لقد كان في التَّسجَيرِ نُكُشَةُ نَكَشَةً

لقد كان في التَّسجَيرِ نُكُشَةُ نَكَشَةً

يَهُونُ لهُ في الجَمرِ مَسلَكُهُ الوَعرُ

يَهُونُ لهُ في الجَمرِ مَسلَكُهُ الوَعرُ

Indeed, when it came to stoking the fire, Nukusha would give it a prod;

Indeed, Nukusha was quite a prodder when stoking the fire;

The rugged path through the embers was easy for him.

his rugged path through the embers becomes easy for him.

وإن يَكُ عَنهُ اليومَ أصبَحَ آبِياً

وإن يَكُ عَنهُ اليومَ أصبَحَ آبِياً

فهذا الفتى المرضُّى تَسخٍيرُهُ زُعرُ

فهذا الفتى المرضُّى تَسخٍيرُهُ زُعرُ

But if today he has grown unwilling to do it,

And if today he has become unwilling to do it,

Then this pleasing young man has become hard to press into service.

then this well-regarded youth is hard to press into service.