المرءa person مثلlike هلالa crescent moon عندupon رؤيتهseeing it
المرء مثل هلال عند رؤيته
يبدوappears ضئيلاsmall نراهwe see it ثمthen يتسقgrows full
يبدو ضئيلا نراه ثم يتسق
A person is like a crescent moon when first seen:
A man is like the crescent when first seen,
It appears slender to our eyes, then grows full,
He seems so thin we think he will not last,
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle تمّbecame full أعقبهfollowed it with
حتى إذا ما تمّ أعقبه
مرّthe passing الجديدينthe two ever-renewing ones (night and day) نقصاwaning ثمthen يمّحقis effaced
مرّ الجديدين نقصا ثم يمّحق
Until, once full, it is overtaken
But when he is fully formed end to end,
By waning as night and day pass; then it is effaced.
Succeeded by new moons, he starts to wane fast.
Sol 6.1