ضَاعَwas lost فيin مَوْسِمِseason of الوُقُودِlighting سِراجِيmy lamp
ضَاعَ في مَوْسِمِ الوُقُودِ سِراجِي
طالمَاfor a long time ضَاءَshone والزَّمانُand time زَمَانُtime
طالمَا ضَاءَ والزَّمانُ زَمَانُ
My lamp was lost in the season of lighting.
My lamp was lost in the season of firewood
Long it shone, when time was truly time.
Long it shone while time was still time
كانَwas رَطْبَmoist اللِّسانِof tongue بَينَamong كِرامٍgenerous men
كانَ رَطْبَ اللِّسانِ بَينَ كِرامٍ
عنهُon its account مَاnot جَفَّdried مِنfrom نَداهُمْtheir dew or bounty بَنانُfingertips
عنهُ مَا جَفَّ مِن نَداهُمْ بَنانُ
Its tongue was moist among generous men;
The tongues of the generous were moist because of it
For its sake, no fingertip dried of their bounty.
No cheek that its dew moistened ever dried up
وَهُوَand it الآنَnow يَعرُكُrubs الأُذْنَthe ear إنّيindeed, I
وَهُوَ الآنَ يَعرُكُ الأُذْنَ إنّي
طَالَgrew long منهُfrom it إلىtoward المَدِيحِpraise لِسَانُa tongue
طَالَ منهُ إلى المَدِيحِ لِسَانُ
And now it rubs the ear—indeed, I...
And now it grates on the ear, for
A tongue from it has grown long toward praise.
Long has my tongue stretched in praise