Sol 6.1

  1. يَحكونَ أَنَّ أُمَّةَ الأَرانِبِ

    قَد أَخَذَت مِنَ الثَرى بِجانِبِ

    They tell how the nation of rabbits

    Had settled in a corner of the earth,

  2. وَاِبتَهَجَت بِالوَطَنِ الكَريمِ

    وَمَوئِلِ العِيالِ وَالحَريمِ

    And rejoiced in its noble homeland,

    And in a haven for its children and womenfolk.

  3. فَاِختارَهُ الفيلُ لَهُ طَريقا

    مُمَزِّقاً أَصحابَنا تَمزيقا

    Then the elephant chose it as a road for himself,

    Tearing our friends to pieces.

  4. وَكانَ فيهِم أَرنَبٌ لَبيبُ

    أَذهَبَ جُلَّ صوفِهِ التَجريبُ

    Among them was a wise rabbit;

    Experience had stripped him of most of his fur.

  5. نادى بِهِم يا مَعشَرَ الأَرانِبِ

    مِن عالِمٍ وَشاعِرٍ وَكاتِبِ

    He called to them, “O company of rabbits,

    Scholars, poets, and writers alike,

  6. اِتَّحِدوا ضِدَّ العَدُوِّ الجافي

    فَالاتِّحادُ قُوَّةُ الضِعافِ

    Unite against the cruel enemy,

    For unity is the strength of the weak.”

  7. فَأَقبَلوا مُستَصوِبينَ رايَه

    وَعَقَدوا لِلاجتِماعِ رايَه

    They came forward, approving his opinion,

    And raised a banner for their assembly.

  8. وَاِنتَخَبوا مِن بَينِهِم ثَلاثَه

    لا هَرَماً راعَوا وَلا حَداثَه

    And elected three from among themselves,

    Heeding neither old age nor youth.

  9. بَل نَظَروا إِلى كَمالِ العَقلِ

    وَاِعتَبَروا في ذاكَ سِنَّ الفَضلِ

    Rather, they looked to soundness of mind,

    And measured seniority by merit.

  10. فَنَهَضَ الأَوَّلُ لِلخِطابِ

    فَقالَ إِنَّ الرَأيَ ذا الصَوابِ

    Then the first rose to speak,

    And said, “The sound course of action

  11. أَن تُترَكَ الأَرضُ لِذي الخُرطومِ

    كَي نَستَريحَ مِن أَذى الغَشومِ

    Is to leave the land to the trunk-bearer,

    So we may be spared the tyrant’s harm.”

  12. فَصاحَتِ الأَرانِبُ الغَوالي

    هَذا أَضَرُّ مِن أَبي الأَهوالِ

    Then the dear rabbits cried,

    “This one is worse than the Father of Terrors!”

  13. وَوَثَبَ الثاني فَقالَ إِنّي

    أَعهَدُ في الثَعلَبِ شَيخَ الفَنِّ

    The second sprang up and said, “I

    Know the fox to be a master of cunning.

  14. فَلنَدعُهُ يُمِدُّنا بِحِكمَتِهِ

    وَيَأخُذُ اِثنَينِ جَزاءَ خِدمَتِهِ

    Let us call him to lend us his wisdom,

    And let him take two as payment for his service.”

  15. فَقيلَ لا ياصاحِبَ السُمُوِّ

    لا يُدفَعُ العَدُوُّ بِالعَدُوِّ

    The answer came, “No, Your Highness!

    One enemy is not driven off by another.”

  16. وَاِنتَدَبَ الثالِثُ لِلكَلامِ

    فَقالَ يا مَعاشِرَ الأَقوامِ

    The third volunteered to speak,

    And said, “O assembled peoples,

  17. اِجتَمِعوا فَالاِجتِماعُ قُوَّه

    ثُمَّ احفِروا عَلى الطَريقِ هُوَّه

    Come together, for unity is strength;

    Then dig a pit in the road,

  18. يَهوي إِلَيها الفيلُ في مُرورِهِ

    فَنَستَريحُ الدَهرَ مِن شُرورِهِ

    Into which the elephant will fall as he passes,

    And we shall be free of his evils forever.

  19. ثُمَّ يَقولُ الجيلُ بَعدَ الجيلِ

    قَد أَكَلَ الأَرنَبُ عَقلَ الفيلِ

    Then generation after generation will say,

    ‘The rabbit has devoured the elephant’s wits!’”

  20. فَاِستَصوَبوا مَقالَهُ وَاِستَحسَنوا

    وَعَمِلوا مِن فَورِهِم فَأَحسَنوا

    They approved his words and admired them,

    And set to work at once, doing it well.

  21. وَهَلَكَ الفيلُ الرَفيعُ الشانِ

    فَأَمسَتِ الأُمَّةُ في أَمانِ

    And the elephant of lofty standing perished,

    So the nation lived in safety.

  22. وَأَقبَلَت لِصاحِبِ التَدبيرِ

    ساعِيَةً بِالتاجِ وَالسَريرِ

    And it came to the deviser of the plan,

    Hastening with the crown and throne.

  23. فَقالَ مَهلاً يا بَني الأَوطانِ

    إِنَّ مَحَلّي لَلمَحَلُّ الثاني

    He said, “Wait, sons of the homelands:

    My place is surely second.

  24. فَصاحِبُ الصَوتِ القَوِيِّ الغالِبِ

    مَن قَد دَعا يا مَعشَرَ الأَرانِبِ

    For the one with the strong, triumphant voice

    Is he who called, ‘O company of rabbits!’”