أَكَلْنَا يَوْمَ لَمْطَتِنَا الْمَرِيَّهْ

كَسَكْسُونَا بِزُبْدَتِهِ الطَّرِيَّهْ

We ate, on the day of our wholesome Lamta feast,

Our couscous with its fresh butter,

وَأَسْبَلْنَا الْحَلِيبَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى

تَطَرَّدَ فِي جَوَاهِرِهِ السَّنِيَّهْ

And we poured milk over it until

It flowed freely through its splendid jewels;

فَأَضْرَمَ نَارَ شَهْوَتِنَا إِلَيْهِ

فَحَكَّمْنَا لَظَاهَا فِي الْقَضِيَّهْ

It kindled the fire of our craving for it,

So we made its blazing flames the judge of the matter.

فَأَوْجَبَتِ انْتِسَافَ الْكُلِّ أَكْلاً

فَأَبْقَيْنَا الْيَسِيرَ بِغَيْرِ نِيَّهْ

It decreed that we sweep it all away by eating,

Leaving behind only a little, quite unintentionally.

فَأَبْصَرْنَا الْهَبَا مِمَّا شَبِعْنَا

وَكَانَ الْجُوعُ أَعْشَانَا عَشِيَّهْ

We saw specks of dust in the air from sheer satiety,

Whereas hunger had made us night-blind at evening's fall,

لِأَنَّ عَشَاءَنَا قَدْ ضَاقَ عَنَّا

فَكَمْ بَيْنَ الْعَشِيَّةِ وَالْغَدِيَّهْ

Because our supper had fallen short of our needs—

So how vast is the difference between the evening and the morning!

فَنَشْكُرُ رَبَّنَا شُكْراً سَنِيّاً

يُسَنِّي الزَّيْدَ دَأْباً فِي الْعَطِيَّهْ

Thus, we thank our Lord with sublime gratitude,

That continually ensures an increase in His bounty.