1. كانَ ذِئبٌ يَتَغَذّى

    فَجَرَت في الزَورِ عَظمَه

    A wolf was eating,

    when a bone lodged in his throat.

  2. أَلزَمَتهُ الصَومَ حَتّى

    فَجَعَت في الروحِ جِسمَه

    It forced him to fast until

    it robbed his body of its soul.

  3. فَأَتى الثَعلَبُ يَبكي

    وَيُعَزّي فيهِ أُمَّه

    Then the fox came weeping

    and consoling his mother over him.

  4. قالَ يا أُمَّ صَديقي

    بِيَ مِمّا بِكِ غُمَّه

    He said, "O mother of my friend,

    I grieve at what afflicts you.

  5. فَاِصبِري صَبراً جَميلاً

    إِنَّ صَبرَ الأُمِّ رَحمَه

    So bear it with gracious patience:

    indeed, a mother's patience is mercy."

  6. فَأَجابَت يا اِبنَ أُختي

    كُلُّ ما قَد قُلتَ حِكمَه

    She answered, "O son of my sister,

    all that you have said is wisdom.

  7. ما بِيَ الغالي وَلَكِن

    قَولُهُم ماتَ بِعَظمَه

    It is not my dear one that grieves me, but

    their saying, 'He died from a bone.'

  8. لَيتَهُ مِثلَ أَخيهِ

    ماتَ مَحسوداً بِتُخمَه

    If only he, like his brother,

    had died of a surfeit, envied by others!"