wulida farkhun kabiirun ramaadiyyun bayna firaakhi baṭṭatin ṣaghiiratinA big grey chick was born among a duck's little ducklings.
qaala al-jamiiʿu maa aqbaḥahuEveryone said, "How ugly he is!"
ḍaḥika minhu al-baṭṭu wad-dajaaju waabtaʿada ʿanhu ikhwatuhuThe ducks and hens laughed at him, and his brothers and sisters kept away from him.
haraba al-farkhu ḥaziinan waʿaasha waḥiidan ṭawaala ash-shitaa’iThe chick ran away sadly and lived alone throughout the winter.
fii ar-rabiiʿi ra’aa ṭuyuuran bayḍaa’a jamiilatan tasbaḥu fii buḥayratinIn spring he saw beautiful white birds swimming in a lake.
qaala sa’adhhabu ilayhaa ḥattaa law ḍarabatniiHe said, "I will go to them even if they hit me."
naẓara fii al-maa’i fara’aa ṣuuratahu kaana bajaʿatan bayḍaa’a jamiilatanHe looked in the water and saw his reflection: he was a beautiful white swan!
raḥḥabat bihi al-bajaʿaatu waʿarafa annahu lam yakun qabiiḥan bal mukhtalifanThe swans welcomed him, and he knew that he had not been ugly, only different.