أَماdoes ... not? يَردَعُdeter المَوتُdeath أَهلَpeople of النُهىreason
أَما يَردَعُ المَوتُ أَهلَ النُهى
وَيَمنَعُand restrain عَنfrom غِيِّهِhis error مَنwhoever غَوىhas strayed
وَيَمنَعُ عَن غِيِّهِ مَن غَوى
Does death not deter those endowed with reason,
And turn the erring man away from his error?
أَماis there no? عالِمٌlearned man عارِفٌwell acquainted بِالزَمانِwith time
أَما عالِمٌ عارِفٌ بِالزَمانِ
يَروحُhe goes in the evening وَيَغدوand he goes in the morning قَصيرَshort الخُطاthe steps
يَروحُ وَيَغدو قَصيرَ الخُطا
Is there no learned man, acquainted with time,
Who goes forth evening and morning with shortened steps?
فَياso, O لاهِياًheedless one آمِناًfeeling safe وَالحِمامُwhile death
فَيا لاهِياً آمِناً وَالحِمامُ
إِلَيهِtoward him سَريعٌswift قَريبُnear المَدىthe distance
إِلَيهِ سَريعٌ قَريبُ المَدى
So, O heedless one, feeling safe, while death
Speeds toward him and is close at hand!
يُسَرُّhe rejoices بِشَيءٍin something كَأَنas though قَدalready مَضىit has passed
يُسَرُّ بِشَيءٍ كَأَن قَد مَضى
وَيَأمَنُand he feels safe from شَيئاًsomething كَأَنas though قَدalready أَتىit has arrived
وَيَأمَنُ شَيئاً كَأَن قَد أَتى
He delights in what is as good as gone,
And feels safe from what has all but arrived.
إِذاwhen مامَرَرتَyou do pass بِأَهلِby the dwellers of القُبورِthe graves
إِذا مامَرَرتَ بِأَهلِ القُبورِ
تَيَقَّنتَyou become certain أَنَّكَthat you مِنهُمare among them غَداtomorrow
تَيَقَّنتَ أَنَّكَ مِنهُم غَدا
When you pass by the dwellers of the graves,
You know for certain you will be among them tomorrow,
وَأَنَّand that العَزيزَthe mighty بَهاin them وَالذَليلَand the lowly
وَأَنَّ العَزيزَ بَها وَالذَليلَ
سَواءٌequal إِذاwhen أُسلِماboth are surrendered لِلبِلىto decay
سَواءٌ إِذا أُسلِما لِلبِلى
And that the mighty there and the lowly
Are equal when both are surrendered to decay:
غَريبَينِtwo strangers مالَهُماthe two have no مُؤنِسٌcomforting companion
غَريبَينِ مالَهُما مُؤنِسٌ
وَحيدَينِboth alone تَحتَbeneath طِباقِthe layers of الثَرىthe earth
وَحيدَينِ تَحتَ طِباقِ الثَرى
Two strangers, with no one to keep them company,
Both alone beneath the layers of earth.
فَلاso there is no أَمَلٌhope غَيرَexcept عَفوِthe pardon of الإِلَهِGod
فَلا أَمَلٌ غَيرَ عَفوِ الإِلَهِ
وَلاand no عَمَلٌdeed غَيرُexcept ماقَدwhat has already مَضىpassed
وَلا عَمَلٌ غَيرُ ماقَد مَضى
There is no hope, then, but God's pardon,
And no deed but what has already been done.
فَإِنso if كانَit was خَيراًgood فَخَيراًthen good تَنالُyou will receive
فَإِن كانَ خَيراً فَخَيراً تَنالُ
وَإِنand if كانَit was شَرّاًevil فَشَرّاًthen evil تَرىyou will see
وَإِن كانَ شَرّاً فَشَرّاً تَرى
So if it was good, then good you shall receive,
And if it was evil, then evil you shall see.
Sol 6.1