أَيُهاO you الآملُone who hopes for ماwhat لَيسَis not لَهُhis
أَيُها الآملُ ما لَيسَ لَهُ
رُبَّماoften غَرَّdeceived سَفيهاًa fool أَمَلُهhis hope
رُبَّما غَرَّ سَفيهاً أَمَلُه
O you who hope for what is not yours,
O hope, for what is not destined
often a fool is deceived by his hope.
Perhaps it deceives a fool, his hope
رُبَّmany a مَنone who باتَspent the night يمنّيfilling with hopes نَفسَهُhimself
رُبَّ مَن باتَ يمنّي نَفسَهُ
حالَstood in the way مِنfrom دونِbefore مُناهُhis wishes أَجَلُهhis appointed death
حالَ مِن دونِ مُناهُ أَجَلُه
Many a man has spent the night indulging his hopes,
Many a one who spends the night wishing himself
only for death to stand between him and his wishes.
His appointed term comes before his wish is fulfilled
وَالفَتىand the young man المُحتالresourceful فيماin what نابَهُbefell him
وَالفَتى المُحتال فيما نابَهُ
رُبَماsometimes ضاقَتproved inadequate عَلَيهِfor him حِيَلُهhis stratagems
رُبَما ضاقَت عَلَيهِ حِيَلُه
And the resourceful young man, facing what befalls him,
The scheming youth in what has afflicted him
may find his stratagems inadequate.
His tricks may sometimes fail him
قُلsay لِمَنto the one who مَثَّلَspoke in maxims فيin أَشعارِهِhis verses
قُل لِمَن مَثَّلَ في أَشعارِهِ
يَهلكperishes المَرءُa man وَيَبقىand remains مَثَلُهhis example
يَهلك المَرءُ وَيَبقى مَثَلُه
Say to him who speaks in maxims in his verse:
Say to him who moralized in his verses
A man perishes, but his example endures.
Man perishes but his moral remains
نافِسِvie with المُحسِنَthe doer of good فيin إِحسانِهِhis goodness
نافِسِ المُحسِنَ في إِحسانِهِ
فَسَيَكفيكَfor it will suffice you سَناءًas glory عَمَلُهhis work
فَسَيَكفيكَ سَناءً عَمَلُه
Vie with the doer of good in his goodness;
Compete with the virtuous in his virtue
for his work will bring you glory enough.
His good work will suffice you as glory
Sol 6.1