تَنازَعَ الغَزالُ وَالخَروفُ

تَنازَعَ الغَزالُ وَالخَروفُ

وَقالَ كُلٌّ إِنَّهُ الظَريفُ

وَقالَ كُلٌّ إِنَّهُ الظَريفُ

The gazelle and the lamb quarreled,

The gazelle and the lamb disputed,

and each said that he was the charming one.

Each said, “I am the most elegant.”

فَرَأَيا التَيسَ فَظَنّا أَنَّهُ

فَرَأَيا التَيسَ فَظَنّا أَنَّهُ

أَعطاهُ عَقلاً مَن أَطالَ ذَقنَه

أَعطاهُ عَقلاً مَن أَطالَ ذَقنَه

Then they saw the billy goat and thought that

They saw the billy goat and thought

the one who lengthened his beard had given him wisdom.

The one who grows the longest beard is granted wisdom.

فَكَلَّفاهُ أَن يُفَتِّشَ الفَلا

فَكَلَّفاهُ أَن يُفَتِّشَ الفَلا

عَن حَكَمٍ لَهُ اِعتِبارٌ في المَلا

عَن حَكَمٍ لَهُ اِعتِبارٌ في المَلا

So they charged him to search the wilderness

They charged him to search through the hills

for an arbiter held in esteem among the people,

For a judge whose ruling they’d respect,

يَنظُرُ في دَعواهُما بِالدِقَّه

يَنظُرُ في دَعواهُما بِالدِقَّه

عَساهُ يُعطي الحَقَّ مُستَحِقَّه

عَساهُ يُعطي الحَقَّ مُستَحِقَّه

who would examine their case with care,

To examine their claims meticulously,

hoping he would give the rightful claimant his due.

Hoping he’d give the right its due.

فَسارَ لِلبَحثِ بِلا تَواني

فَسارَ لِلبَحثِ بِلا تَواني

مُفتَخِراً بِثِقَةِ الإِخوانِ

مُفتَخِراً بِثِقَةِ الإِخوانِ

So he set out to search without delay,

Eagerly he set out to search,

proud of his companions' trust.

Proud of the trust placed in him by both.

يَقول عِندي نَظرَةٌ كَبيرَه

يَقول عِندي نَظرَةٌ كَبيرَه

تَرفَعُ شَأنَ التَيسِ في العَشيرَه

تَرفَعُ شَأنَ التَيسِ في العَشيرَه

He says, "I have a grand idea

He said, “I have expansive vision

that will raise the billy goat's standing in the clan.

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

وَذاكَ أَن أَجدَرَ الثَناءِ

وَذاكَ أَن أَجدَرَ الثَناءِ

بِالصِدقِ ما جاءَ مِنَ الأَعداءِ

بِالصِدقِ ما جاءَ مِنَ الأَعداءِ

And it is this: the praise most worthy

For the most deserving of praise

of trust is that which comes from enemies.

Is he who’s praised by his enemies—

وَإِنَّني إِذا دَعَوتُ الذيبا

وَإِنَّني إِذا دَعَوتُ الذيبا

لا يَستَطيعانِ لَهُ تَكذيبا

لا يَستَطيعانِ لَهُ تَكذيبا

And indeed, when I summon the wolf,

And if I summon the wolf as judge,

the two cannot call him a liar,

They cannot contradict his testimony,

لِكَونِهِ لا يَعرِفُ الغَزالا

لِكَونِهِ لا يَعرِفُ الغَزالا

وَلَيسَ يُلقي لِلخَروفِ بالا

وَلَيسَ يُلقي لِلخَروفِ بالا

since he does not know the gazelle

Since he knows not the gazelle

and pays no heed to the lamb."

And cares nothing for the lamb.”

ثُمَّ أَتى الذيبَ فَقالَ طِلبَتي

ثُمَّ أَتى الذيبَ فَقالَ طِلبَتي

أَنتَ فَسِر مَعي وَخُذ بِلِحيَتي

أَنتَ فَسِر مَعي وَخُذ بِلِحيَتي

Then he came to the wolf and said, "The one I seek

Then to the wolf he said, “I ask

is you; so walk with me and take hold of my beard."

That you come with me and take my beard,

وَقادَهُ لِلمَوضِعِ المَعروفِ

وَقادَهُ لِلمَوضِعِ المَعروفِ

فَقامَ بَينَ الظَبيِ وَالخَروفِ

فَقامَ بَينَ الظَبيِ وَالخَروفِ

And he led him to the familiar spot,

And let me lead you where they wait.”

where he stood between the gazelle and the lamb.

He stood between the gazelle and lamb,

وَقالَ لا أَحكُمُ حَسبَ الظاهِرِ

وَقالَ لا أَحكُمُ حَسبَ الظاهِرِ

فَمَزَّقَ الظَبيَينِ بِالأَظافِرِ

فَمَزَّقَ الظَبيَينِ بِالأَظافِرِ

And he said, "I do not judge by appearances."

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

Then he tore the two gazelles apart with his claws,

Then he tore the two deer to shreds with his claws

وَقالَ لِلتَيسِ اِنطَلِق لِشَأنِكا

وَقالَ لِلتَيسِ اِنطَلِق لِشَأنِكا

ما قَتَلَ الخَصمَينِ غَيرُ ذَقنكا

ما قَتَلَ الخَصمَينِ غَيرُ ذَقنكا

and told the billy goat, "Go about your business:

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

nothing but your beard killed the two disputants."

No one but your beard killed these two adversaries.”