جاء الشتاء والصيفُ ولّى القهقرى

جاء الشتاء والصيفُ ولّى القهقرى

كأنه طيفٌ سرى حين الكرى

كأنه طيفٌ سرى حين الكرى

Winter came, and summer beat a retreat,

Winter came and summer went backwards

As though it were a phantom that passed at the hour of slumber.

As if it were a ghost that passed during turmoil

والزيزُ كان ابداً لا ينثني

والزيزُ كان ابداً لا ينثني

عن الغِنا بصوته المستَحسنِ

عن الغِنا بصوته المستَحسنِ

And the cicada would never desist

And the cicada was always singing

From singing in his pleasing voice,

With his beautiful voice praising abundance

حتى إذا قرصه بردُ الشتا

حتى إذا قرصه بردُ الشتا

أيقنَ أن شملَه تشتتا

أيقنَ أن شملَه تشتتا

Until, when winter's cold bit him,

Until the cold winter pinched him

He knew his affairs had fallen apart.

He realized his cloak was torn

جاء إلى النملَةِ يشكو جوعَه

جاء إلى النملَةِ يشكو جوعَه

بحرقةٍ مسترسلاً دموعَه

بحرقةٍ مسترسلاً دموعَه

He came to the ant, complaining of his hunger,

He went to the ant complaining of his hunger

In anguish, letting his tears flow unchecked.

Profusely crying his tears

قال لها بذلَّةٍ يا جارتي

قال لها بذلَّةٍ يا جارتي

حني علي وارفقي بحالتي

حني علي وارفقي بحالتي

He said to her humbly, “O my neighbor,

He said to her humbly, my neighbor

Have pity on me, and show compassion for my plight.

Have mercy on me and care for my state

أرجوك يا صاحبة الفضل الكثير

أرجوك يا صاحبة الفضل الكثير

أن تقرضيني بعض حبّات الشعير

أن تقرضيني بعض حبّات الشعير

I beg you, O lady of great generosity,

I beg you, O owner of great kindness

To lend me a few grains of barley,

To lend me some grains of barley

أعيشُ فيها زمَنَ الشتاءِ

أعيشُ فيها زمَنَ الشتاءِ

وقد تخلَّصتُ من العناءِ

وقد تخلَّصتُ من العناءِ

So I may live on them through the winter

So I can live during the winter days

And be rid of hardship,

And get rid of this misery

حتى إذا الصيفُ أتى يا ماجدة

حتى إذا الصيفُ أتى يا ماجدة

أَعَدتُها بأَصلها والفائدة

أَعَدتُها بأَصلها والفائدة

Until, when summer comes, O noble lady,

Until summer comes again O glorious one

I shall repay them, principal and interest.”

I will return it with interest

وكان عيبُ النملة الأقلُّ

وكان عيبُ النملة الأقلُّ

أن لا ترى في الدَينِ ما يحلُّ

أن لا ترى في الدَينِ ما يحلُّ

And the ant's slightest fault was

But the flaw of the ant was that she saw no good in debt

That she saw nothing permissible in lending.

What did you do during the harvest season?

ماذا فعلتَ زمن الحصائد

ماذا فعلتَ زمن الحصائد

كنتُ أُغنِّي للورى قصائدي

كنتُ أُغنِّي للورى قصائدي

“What did you do at harvest time?”

I was singing poems to people

“I was singing my poems to the world.”

She said you did well young man

قالت لقد أحسنتَ فعلاً يا فتى

قالت لقد أحسنتَ فعلاً يا فتى

غنيتَ فصل الصيف فارقص في الشتا

غنيتَ فصل الصيف فارقص في الشتا

She said, “You have done well indeed, young man!

You sang in summer so dance in winter

You sang through summer, so dance in winter.”