shariba ghazaalun min birkatin ṣaafiyatinA deer drank from a clear pond.
ra’aa ṣuuratahu fii al-maa’i faqaala maa ajmala qarnayya walaakin maa anḥafa qadamayyaHe saw his reflection in the water and said, "How beautiful my horns are! But how thin my feet are!"
faj’atan ẓahara asadun farakaḍa al-ghazaalu bi’aqṣaa surʿatihiSuddenly a lion appeared, and the deer ran as fast as he could.
najaa biqadamayhi ḥattaa dakhala al-ghaabataHe escaped with his feet until he entered the forest.
fii al-ghaabati ʿaliqa qarnaahu bi’aghṣaani ash-shajariIn the forest his two horns got caught in the tree branches.
faqaala al-ghazaalu naadiman iḥtaqartu maa anqadhanii wa’aḥbabtu maa aḍarraniiThe deer said regretfully, "I despised what saved me and loved what harmed me."
laa taḥtaqir maa tamlikuDo not look down on what you have.