Source text in Arabic | Translation by jehd mahdi (#25745) |
استيقظت في فجر هذا اليوم على صوت هرة تموء بجانب فراشي وتتمسح بي, وتلح في ذلك إلحاحا غريبا, فرابني أمرها وأهمني همها, وقلت: لعلها جائعة فنهضت وأحضرت لها طعاما فعافته وانصرفت عنه, فقلت: لعلها ظمآنة فأرشدتها إلى الماء فلم تحفل به, وأنشأت تنظر إلي نظرات تنطق بما تشتمل عليه نفسها من الآلام والأحزان, فأثر في نفسي منظرها تأثيرا شديدا حتى تمنيت أن لو كنت سليمان، أفهم لغة الحيوان؛ لأعرف حاجتها وأفرج كربتها، وكان باب الغرفة مقفلا فرأيت أنها تطيل النظر إليه وتتلصق بي كلما رأتني أتجه إليه, فأدركت غرضها وعرفت أنها تريد أن أفتح لها الباب، فأسرعت بفتحه فما وقع نظرها على الفضاء، ورأت وجه السماء، حتى استحالت حالتها من حزن وهم إلى غبطة وسرور وانطلقت تعدو في سبيلها، فعدت إلى فراشي وأسلمت رأسي إلى يدي وأنشأت أفكر في أمر هذه الهرة وأعجبت لشأنها وأقول: ليت شعري هل تفهم الهرة معنى الحرية, فهي تحزن لفقدانها وتفرح بلقياها، أجل؛ إنها تفهم معنى الحرية حق الفهم، وما كان حزنها وبكاؤها وإمساكها عن الطعام والشراب إلا من أجلها، وما كان تضرعها ورجاؤها وتمسحها وإلحاحها إلا سعيا وراء بلوغها. | I woke up today at dawn to the sound of a female cat, meowing next to my bed, and rubbing herself against me; doing this in a peculiarly persistent manner. So, I became wary of her condition and concerned about her distress, and I said to myself: perhaps she was hungry, so I got up and brought her food. But she disliked it and left it behind. So, I said to myself: perhaps she is in a state of thirst, and I led her to the water, but she paid no attention to it. She began staring at me, such stairs that could utter the pain and sorrow encased within herself. The way she looked had a great effect on me, to the point that I wished that I was Solomon, understanding animals’ tongues, so that I may come to realise her need, and ease her suffering. The chamber’s door was shut, and I saw that she was lengthening her stares at it, clinging to me whenever she saw me heading towards it, only then I understood her intent, and I came to know that she wants me to open the door for her, so, I hastened to open it. And once her eyes fell on the open space, and she saw the face of the sky, her state changed from sorrow to joy and happiness, and she set off sprinting on her way. Then, I returned to my bed, submitting my head to the palm of my hand, and I began to ponder over the situation of this cat and I came to admire her affair while saying: I wish I knew if this cat comprehends the meaning of freedom, for she grieves upon losing it, and livens up upon finding it. Indeed, she truly understands the meaning of freedom. It was only for its sake that she sorrowed and cried, that she withheld herself from food and drink, and her begging, hope, rubbing and persistence were only in pursuit of achieving it. |