النص العربي
1
الليثُ ملكُ القفارِ وما تضُمُّ الصحارى
2
سعتْ إليه الرعايا يومًا بكلِّ انكسارِ
3
قالتْ: تعِيشْ وتَبقَى يا داميَ الأظفارِ
4
ماتَ الوزيرُ فمَن ذا يسوسُ أمرَ الضواري؟
5
قالَ الحمارُ وزيرِي، قضى بهذا اختياري
6
فاستضحكتْ ثم قالتْ: ماذا رأى في الحمارِ؟
7
وخَلَّفتهُ وطارتْ بمُضحِكِ الأخبارِ
8
حتى إذا الشهرُ وَلّى كليلةٍ أو نهارِ
9
لم يشعرِ الليثُ إلا وملكُهُ في دمارِ
10
القردُ عندَ اليمينِ والكلبُ عندَ اليسارِ
11
والقطُّ بين يديه يلهو بعظمةِ فارِ
12
فقالَ: مَن في جدودي مثلي عديمُ الوقارِ؟
13
أين اقتداري وبطشي وهيبتي واعتباري؟
14
فجاءه القردُ سرًّا وقال بعد اعتذارِ:
15
يا عاليَ الجاهِ فينا كُن عاليَ الأنظارِ
16
رأيُ الرعيّةِ فيكم من رأيِكم في الحمارِ
English Translation
1
The lion ruled the wilds, the deserts vast and bare.
2
All scorching sands and open lands were under his care.
3
The herds once came to him, in broken, humbled state.
4
They bowed and begged before him, crushed by fear and fate.
5
They said: “Live on and reign, O claws still wet with blood.”
6
“Our minister has died—who now shall rule the brood?”
7
The lion said: “The donkey is my chosen man.”
8
“By my own will alone, I rule, decide, and plan.”
9
They laughed aloud and said in mockery and scorn:
10
“What worth did he behold in such a mind so worn?”
11
They left him then, and rumors swiftly took their flight.
12
A tale so strange it spread by day and through the night.
13
A month had barely passed—by darkness or by day—
14
He woke to find his realm in ruins swept away.
15
He cried: “Has any sire of mine known such disgrace?”
16
“The people see me now as once I saw that face"
1
الليثُ ملكُ القفارِ وما تضُمُّ الصحارى
The lion ruled the wilds, the deserts vast and bare.
2
سعتْ إليه الرعايا يومًا بكلِّ انكسارِ
All scorching sands and open lands were under his care.
3
قالتْ: تعِيشْ وتَبقَى يا داميَ الأظفارِ
The herds once came to him, in broken, humbled state.
4
ماتَ الوزيرُ فمَن ذا يسوسُ أمرَ الضواري؟
They bowed and begged before him, crushed by fear and fate.
5
قالَ الحمارُ وزيرِي، قضى بهذا اختياري
They said: “Live on and reign, O claws still wet with blood.”
6
فاستضحكتْ ثم قالتْ: ماذا رأى في الحمارِ؟
“Our minister has died—who now shall rule the brood?”
7
وخَلَّفتهُ وطارتْ بمُضحِكِ الأخبارِ
The lion said: “The donkey is my chosen man.”
8
حتى إذا الشهرُ وَلّى كليلةٍ أو نهارِ
“By my own will alone, I rule, decide, and plan.”
9
لم يشعرِ الليثُ إلا وملكُهُ في دمارِ
They laughed aloud and said in mockery and scorn:
10
القردُ عندَ اليمينِ والكلبُ عندَ اليسارِ
“What worth did he behold in such a mind so worn?”
11
والقطُّ بين يديه يلهو بعظمةِ فارِ
They left him then, and rumors swiftly took their flight.
12
فقالَ: مَن في جدودي مثلي عديمُ الوقارِ؟
A tale so strange it spread by day and through the night.
13
أين اقتداري وبطشي وهيبتي واعتباري؟
A month had barely passed—by darkness or by day—
14
فجاءه القردُ سرًّا وقال بعد اعتذارِ:
He woke to find his realm in ruins swept away.
15
يا عاليَ الجاهِ فينا كُن عاليَ الأنظارِ
He cried: “Has any sire of mine known such disgrace?”
16
رأيُ الرعيّةِ فيكم من رأيِكم في الحمارِ
“The people see me now as once I saw that face"
