In Heaven we have a home prepared

One warm, lazy summer's day in 1995, there was a memorable talk from the minister of Goldings Church centred around Jesus's return, and John and I once again had thoughts of composing a song in response. It was on the need for us all to be ready with our lamps burning - i.e. that we should be living with purpose and looking forward to his coming. Luke 12:35 and the verses that follow it were brought into focus.

Today, however, I was puzzled to discover in the New Living Translation (one of my favourite versions of the Bible) no mention of lamps or indeed lights of any kind. Does that mean the translation was not faithful to the text, or was this a realistic attempt to convey Jesus's words to a modern reader? Arguably it may be blameworthy to miss out the light metaphor in a translation, but whether that is going too far or not, songs surely have licence to paraphrase for clarity's sake, and in place of:
"Let all our lamps be burning
as we learn to watch and pray"
  

    people may prefer to sing:
"let all our actions please him
as we serve and watch and pray:"

These lines together with the next two are, after all, at the heart of the message.