كان بِه مُستَأنساً مُختَصا

كان بِه مُستَأنساً مُختَصا

لا يَجد العائب فيهِ نَقصا

لا يَجد العائب فيهِ نَقصا

He was at ease with him and especially close to him;

He found comfort in him, confided in him

no faultfinder could find a flaw in him.

None could find fault or defect in him

وَصاحب النعمة مَحسود عَلى

وَصاحب النعمة مَحسود عَلى

ما نالَهُ مِن العُلا إِذا عَلا

ما نالَهُ مِن العُلا إِذا عَلا

And the possessor of good fortune is envied for

Yet the blessed man is envied for

the eminence he attains when he rises high.

What he attained of status when exalted

فَطرحوا في مَسمَع العقاب

فَطرحوا في مَسمَع العقاب

خِيانَة عَن وَلَد الغراب

خِيانَة عَن وَلَد الغراب

So they brought to the eagle’s ears

So they whispered in the hearing of the eagle

a charge of treachery against the crow’s son.

Treachery about the eagle's fledgling

فَقيل قَد أَفسَد بَعض الحرم

فَقيل قَد أَفسَد بَعض الحرم

وَلَم يَكُن في ذاكَ بِالمُتهَم

وَلَم يَكُن في ذاكَ بِالمُتهَم

So it was said he had corrupted some women of the harem,

Saying he had corrupted some of the sanctuary

though he was above suspicion in that matter.

Yet he was not among the accused

فَخَشي الغراب مِن نَكيره

فَخَشي الغراب مِن نَكيره

إِذ بالغ الحاسد في تَزويره

إِذ بالغ الحاسد في تَزويره

So the crow feared his wrath,

So the eagle feared his terrible anger

as the envier went to extremes in his fabrication.

Since the envious had gone too far in slander

وَقالَ لا يحتمل السلطان

وَقالَ لا يحتمل السلطان

ثَلاثة يَفعلها خوان

ثَلاثة يَفعلها خوان

And he said: The ruler will not tolerate

And said the sultan cannot tolerate

three things done by a habitual traitor:

Three deeds done by a confidant

إِذاعة السر وَإِفساد الحَرَم

إِذاعة السر وَإِفساد الحَرَم

وَالقَدح في الملك وَمَن يَفعَل يلم

وَالقَدح في الملك وَمَن يَفعَل يلم

divulging secrets and corrupting the harem,

Divulging secrets, violating the sanctuary

and disparaging royal authority; whoever does so incurs blame.

And criticizing the king - whoever does so is condemned

وَإِنَّني أرهَب مِن عقابه

وَإِنَّني أرهَب مِن عقابه

جانحة تغم من عَذابه

جانحة تغم من عَذابه

And I dread, from his punishment,

And I truly fear his punishment

a calamity bringing grief through his torment,

Falling dangerously under his torment

فَتَذهب النفس وَكُل الأَهل

فَتَذهب النفس وَكُل الأَهل

وَالحَزم أن أفديهم بِالثكل

وَالحَزم أن أفديهم بِالثكل

so that my life and all my family perish.

So my soul and all my family would perish

And prudence is to ransom them through the loss of my child.

And it is wise to ransom them with bereavement

قَد يقطَع العُضو إِذا العُضو فَسَد

قَد يقطَع العُضو إِذا العُضو فَسَد

وَيقلَع الضرس لإصلاح الجَسَد

وَيقلَع الضرس لإصلاح الجَسَد

A limb may be cut off when that limb has decayed,

An organ may be severed if diseased

and a molar pulled out to restore the body.

And a molar extracted to cure the body

حِينئذ قامَ فسم وَلَده

حِينئذ قامَ فسم وَلَده

كَم رَجل أَصلَحه ما أَفسَدَه

كَم رَجل أَصلَحه ما أَفسَدَه

Then he rose and poisoned his son.

Then he stood up, poisoned his son

Many a man has been put right by what ruined him.

How many a man was reformed by what ruined him

وَجاءهُ بِرَأسه وَقالا

وَجاءهُ بِرَأسه وَقالا

لَست لما تَكرهه حمالا

لَست لما تَكرهه حمالا

And he came to him with his son’s head and said:

And brought his head saying

I will not tolerate what you detest.

I will not carry what you loathe

مَن خانَ مَولاه فَذا جَزاؤه

مَن خانَ مَولاه فَذا جَزاؤه

وَرُبما داوى العَليل داؤُه

وَرُبما داوى العَليل داؤُه

Whoever betrays his master—this is his recompense.

Whoever betrays his master, this is his reward

And sometimes a sick man’s own ailment cures him.

And sometimes the cure hurts the sick

إِني عَدو كُل من عاداكا

إِني عَدو كُل من عاداكا

كَذا وَلى كُل من والاكا

كَذا وَلى كُل من والاكا

I am the enemy of everyone who opposes you.

I am the enemy of all who oppose you

Likewise, I am the ally of everyone who befriends you.

Just as I am loyal to all who support you

فَجَل في نَفس العِقاب قَدره

فَجَل في نَفس العِقاب قَدره

كَذا ولي كُل مَن والاكا

كَذا ولي كُل مَن والاكا

So his standing rose in the eagle’s esteem.

So the eagle esteemed his worth

Likewise, I am the ally of everyone who befriends you.

That's how a loyal one should be

وَلِلرِجال فَاعلمن مَكايد

وَلِلرِجال فَاعلمن مَكايد

وَخدع منكرة شَدائد

وَخدع منكرة شَدائد

And men have stratagems—know this—

And men, know the cunning

and heinous, formidable tricks.

And despicable tricks of hardships

أَما سَمعت خبر الطاووس

أَما سَمعت خبر الطاووس

إِذ باتَ ضَيف اليَوم في الناووس

إِذ باتَ ضَيف اليَوم في الناووس

Have you not heard the story of the peacock,

Have you not heard the tale of the peacock

when he spent the night as the day’s guest in the tomb?

When he lodged overnight in the owl's place?

قالَت لَهُ العَنقاء أَبدِ ذالِكا

قالَت لَهُ العَنقاء أَبدِ ذالِكا

فَلَست في الأَخبار عِندي إِفكا

فَلَست في الأَخبار عِندي إِفكا

The phoenix said to him: Relate that,

The owl said to him, always be like that

for, to my mind, you are no liar in your tales.

For in my knowledge, there is no falsehood in you