رَقِيقُ اللَّونِ لأني

رَقِيقُ اللَّونِ لأني

لَقَّمتُهُ مَرُتَينِ

لَقَّمتُهُ مَرُتَينِ

Pale in hue, because I

Pale in color is he

fed it mouthfuls twice;

For I have fed him twice

وَلَم تُفُد لَقَمَاتِى

وَلَم تُفُد لَقَمَاتِى

سِوَى اصفِرَارٍ وَشَينِ

سِوَى اصفِرَارٍ وَشَينِ

and my mouthfuls yielded nothing

Yet my feedings

but yellowing and disfigurement.

Availed naught but yellowness and disgrace

قَضَيتُ هَذِي بِهَذِي

قَضَيتُ هَذِي بِهَذِي

قَضَاءَ دَينٍ بِدَينِ

قَضَاءَ دَينٍ بِدَينِ

I settled this with that,

I have repaid this with that

repaying one debt with another.

Repaid a debt with a debt