شَرَفُ مُتَسابِقِ الجِمالِ

The Camel Racer's Honor

كانَ مُبارَكُ بنُ راشِدٍ أَشْهَرَ مُتَسابِقِ جِمالٍ فِي عُمانَ. ناقَتُهُ «البَرْقُ» لَمْ تُهْزَمْ فِي عِشْرِينَ سِباقًا.

Mubarak bin Rashid was the most famous camel racer in Oman. His she-camel "The Lightning" had never been defeated in twenty races.

كانَ النَّاسُ يَأْتُونَ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكانٍ لِيَشْهَدُوا انْتِصاراتِهِ. وَكانَ مُبارَكٌ فَخُورًا... رُبَّما أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَنْبَغِي.

People came from everywhere to witness his victories. And Mubarak was proud... perhaps more than he should be.

قالَ ذاتَ مَرَّةٍ: «لا أَحَدَ يَسْتَطِيعُ هَزِيمَتِي! أَنا الأَسْرَعُ فِي الجَزِيرَةِ العَرَبِيَّةِ!»

He said once: "No one can defeat me! I am the fastest in the Arabian Peninsula!"

جاءَ إِلى السِّباقِ الكَبِيرِ شابٌّ مَجْهُولٌ يَرْكَبُ ناقَةً عادِيَّةً. ضَحِكَ مِنْهُ النَّاسُ.

To the great race came an unknown youth riding an ordinary she-camel. People laughed at him.

لَكِنَّ الشَّابَّ قالَ لِمُبارَكٍ: «سَأُسابِقُكَ، لَكِنْ بِشَرْطٍ: مَنْ يَخْسَرُ يَعْتَرِفُ أَمامَ الجَمِيعِ بِأَنَّ الآخَرَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ.»

But the youth said to Mubarak: "I shall race you, but on one condition: whoever loses shall admit before everyone that the other is better than him."

قَبِلَ مُبارَكٌ مُتَأَكِّدًا مِنَ الفَوْزِ.

Mubarak accepted, certain of victory.

اِنْطَلَقَ السِّباقُ، وَتَقَدَّمَتِ البَرْقُ كَالعادَةِ. لَكِنَّ ناقَةَ الشَّابِّ كانَتْ تَقْتَرِبُ رُوَيْدًا رُوَيْدًا!

The race began, and The Lightning took the lead as usual. But the youth's she-camel was approaching little by little!

فَجْأَةً، تَعَثَّرَتْ ناقَةُ الشَّابِّ وَسَقَطَتْ! كادَ الشَّابُّ يُصابُ بِجُرْحٍ بَلِيغٍ.

Suddenly, the youth's she-camel stumbled and fell! The youth nearly suffered a severe injury.

تَوَقَّفَ مُبارَكٌ. نَظَرَ إِلى خَطِّ النِّهايَةِ القَرِيبِ، ثُمَّ إِلى الشَّابِّ المُلْقَى عَلى الأَرْضِ.

Mubarak stopped. He looked at the nearby finish line, then at the youth lying on the ground.

عادَ مُبارَكٌ وَأَنْقَذَ الشَّابَّ وَناقَتَهُ. خَسِرَ السِّباقَ، لَكِنَّهُ رَبِحَ ما هُوَ أَغْلَى.

Mubarak went back and saved the youth and his she-camel. He lost the race, but won what was more precious.

صَفَّقَ النَّاسُ وَهَتَفُوا: «هَذا هُوَ البَطَلُ الحَقِيقِيُّ!»

The people applauded and cheered: "This is the true champion!"

نَهَضَ الشَّابُّ وَقالَ: «أَنا خَسِرْتُ، لَكِنَّكَ أَثْبَتَّ أَنَّكَ أَفْضَلُ. الشَّرَفُ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الفَوْزِ.»

The youth stood and said: "I lost, but you proved you are better. Honor is greater than winning."

وَصارَ مُبارَكٌ يُعَلِّمُ الشَّبابَ: «السِّباقُ لَيْسَ فَقَطْ فِي السُّرْعَةِ، بَلْ فِي الأَخْلاقِ.»

And Mubarak began teaching youth: "Racing is not only about speed, but about character."

تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End