اللَيثُ مَلكُ القِفارِ
وَما تَضُمُّ الصَحاري
The lion is the king of the deserts
And all the barren lands contain
سَعَت إِلَيهِ الرَعايا
يَوماً بِكُلِّ اِنكِسارِ
The subjects flocked to him one day
In total submission and despair
قالَت تَعيشُ وَتَبقى
يا دامِيَ الأَظفارِ
They said may you live long and reign
O one with claws that tear and maim
ماتَ الوَزيرُ فَمَن ذا
يَسوسُ أَمرَ الضَواري
The minister died, so who will now
Rule over the affairs of feral game
قالَ الحِمارُ وَزيري
قَضى بِهَذا اِختِياري
The donkey said I choose as vizier
Myself, for I the role acclaim
فَاِستَضحَكَت ثُمَّ قالَت
ماذا رَأى في الحِمارِ
At this she laughed and then proclaimed
What merit did you find to name
وَخَلَّفَتهُ وَطارَت
بِمُضحِكِ الأَخبارِ
Yourself as minister, you fool
And spread this jest both far and wide
حَتّى إِذا الشَهرُ وَلّى
كَلَيلَةٍ أَو نَهارِ
Until a month or day had passed
The lion did not realize
لَم يَشعُرِ اللَيثُ إِلّا
وَمُلكُهُ في دَمارِ
That his kingdom was in shards
The ape stood to his right-hand side
القِردُ عِندَ اليَمينِ
وَالكَلبُ عِندَ اليَسارِ
The dog was posted to his left
The cat before him, batting, eyed
وَالقِطُّ بَينَ يَدَيهِ
يَلهو بِعَظمَةِ فارِ
A rat for play, without respect
He said, which of my ancestors
فَقالَ مَن في جُدودي
مِثلي عَديمُ الوَقارِ
Would act with such disgrace, devoid
Of all my might and massacres
أَينَ اِقتِداري وَبَطشي
وَهَيبَتي وَاِعتِباري
My awe, repute that was enjoyed
The ape approached him secretively
فَجاءَهُ القِردُ سِرّاً
وَقالَ بَعدَ اِعتِذارِ
And after making his excuses
Said, O exalted one, let be
يا عالِيَ الجاهِ فينا
كُن عالِيَ الأَنظارِ
Keep high your noblest attributes
For the subjects' views of you
رَأيُ الرَعِيَّةِ فيكُم
مِن رَأيِكُم في الحِمارِ
Come from your views of the witless brute
