كانَ مُحَيّاكَ لَهُ بَهجَةٌ

كانَ مُحَيّاكَ لَهُ بَهجَةٌ

حَتّى إِذا جاءَكَ ماحي الجَمال

حَتّى إِذا جاءَكَ ماحي الجَمال

Your face once had a radiance,

Your greeting brought such joy,

until, when the eraser of beauty came to you,

Until fading beauty came your way -

أَصبَحتَ كَالشَمعَةِ لَمّا خَبا

أَصبَحتَ كَالشَمعَةِ لَمّا خَبا

مِنها الضِياءُ اِسوَدَّ فيها الذُبال

مِنها الضِياءُ اِسوَدَّ فيها الذُبال

you became like a candle: when it lost

Like a candle when its light grows dim,

its light, the wick within it turned black.

Its brightness darkened into gloom.