kaana malikun yuḥibbu ath-thiyaaba al-jadiidata akthara min ayyi shay’inA king loved new clothes more than anything.
jaa’a rajulaani muḥtaalaani waqaalaa naṣnaʿu thawban laa yaraahu illaa adh-dhakiyyuTwo swindlers came and said, "We make a cloth that only a clever person can see."
fariḥa al-maliku wadafaʿa lahumaa dhahaban kathiiranThe king was delighted and paid them a lot of gold.
jalasaa yaʿmalaani ʿalaa nawlin faarighinThey sat working at an empty loom.
arsala al-maliku waziirahu liyaraa ath-thawba falam yara shay’an laakinnahu qaala maa ajmalahuThe king sent his vizier to see the cloth. He saw nothing, but he said, "How beautiful it is!"
labisa al-maliku ath-thawba al-wahmiyya wakharaja fii al-mawkibiThe king put on the imaginary cloth and went out in the procession.
qaala an-naasu maa ajmala thawba al-maliki li’annahum khaafuu an yuqaala innahum aghbiyaa’uThe people said, "How beautiful the king's clothes are!" because they were afraid of being called stupid.
ṣaaḥa ṭiflun ṣaghiirun al-maliku bilaa thiyaabinA little child cried out, "The king has no clothes!"
ḍaḥika an-naasu waʿarafa al-maliku al-ḥaqiiqata wakhajilaThe people laughed, and the king learned the truth and was ashamed.