kaana taajirun yuriidu as-safara wakaana ʿindahu miizaanun mina al-ḥadiidiA merchant wanted to travel and he had a scale made of iron.
taraka al-miizaana ʿinda ṣadiiqihi wasaafaraHe left the scale with his friend and travelled.
baaʿa aṣ-ṣadiiqu al-miizaana waashtaraa bithamanihi ṭaʿaamanThe friend sold the scale and bought food with its price.
rajaʿa at-taajiru baʿda sanatin waṭalaba miizaanahuThe merchant came back after a year and asked for his scale.
qaala aṣ-ṣadiiqu akalathu al-fi’raanuThe friend said, "The mice ate it!"
fahima at-taajiru anna ṣadiiqahu yakdhibu walam yaghḍabThe merchant understood that his friend was lying and did not get angry.
qaala ʿajiibun al-fi’raanu ta’kulu al-ḥadiida fii haadhaa al-baladiHe said, "How strange! The mice in this country eat iron."
fii al-yawmi at-taalii daʿaa at-taajiru abna ṣadiiqihi liyalʿaba ʿindahu wakhabba’ahuThe next day the merchant invited his friend's son to play at his house and hid him.
jaa’a aṣ-ṣadiiqu yabḥathu ʿani ibnihi faqaala at-taajiru akhadhahu ṣaqrunThe friend came looking for his son and the merchant said, "A hawk took him!"
ṣaaḥa aṣ-ṣadiiqu kayfa ya’khudhu ṣaqrun ṭiflanThe friend shouted, "How can a hawk take a child?"
qaala at-taajiru wakayfa ta’kulu al-fi’raanu al-ḥadiidaThe merchant said, "And how can mice eat iron?"
aʿaada aṣ-ṣadiiqu thamana al-miizaani wa’aʿaada at-taajiru aṭ-ṭiflaThe friend returned the price of the scale and the merchant returned the child.