قَد كانَ لِلمالِ رَبّاً

قَد كانَ لِلمالِ رَبّاً

فَصارَ في البُخلِ عَبدَه

فَصارَ في البُخلِ عَبدَه

He once was master of his wealth;

He had been a master of wealth,

through miserliness, he became its slave.

then, in his miserliness, he became its slave.

وَصَحِفَ الصَيفَ ضَيفاً

وَصَحِفَ الصَيفَ ضَيفاً

فَقامَ يَلطُمُ خَدَّه

فَقامَ يَلطُمُ خَدَّه

He misread “summer” as “guest,”

And he misread “summer” as “guest”,

and sprang up, slapping his cheek.

so he rose, slapping his cheek.