زَعَمَ المُؤَدَّبُ أَنَّ عَيراً سائَهُ

أَن لا يُسارَ بِهِ إِلى المَيدانِ

The trainer claimed a wild ass was aggrieved

That it was not led forth to the battlefield.

فَمَضى فَقَصَّرَتِ القَواطِعُ ذَيلَهُ

وَسَطَت مَواضيها عَلى الآذانِ

So he proceeded, and shears docked its tail,

And sharp edges were wielded against its ears.

حَتّى إِذا جاءَ المُروضُ وَاِعتَلى

مَتنَيهِ رابَ الفارِسُ الكَشحانِ

Until, when the horse-breaker came and mounted

Upon its back, the flanks aroused the knight's doubt.

لَكِنَّهُ ما زالَ غَيرَ مُصَدِّقٍ

حَتّى عَلا صَوتٌ كَصَوتِ الجانِ

Yet he remained in a state of disbelief,

Until a sound rose up like the scream of a Jinn.

فَاِستَلَّ صارِمَهُ فَطاحَ بِرَأسِهِ

وَرَمى بِجُثَّتِهِ إِلى الغُربانِ

So he drew his sharp blade and struck off its head,

And tossed its carcass to the waiting crows.

ما دامَ يَصحَبُ كُلُّ حَيٍّ صَوتُهُ

هَيهاتَ يَخفي العَيرَ جِلدُ حِصانِ

As long as every creature is betrayed by its voice,

Far be it that a horse's skin could hide a donkey.