لاdo not تَحْسَبَنَّthink (emphatic) الزمانُTime ينسئكallows you to defer repayment الـthe
لا تَحْسَبَنَّ الزمانُ ينسئك الـ
ـقرضَloan ولكنهbut it يداًa hand بيدِin hand
ـقرضَ ولكنه يداً بيدِ
Do not think Time lets you defer repayment of the
Do not think time will forget to collect from you,
loan; rather, it is a hand-to-hand exchange.
Rather, it gives you a day and takes from you in return
يعطيكgives you يوماًa day فيقتضيكthen exacts from you بهin exchange for it
يعطيك يوماً فيقتضيك به
مَريرةa sinew منfrom مرائرsinews الجسدِthe body
مَريرة من مرائر الجسدِ
It gives you a day, then exacts from you in return
A bitterness from the bitternesses of the body.
a sinew from the body's sinews.
It steals something from your strengths even if
يَسْتَرِقُstealthily steals الشيءa portion منfrom قُواكyour strength وإنeven if
يَسْتَرِقُ الشيء من قُواك وإن
كانit is خفياًhidden عنfrom أعينeyes الرَصَدِthe watchers
كان خفياً عن أعين الرَصَدِ
It stealthily steals a portion of your strength, though
It is hidden from the eyes of observers.
it is hidden from the watchers' eyes.
State by state until it returns you to decrepitude
حالاًa stage فحالاًthen another stage حتىuntil يَرُدَّكَbrings you to للـto the
حالاً فحالاً حتى يَرُدَّكَ للـ
ـكِبرةold age بعدafter الشبابyouth والغَيدِand supple grace
ـكِبرة بعد الشباب والغَيدِ
Stage by stage, until it reduces you to
After youth and glory.
old age, after youth and supple grace.
Partial English translation: 7 of 8 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1