لَم أفنِ في الشَّاهِ إِبلاً لاَ ولاَ بَقَرَا

لَم أفنِ في الشَّاهِ إِبلاً لاَ ولاَ بَقَرَا

إِذ مَا يُبَاعُ بِه أحرَى بِهِ الفُقَرَا

إِذ مَا يُبَاعُ بِه أحرَى بِهِ الفُقَرَا

I have not squandered camels on tea—no, nor cattle,

I have not lost camels or cows in the king,

For the poor are more deserving of the money paid for it.

Since what can be sold by it, poverty is more deserving of it,

فَرُبَّمَا جَرَّ يَوماً مَاؤُهُ ضَرَراً

فَرُبَّمَا جَرَّ يَوماً مَاؤُهُ ضَرَراً

ورَبُّمَا جَرَّ يَومَا نَارهُ الضَّرَرَا

ورَبُّمَا جَرَّ يَومَا نَارهُ الضَّرَرَا

For its water may one day bring harm,

So maybe one day its water will cause harm,

And its fire may one day bring harm.

And maybe one day its fire will cause harm.