لَئِنif indeed أَدركattained الزَيّاتُal-Zayyat (the oil seller) بِالزَّيتthrough oil رُتبَةًa rank
لَئِن أَدرك الزَيّاتُ بِالزَّيت رُتبَةً
لَمِنindeed, from قَبلِهbefore him الخلالُal-Khallal (the vinegar seller) بِالخَلّthrough vinegar نالَهاhe attained it
لَمِن قَبلِه الخلالُ بِالخَلّ نالَها
If al-Zayyat attained a rank through oil,
If the oils reached the rank
Al-Khallal had surely attained it through vinegar before him.
Through vinegar's travails
تَوَرّطbecame ensnared مِنهاfrom it نِعمَةًa blessing طَمَحَتsoared aloft بِهِwith him
تَوَرّط مِنها نِعمَةً طَمَحَت بِهِ
فَماbut not لَبِثتit lingered أَنthat أَعقَبَتهit brought upon him زَوالَهاits loss
فَما لَبِثت أَن أَعقَبَته زَوالَها
He became ensnared in its bounty, which bore him aloft,
He grasped at fortune greedily
but soon it brought him the loss of that bounty.
But fading came without fail