تم لبعض الناس فيما قد سلف

كلب وقرد وحمار فاحترف

Some people were granted in times past,

A dog, a monkey, and a donkey to master.

وصار يغتدى بها ويسرح

كجوقة لها الطريق مرسح

He began to mistreat them and let them roam,

Like a troupe with the road as a stage.

علمها بالجهد كيف تفهم

وكل شئ بالمراس يعلم

He taught them with effort how to understand,

And everything with practice they learned.

جاءته ليلا وهو في المنام

تقول قم يا سيد الكرام

They came to him at night while he slept,

Saying "Rise, O noble master."

ها قد تجلت ليلة القدر لنا

وقبل مولانا سألنا سؤلنا

"This is the night of Al-Qadr that has dawned for us,

And before our Lord, we asked and implored."

فقام يستعدّ للضراعه

وقال ماذا طلب الجماعة

So he got up, preparing for their request,

And said "What did the group desire?"

قال له القرد طلبت المملكة

تكون لي وحدى بغير شركة

The monkey said "I asked for the kingdom,

To be mine alone, without any partners."

قال الحمار وأنا الوزير

والصدر في الدولة والمشير

The donkey said "And I will be the minister,

Chief of state, commander, and counselor."

والكلب قال قد سألت الباريا

يجعلني في ملك هذا قاضيا

The dog said "I asked the Creator,

To make me the judge in this one's kingdom."

فراعَ رب الجوق ما قد سمعا

ثم جثا لربه وضرعا

The master of the troupe was shocked by what he heard.

Then he knelt to his Lord and pleaded,

وقال يا صاحب هذه الليلة

سألتك الموت ولا ذى الدوله

"O Lord of this night, I asked You for death,

Not for kingdoms or high office!"