بُنَيَّmy dear son إِذاif السلطانُthe sultan خَصَّكsingles you out فاعتمِدْthen rely on
بُنَيَّ إِذا السلطانُ خَصَّك فاعتمِدْ
نزاهَةَintegrity نفسٍof soul تملِكُyou will possess العِزَّhonor أغيَدَاsoft and graceful
نزاهَةَ نفسٍ تملِكُ العِزَّ أغيَدَا
My dear son, if the sultan singles you out, rely on
My son, if the sultan favors you, rely
integrity of soul; you will possess honor in gentle ease.
On the integrity of a soul that possesses the most glorious honor.
ووفِّرand reserve عليهِfor him كلَّall مَاthat مَدَّextended عينَهُhis eye
ووفِّر عليهِ كلَّ مَا مَدَّ عينَهُ
إليهِtoward it ولاand do not تمدُدْstretch out إِلىtoward ماwhat رأىhe saw يدَاa hand
إليهِ ولا تمدُدْ إِلى ما رأى يدَا
And reserve for him everything he casts his eye
And provide him with everything his eye desires,
upon; do not stretch a hand toward what he has seen.
But do not extend to what his hand has seen.
ألمdid you not ترَsee أنَّthat الذئبَthe wolf طَيَّرَsent flying رأسَهُhis head
ألم ترَ أنَّ الذئبَ طَيَّرَ رأسَهُ
مزاحمةُcompeting with الضِّرغامِthe lion فيماover what تَصَيَّداthe two hunted
مزاحمةُ الضِّرغامِ فيما تَصَيَّدا
Have you not seen how the wolf's head was sent flying
Have you not seen that the wolf frightened its head
by vying with the lion over what the two had hunted?
From the harassment of hyenas while hunting?
رأىdeemed نفسَهhimself بالصيدِto the prey أولَىmore entitled فدقَّهُso he crushed him
رأى نفسَه بالصيدِ أولَى فدقَّهُ
بلَطْمةِwith a slap مُسوَدِّblack of الذِّراعينthe two forelegs أصيدَاproudly high-headed
بلَطْمةِ مُسوَدِّ الذِّراعين أصيدَا
The lion deemed himself more entitled to the prey and crushed him
He saw his soul as worthier of the prey, so he knocked it
with a slap of his black forelegs, his head held proudly high.
With the black-armed hyena's blow, a hunter.
فلماthen, when أحسَّsensed الثعلبانُthe male fox ببأْسِهِof his might
فلما أحسَّ الثعلبانُ ببأْسِهِ
تعلَّمَlearned منهfrom him قِسمةَthe division الصيدِof the prey جيِّدَاwell
تعلَّمَ منه قِسمةَ الصيدِ جيِّدَا
Then, when the fox sensed his might,
So when the two foxes felt his might,
he learned from him how to divide the prey properly.
They learned from him a proper division of prey.
وآثرَهُand favored him بالصَّيْدِwith the prey صَوْناًas protection لنفسهِfor himself
وآثرَهُ بالصَّيْدِ صَوْناً لنفسهِ
وكانand he was مُعَاناًaided فيin الأمورِaffairs مُؤَيَّدَاsupported
وكان مُعَاناً في الأمورِ مُؤَيَّدَا
And he favored him with the prey to safeguard himself,
And they preferred him in hunting to protect themselves,
and was aided and supported in his affairs.
And he was a helper in matters, well-supported.
كذاthus ضربَset forth الأمثالَparables منthose who كانwere قبلَناbefore us
كذا ضربَ الأمثالَ من كان قبلَنا
وأورثَناand bequeathed to us المجدَglory الرفيعَlofty المُشَيَّدَاfirmly built
وأورثَنا المجدَ الرفيعَ المُشَيَّدَا
Thus those before us set forth parables,
Thus the examples were set by those before us,
and bequeathed us lofty, firmly built glory.
And they left us the glorious elevated heritage.