لِلوردِ دَعَوتُ باِمتِدادِ العُمرِ

لِلوردِ دَعَوتُ باِمتِدادِ العُمرِ

فاِرتَدَّ مُجاوِباً بِدَمع يَجري

فاِرتَدَّ مُجاوِباً بِدَمع يَجري

To God I prayed that life might be prolonged;

I prayed for the rose to have a long life.

and so it came back in answer, with a flowing tear:

Then it answered back with flowing tears:

هَل في سُرُجٍ ضَعيفة مِن طَمَعٍ

هَل في سُرُجٍ ضَعيفة مِن طَمَعٍ

ما بَينَ مَدارِجِ الصّبا وَالقطرِ

ما بَينَ مَدارِجِ الصّبا وَالقطرِ

Can frail lamps harbor any hope

“Have frail lamps any hope

amid the pathways of the east wind and rain?

amid the paths of the east wind and the rain?”