kaana fii qaryatin ṣaghiiratin raaʿin yarʿaa al-ghanama ʿalaa at-talliIn a small village there was a shepherd who grazed the sheep on the hill.
malla ar-raaʿii yawman faṣaaḥa adh-dhi’bu adh-dhi’buOne day the shepherd got bored and shouted, "The wolf! The wolf!"
rakaḍa ahlu al-qaryati ilayhi bil-ʿiṣiyyi falam yajiduu dhi’banThe villagers ran to him with sticks but found no wolf.
ḍaḥika ar-raaʿii waghaḍiba an-naasu warajaʿuuThe shepherd laughed, and the people got angry and went back.
faʿala dhaalika marratan thaaniyatan wajaa’a an-naasu marratan ukhraaHe did it a second time, and the people came again.
fii al-masaa’i jaa’a dhi’bun ḥaqiiqiyyun wahaajama al-ghanamaIn the evening a real wolf came and attacked the sheep.
ṣarakha ar-raaʿii saaʿiduunii adh-dhi’bu hunaaThe shepherd screamed, "Help me! The wolf is here!"
laakinna aḥadan lam ya’ti li’annahum ẓannuu annahu yakdhibuBut nobody came, because they thought he was lying.
khasira ar-raaʿii ghanamahuThe shepherd lost his sheep.
al-kadhdhaabu laa yuṣaddiquhu aḥadun ḥattaa idhaa ṣadaqaNobody believes a liar, even when he tells the truth.