughing at the folly of fools,
And raced in the arena of pride, saying:
سَلِمَ الثَعلَبُ بِالرَأسِ الصَغير
فَفَداهُ كُلُّ ذي رَأسٍ كَبير
“The small-headed fox was saved
By every large-headed one.”
