تَنازَعَ الغَزالُ وَالخَروفُ

وَقالَ كُلٌّ إِنَّهُ الظَريفُ

The gazelle and the lamb disputed,

Each said, “I am the most elegant.”

فَرَأَيا التَيسَ فَظَنّا أَنَّهُ

أَعطاهُ عَقلاً مَن أَطالَ ذَقنَه

They saw the billy goat and thought

The one who grows the longest beard is granted wisdom.

فَكَلَّفاهُ أَن يُفَتِّشَ الفَلا

عَن حَكَمٍ لَهُ اِعتِبارٌ في المَلا

They charged him to search through the hills

For a judge whose ruling they’d respect,

يَنظُرُ في دَعواهُما بِالدِقَّه

عَساهُ يُعطي الحَقَّ مُستَحِقَّه

To examine their claims meticulously,

Hoping he’d give the right its due.

فَسارَ لِلبَحثِ بِلا تَواني

مُفتَخِراً بِثِقَةِ الإِخوانِ

Eagerly he set out to search,

Proud of the trust placed in him by both.

يَقول عِندي نَظرَةٌ كَبيرَه

تَرفَعُ شَأنَ التَيسِ في العَشيرَه

He said, “I have expansive vision

That will raise the billy goat’s stature among the beasts.

وَذاكَ أَن أَجدَرَ الثَناءِ

بِالصِدقِ ما جاءَ مِنَ الأَعداءِ

For the most deserving of praise

Is he who’s praised by his enemies—

وَإِنَّني إِذا دَعَوتُ الذيبا

لا يَستَطيعانِ لَهُ تَكذيبا

And if I summon the wolf as judge,

They cannot contradict his testimony,

لِكَونِهِ لا يَعرِفُ الغَزالا

وَلَيسَ يُلقي لِلخَروفِ بالا

Since he knows not the gazelle

And cares nothing for the lamb.”

ثُمَّ أَتى الذيبَ فَقالَ طِلبَتي

أَنتَ فَسِر مَعي وَخُذ بِلِحيَتي

Then to the wolf he said, “I ask

That you come with me and take my beard,

وَقادَهُ لِلمَوضِعِ المَعروفِ

فَقامَ بَينَ الظَبيِ وَالخَروفِ

And let me lead you where they wait.”

He stood between the gazelle and lamb,

وَقالَ لا أَحكُمُ حَسبَ الظاهِرِ

فَمَزَّقَ الظَبيَينِ بِالأَظافِرِ

And said, “I’ll not judge by appearances.”

Then he tore the two deer to shreds with his claws

وَقالَ لِلتَيسِ اِنطَلِق لِشَأنِكا

ما قَتَلَ الخَصمَينِ غَيرُ ذَقنكا

And said to the billy goat, “Go about your business.

No one but your beard killed these two adversaries.”