هلis there? معَwith اليأسdespair رجاءُhope
هل معَ اليأس رجاءُ
أمor بنوsons of الدنياthe world سواءُalike
أم بنو الدنيا سواءُ
Is there hope alongside despair?
Is there hope with despair
Or are the sons of this world alike?
Or are all people the same
فتصاريفُfor the vicissitudes of اللياليthe nights
فتصاريفُ الليالي
فاعلاتٌdoing ماwhatever تشاءُthey wish
فاعلاتٌ ما تشاءُ
For the vicissitudes of the nights
For the turns of nights
Do whatever they wish.
Do what they desire
صيَّفmade summer الدهرُTime بحاليof my condition
صيَّف الدهرُ بحالي
بعدَماafter وافىarrived الشتاءُwinter
بعدَما وافى الشتاءُ
Time has made summer of my lot
The days have turned my state
After winter had arrived.
After the winter is gone
أيwhat وقتٍtime تعدمare lacking الthe
أي وقتٍ تعدم ال
جُبّةrobe فيهin it والكساءُand the cloak
جُبّة فيه والكساءُ
What a time to be without the
When doesn’t one lack
Robe and cloak!
A coat and clothing
ياO أباAbu (father of) الصقرal-Saqr (the falcon) وماand no عِنbeginning of عندي: 'with me'
يا أبا الصقر وما عِن
ديcompletion of عندي: 'with me' لنعماكfor your bounty جزاءُrecompense
دي لنعماك جزاءُ
O Abu al-Saqr, I have no
O father of the falcon what
Recompense for your bounty,
Rewards do I have for your favours
غيرَexcept أنto أثنيI offer praise وياand oh! نِعbeginning of نِعْمَ: 'how excellent'
غيرَ أن أثني ويا نِع
مَcompletion of نِعْمَ: 'how excellent' المجازاةِthe recompense الثناءُpraise
مَ المجازاةِ الثناءُ
Except to offer praise—and what an excellent
Except to praise you for
Recompense praise is!
The reward is praise
فهوfor it للبوسىfor misery دواءُa remedy
فهو للبوسى دواءُ
وهوand it للنعمىfor bounty فناءُextinction
وهو للنعمى فناءُ
For it is a remedy for misery,
It's a cure for the afflicted
And it brings bounty to an end.
And for blessings, decay
Sol 6.1