كانَتِ النَملَةُ تَمشي

مَرَّةً تَحتَ المُقَطَّم

The ant was walking

One day under the giant tree

فَاِرتَخى مَفصِلُها مِن

هَيبَةِ الطَودِ المُعَظَّم

Its joints shook with

Fear of the mighty trunk

وَاِنثَنَت تَنظُرُ حَتّى

أَوجَدَ الخَوفُ وَأَعدَم

It peered until

Fear prevailed and destroyed

قالَتِ اليَومَ هَلاكي

حَلَّ يَومي وَتَحَتَّم

It said today is my doom

My day has come and is sealed

لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ أَنجو

إِن هَوى هَذا وَأَسلَم

If only I knew how I may survive

If this tree falls and collapses

فَسَعَت تَجري وَعَينا

ها تَرى الطَودَ فَتَندَم

It ran in panic, its eyes

Watching the tree in regret

سَقَطَت في شِبرِ ماءٍ

هُوَ عِندَ النَملِ كَاليَم

It fell into a handful of water

Which to the ant was an ocean

فَبَكَت يَأساً وَصاحَت

قَبلَ جَريِ الماءِ في الفَم

It wept in despair and shouted

Before the water could reach its mouth

ثُمَّ قالَت وَهيَ أَدرى

بِالَّذي قالَت وَأَعلَم

Then it said, more aware

Of what it had said and known

لَيتَني لَم أَتَأَخَّر

لَيتَني لَم أَتَقَدَّم

If only I had not delayed

If only I had not rushed

لَيتَني سَلَّمتُ فَالعا

قِلُ مَن خافَ فَسَلَّم

If only I had submitted to the Almighty

Those who fear Him find peace

صاحِ لا تَخشَ عَظيما

فَالَّذي في الغَيبِ أَعظَم

Do not fear the mighty

For He who is unseen is mightier