بَينا ضِعافٌ مِن دَجاجِ الريفِ
تَخطِرُ في بَيتٍ لَها طَريفِ
While simple rural chickens
Were strolling in their quaint abode
إِذا جاءَها هِندي كَبيرُ العُرفِ
فَقامَ في البابِ قِيامَ الضَيفِ
A haughty rooster of foreign breed
Stood loftily at the door like an unbidden guest
يَقولُ حَيّا اللَهُ ذي الوُجوها
وَلا أَراها أَبَداً مَكروها
Saying, “God give you life, O multifaced one!
Never shall I see you brought low.”
أَتَيتُكُم أَنشُرُ فيكُم فَضلي
يَوماً وَأَقضي بَينَكُم بِالعَدلِ
I’ve come to bring my excellence to you
And judge amongst you all with equity.
وَكُلُّ ما عِندَكُمُ حَرامُ
عَلَيَّ إِلّا الماءُ وَالمَنامُ
Everything you have is forbidden to me
Save water and a place to sleep.
فَعاوَدَ الدَجاجَ داءُ الطَيشِ
وَفَتَحَت لِلعِلجِ بابَ العُشِّ
Then the chickens’ madness flared anew,
And for a cure they opened up their coop.
فَجالَ فيهِ جَولَةَ المَليكِ
يَدعو لِكُلِّ فَرخَةٍ وَديكِ
He strutted in a royal prance,
Blessing every chick and cock.
وَباتَ تِلكَ اللَيلَةَ السَعيدَه
مُمَتَّعاً بِدارِهِ الجَديدَه
He spent that fortunate night
Delighted with his newfound home.
وَباتَتِ الدَجاجُ في أَمانِ
تَحلُمُ بِالذِلَّةِ وَالهَوانِ
The chickens passed the night in safety
Dreaming of servitude and humiliation.
حَتّى إِذا تَهَلَّلَ الصَباحُ
وَاِقتَبَسَت مِن نورِهِ الأَشباحُ
Until, when dawn spread its light
And shadows drew from it illumination,
صاحَ بِها صاحِبُها الفَصيحُ
يَقولُ دامَ مَنزِلي المَليحُ
Their verbose friend crowed
“Long live my fine dwelling!”
فَاِنتَبَهَت مِن نَومِها المَشؤومِ
مَذعورَةً مِن صَيحَةِ الغَشومِ
They woke from their ill-omened sleep
Terrified by the scream of the betrayer.
تَقولُ ما تِلكَ الشُروط بَينَنا
غَدَرتَنا وَاللَهِ غَدراً بَيِّنا
“What is this condition between us?” they said.
“You have betrayed us, by God, plainly.”
فَضَحِكَ الهِندِيُّ حَتّى اِستَلقى
وَقالَ ما هَذا العَمى يا حَمقى
The Indian laughed until he lay down
And said, “What blindness, O you fools!
مَتى مَلَكتُم أَلسُنَ الأَربابِ
قَد كانَ هَذا قَبلَ فَتحِ البابِ
When did you ever own eloquent tongues?
This was so before the door stood open.”
