كانَ لِبَعضِ الناسِ نَعجَتان

وَكانَتا في الغَيطِ تَرعَيانِ

Some people owned two ewes

That would graze in the valley

إِحداهُما سَمينَةٌ وَالثانِيَه

عِظامُها مِنَ الهُزالِ بادِيَه

One was fat and the other

Her bones protruded from emaciation

فَكانَتِ الأولى تُباهي بِالسِمَن

وَقَولِهِم بِأَنَّها ذاتُ الثَمَن

The fat one would boast of her obesity

And people saying she was expensive

وَتَدَّعي أَنَّ لَها مِقدارا

وَأَنَّها تَستَوقِفُ الأَبصارا

And claim she was outstanding

And would attract all eyes

فَتَصبِرُ الأُختُ عَلى الإِذلالِ

حامِلَةً مَرارَةَ الإِدلالِ

While the other ewe endured humiliation

Bearing the bitterness of inferiority

حَتّى أَتى الجَزّارُ ذاتَ يَومِ

وَقَلبَ النَعجَةَ دونَ القَومِ

Until the butcher came one day

And chose the fat ewe, leaving the rest

فَقالَ لِلمالِكِ أَشتَريها

وَنَقَدَ الكيسَ النَفيسَ فيها

He said to the owner, I’ll buy this one

And paid a hefty price for her

فَاِنطَلَقَت مِن فَورِها لِأُختِها

وَهيَ تَشُكُّ في صَلاحِ بَختِها

So the thin ewe went to her sister

While doubting her own fortune

تَقولُ يا أُختاهُ خَبِّريني

هَل تَعرِفينَ حامِلَ السِكّينِ

She said, oh sister tell me

Do you recognize the one with the knife?

قالَت دَعيني وَهُزالي وَالزَمَن

وَكَلِّمي الجَزّارَ يا ذاتَ الثَمَن

The other said, leave me, my thinness and fate

And talk to the butcher, oh expensive one

لِكُلِّ حالٍ حُلوُها وَمُرُّها

ما أَدَبُ النَعجَةِ إِلّا صَبرُها

For every situation has its sweetness and bitterness

Nothing taught the ewe except patience