قَلَّhas dwindled لِلَّيلِfor the night وَالنَهارِand the day اِكتِراثيmy concern
قَلَّ لِلَّيلِ وَالنَهارِ اِكتِراثي
وَهُماand both of them دائِبانِtireless فيin اِستِحثاثيurging me onward
وَهُما دائِبانِ في اِستِحثاثي
My concern for night and day has dwindled,
I care little for night or day,
and both are tireless in urging me onward.
Though both are ever pressing me on.
ماwhat بَقائيmy survival عَلىin the face of اِختِرامِcutting lives short اللَياليthe nights
ما بَقائي عَلى اِختِرامِ اللَيالي
وَدَبيبِand the creeping advance الساعاتِof the hours بِالأَحداثِwith calamities
وَدَبيبِ الساعاتِ بِالأَحداثِ
How can I endure the nights’ deadly ravages
My life rests not on respecting nights,
and the hours’ creeping advance with calamities?
Nor the passage of hours with events.
ياO أَخيmy brother ماhow أَغَرَّناheedless we are بِالمَناياof death
يا أَخي ما أَغَرَّنا بِالمَنايا
فيin اِتِّخاذِacquiring الأَثاثِthe furnishings بَعدَafter الأَثاثِthe furnishings
في اِتِّخاذِ الأَثاثِ بَعدَ الأَثاثِ
O my brother, how heedless we are of death
O brother, how the ends misled us
as we acquire furnishings upon furnishings!
In acquiring furnishings, one after another!
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge وَكَيفَand how أَنتَyou إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle
لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ إِذا ما
وَلوَلَتwailed بِاِسمِكَwith your name النِساءُthe women الرَواثيthe lamenting ones
وَلوَلَت بِاِسمِكَ النِساءُ الرَواثي
Would that I knew—how will you be when
Would that I knew, when your name
the mourning women wail your name?
Is moaned by the wailing women,
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge وَكَيفَand how أَنتَyou مُسَجّىlaid out and covered
لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ مُسَجّى
تَحتَbeneath رَدمٍa mound of earth حَثاهُhe cast it فَوقَكَover you حاثِone casting earth
تَحتَ رَدمٍ حَثاهُ فَوقَكَ حاثِ
Would that I knew—how will you be, laid out and covered
Would that I knew how you lie,
beneath a mound someone has heaped over you?
Beneath a rubble heaped over you.
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge وَكَيفَand how أَنتَyou وَماحاand what con-
لَيتَ شِعري وَكَيفَ أَنتَ وَماحا
لُكَ-dition of yours فيماin what هُناكَis there بَعدَafter ثَلاثِthree
لُكَ فيما هُناكَ بَعدَ ثَلاثِ
Would that I knew—how will you be, and what
Would that I knew, what's become of you
will your condition be there after three [nights]?
In the Hereafter, after three days!
إِنَّindeed يَوماًa day يَكونُis فيهِon which بِمالِto the wealth of الthe
إِنَّ يَوماً يَكونُ فيهِ بِمالِ ال
مَرءِman أَولىmore entitled بِهِto it ذَوّthose entitled to الميراثِthe inheritance
مَرءِ أَولى بِهِ ذَوّ الميراثِ
Indeed, a day when the wealth of a
One day will come when a man's wealth
man belongs more rightfully to his heirs
Will be foremost for his heir.
لَحَقيقٌsurely fitting بِأَنthat يَكونَbe الَّذيthe one who يَرdeparts (first fragment)
لَحَقيقٌ بِأَن يَكونَ الَّذي يَر
حَلُdeparts (final fragment) عَمّاfrom what حَوىhe amassed قَليلَhaving little التُراثِwealth to bequeath
حَلُ عَمّا حَوى قَليلَ التُراثِ
surely warrants that the one who departs
Indeed, he who departs from what he hoarded
from what he has amassed should have little to bequeath.
Is little troubled by meager inheritance.
أَيُّهاO you المُستَغيثُwho seek help بيfrom me حَسبُكَenough for you اللَAllah (first fragment)
أَيُّها المُستَغيثُ بي حَسبُكَ اللَ
هُAllah (final fragment) مُغيثُthe helper of الأَنامِhumankind مِنas a مُستَغاثِone called upon for help
هُ مُغيثُ الأَنامِ مِن مُستَغاثِ
O you who seek help from me, sufficient for you is
O you who calls on me for help, suffice you
Allah, humankind’s helper, as one to call upon.
God as the helper of men in need!
فَلَعَمريfor, by my life لَرُبَّindeed, many a يَومِday of قُنوطٍdespair
فَلَعَمري لَرُبَّ يَومِ قُنوطٍ
قَدindeed أَتىcame اللَهُAllah بَعدَهُafter it بِالغِياثِwith relief
قَد أَتى اللَهُ بَعدَهُ بِالغِياثِ
For, by my life, many a day of despair
By my life, after many a day of despair
has been followed by relief that Allah has brought.
God sends relief thereafter!
Sol 6.1