ياO نَفسُsoul ماhow أَوضَحَclear قَصدَthe straight course of السَبيلthe path
يا نَفسُ ما أَوضَحَ قَصدَ السَبيل
خُلِقتِyou were created ياO نَفسُsoul لِأَمرٍfor a purpose جَليلmomentous
خُلِقتِ يا نَفسُ لِأَمرٍ جَليل
O soul, how clear is the straight path!
You were created, O soul, for a momentous purpose.
ياO نَفسُsoul ماhow أَقرَبَclose مِنّاto us البِلىdecay
يا نَفسُ ما أَقرَبَ مِنّا البِلى
أَناI الَّذيthe one who لاno نَفسَlife ليfor me عَنafter قَليلa little while
أَنا الَّذي لا نَفسَ لي عَن قَليل
O soul, how close decay is to us!
I am one who, before long, will have no life.
كُلُّevery خَليلٍdear friend فَلَهُso he has فُرقَةٌa parting
كُلُّ خَليلٍ فَلَهُ فُرقَةٌ
لابُدَّthere is no escape يَوماًone day مِنfrom فِراقِparting with الخَليلthe dear friend
لابُدَّ يَوماً مِن فِراقِ الخَليل
For every dear friend, there is a parting.
One day, parting from a dear friend is inevitable.
ياO عَجَباًwonder إِنّاindeed we لَنَلهوsurely we amuse ourselves وَقَدthough already
يا عَجَباً إِنّا لَنَلهو وَقَد
نودِيَa call was made فيin أَسماعِناour ears بِالرَحيلfor departure
نودِيَ في أَسماعِنا بِالرَحيل
How strange! We do indeed amuse ourselves, even though
the call to depart has sounded in our ears.
Sol 6.1