نُنافِسُwe vie فيfor الدُنياthis world وَنَحنُwhile we نَعيبُهاfind fault with it
نُنافِسُ في الدُنيا وَنَحنُ نَعيبُها
لَقَدindeed حَذَّرَتناهاhave warned us against it لَعَمريby my life خُطوبُهاits calamities
لَقَد حَذَّرَتناها لَعَمري خُطوبُها
We vie for this world even as we find fault with it.
Its calamities have surely warned us against it, by my life.
وَماand not نَحسَبُwe count الصاعاتِthe hours تُقطَعُare cut away مُدَّةًa span of life
وَما نَحسَبُ الصاعاتِ تُقطَعُ مُدَّةً
عَلىdespite أَنَّهاthat they فيناwithin us سَريعٌswift دَبيبُهاtheir creeping
عَلى أَنَّها فينا سَريعٌ دَبيبُها
And we take no account of the hours cut from our span,
though swift is their creeping through us.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَمِمَّنsurely among those who يَكرَهُloathe المَوتَdeath وَالبِلىand decay
وَإِنّي لَمِمَّن يَكرَهُ المَوتَ وَالبِلى
وَيُعجِبُنيand delights me رَوحُease الحَياةِof life وَطيبُهاand its sweetness
وَيُعجِبُني رَوحُ الحَياةِ وَطيبُها
And I am indeed among those who loathe death and decay,
and life's ease and sweetness delight me.
فَحَتّىso until مَتىwhen حَتّىuntil مَتىwhen وَإِلىand until مَتىwhen
فَحَتّى مَتى حَتّى مَتى وَإِلى مَتى
يَدومُcontinues طُلوعُrising الشَمسِof the sun ثُمَّthen غُروبُهاits setting
يَدومُ طُلوعُ الشَمسِ ثُمَّ غُروبُها
So until when, until when, and until when
will the sun keep rising and then setting?
أَياO هادِمَdestroyer of اللَذاتِpleasures ماno مِنكَfrom you مَهرَبٌescape
أَيا هادِمَ اللَذاتِ ما مِنكَ مَهرَبٌ
تُحاذِرُdreads نَفسيmy soul مِنكَfrom you ماwhat سَيُصيبُهاwill befall it
تُحاذِرُ نَفسي مِنكَ ما سَيُصيبُها
O destroyer of pleasures, there is no escape from you.
My soul dreads what will befall it from you.
كَأَنّيas though I بِرَهطيbehold my kin يَحمِلونَare carrying جَنازَتيmy bier
كَأَنّي بِرَهطي يَحمِلونَ جَنازَتي
إِلىto حُفرَةٍa pit يُحثىis poured عَلَيَّover me كَثيبُهاits mound of sand
إِلى حُفرَةٍ يُحثى عَلَيَّ كَثيبُها
It is as though I see my kin carrying my bier
to a pit whose mound of sand is poured over me.
فَكَمso how many ثَمَّthere مِنof مُستَرجِعٍone saying 'To God we return' مُتَوَجِّعٍgrieving
فَكَم ثَمَّ مِن مُستَرجِعٍ مُتَوَجِّعٍ
وَباكِيَةٍand a weeping woman يَعلوrises عَلَيَّover me نَحيبُهاher wailing
وَباكِيَةٍ يَعلو عَلَيَّ نَحيبُها
How many a grieving mourner there, saying, 'To God we return,'
and a weeping woman whose wailing rises over me,
وَداعِيَةٍand a woman calling حَرّىburning with grief تُناديcalls out وَإِنَّنيwhile indeed I
وَداعِيَةٍ حَرّى تُنادي وَإِنَّني
لَفيsurely in غَفلَةٍobliviousness عَنto صَوتِهاher voice ماnot أُجيبُهاI answer her
لَفي غَفلَةٍ عَن صَوتِها ما أُجيبُها
and a woman burning with grief, calling out, while I
am oblivious to her voice and give her no answer.
رَأَيتُI have seen المَناياdeaths قُسِّمَتwere apportioned بَينَamong أَنفُسٍsouls
رَأَيتُ المَنايا قُسِّمَت بَينَ أَنفُسٍ
وَنَفسيand my soul سَيَأتيwill come بَعدَهُنَّafter them نَصيبُهاits share
وَنَفسي سَيَأتي بَعدَهُنَّ نَصيبُها
I have seen deaths apportioned among souls,
and my soul's share will come after them.
Sol 6.1