دَولَةٌa reign كَمhow often قَدindeed سَألَناwe asked
دَولَةٌ كَم قَد سَألَنا
رَبَّناour Lord التَعويضَreplacement عَنهاin its place
رَبَّنا التَعويضَ عَنها
A reign—how often we asked
our Lord for another in its place!
وَفَرِحناand we rejoiced حينَwhen زالَتit ended
وَفَرِحنا حينَ زالَت
جاءَناcame to us أَنحَسُmore ill-omened مِنهاthan it
جاءَنا أَنحَسُ مِنها
And we rejoiced when it ended;
there came to us one more ill-omened than it.