kaana ḥaṭṭaabun faqiirun yaqṭaʿu al-ḥaṭaba bijaanibi nahrinA poor woodcutter was cutting wood beside a river.
saqaṭa fa’suhu fii an-nahri fajalasa yabkiiHis axe fell into the river and he sat down and cried.
ẓahara rajulun ṭayyibun wasa’alahu limaadhaa tabkiiA kind man appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?"
nazala ar-rajulu fii al-maa’i wa’akhraja fa’san mina adh-dhahabiThe man went down into the water and brought out a golden axe.
qaala al-ḥaṭṭaabu laysat haadhihi fa’siiThe woodcutter said, "This is not my axe."
akhraja fa’san mina al-fiḍḍati faqaala al-ḥaṭṭaabu walaa haadhihiHe brought out a silver axe, and the woodcutter said, "Nor is this one."
thumma akhraja fa’sahu al-ḥadiidiyyata fafariḥa al-ḥaṭṭaabu waqaala haadhihi fa’siiThen he brought out his iron axe, and the woodcutter said happily, "This is my axe!"
aʿṭaahu ar-rajulu al-fu’uusa ath-thalaathata mukaafa’atan li’amaanatihiThe man gave him all three axes as a reward for his honesty.
al-amaanatu tajlibu al-khayraHonesty brings good things.