هُوَIt is الدَهرُTime لاdoes not يُشويmerely graze وَهُنَّand they are المَصائِبُthe calamities
هُوَ الدَهرُ لا يُشوي وَهُنَّ المَصائِبُ
وَأَكثَرُand most آمالِhopes of الرِجالِmen كَواذِبُfalse
وَأَكثَرُ آمالِ الرِجالِ كَواذِبُ
It is Time: it never merely grazes, and these are its calamities.
And most of men's hopes prove false.
فَياso O غالِباًconqueror لاno غالِبٌconqueror لِرَزِيَّةٍover a calamity
فَيا غالِباً لا غالِبٌ لِرَزِيَّةٍ
بَلِrather المَوتُdeath لاشَكَّwithout doubt الَّذيwhich هُوَit is غالِبُthe conqueror
بَلِ المَوتُ لاشَكَّ الَّذي هُوَ غالِبُ
O conqueror, no one can conquer a calamity;
Rather, death is surely the conqueror.
وَقُلتُand I said أَخيmy brother قالواthey said أَخٌa brother ذوpossessing قَرابَةٍkinship
وَقُلتُ أَخي قالوا أَخٌ ذو قَرابَةٍ
فَقُلتُso I said وَلَكِنَّbut الشُكولَthose alike أَقارِبُare kin
فَقُلتُ وَلَكِنَّ الشُكولَ أَقارِبُ
I called him my brother. They said, “A brother by blood?”
I said, “But kindred spirits are kin.”
نَسيبِيَmy kinsman فيin عَزمٍresolve وَرَأيٍand judgment وَمَذهَبٍand outlook
نَسيبِيَ في عَزمٍ وَرَأيٍ وَمَذهَبٍ
وَإِنalthough باعَدَتناseparated us فيin الأُصولِancestry المَناسِبُfamily ties
وَإِن باعَدَتنا في الأُصولِ المَناسِبُ
He was my kinsman in resolve, judgment, and outlook,
Though our family lineages set us apart.
كَأَنas if لَمnever يَقُلhe said يَوماًone day كَأَنَّ“as though” فَتَنثَنيso they turn
كَأَن لَم يَقُل يَوماً كَأَنَّ فَتَنثَني
إِلىtoward قَولِهِhis words الأَسماعُears وَهيَwhile they are رَواغِبُeager
إِلى قَولِهِ الأَسماعُ وَهيَ رَواغِبُ
As though he had never once said “as though,” and drawn
Eager ears toward his words.
وَلَمand never يَصدَعِhe stirred الناديthe gathering بِلَفظَةِwith a word فَيصَلٍdecisive
وَلَم يَصدَعِ النادي بِلَفظَةِ فَيصَلٍ
سِنانِيَّةٍspear-like فيon صَفحَتَيهاits two sides التَجارِبُexperiences
سِنانِيَّةٍ في صَفحَتَيها التَجارِبُ
As though he had never stirred the gathering with a decisive utterance,
Spear-like, with experience on both its sides.
وَلَمand never أَتَسَقَّطI watched for رَيبَuncertainty دَهريof my days بِرَأيِهِwith his judgment
وَلَم أَتَسَقَّط رَيبَ دَهري بِرَأيِهِ
فَلَمso never يَجتَمِعcame together ليfor me رَأيُهُhis judgment وَالنَوائِبُand misfortunes
فَلَم يَجتَمِع لي رَأيُهُ وَالنَوائِبُ
Nor had I watched for the uncertainties of my days with his counsel:
His judgment and misfortunes never met for me.
مَضىdeparted صاحِبيmy companion وَاِستَخلَفَand left behind البَثَّanguish وَالأَسىand sorrow
مَضى صاحِبي وَاِستَخلَفَ البَثَّ وَالأَسى
عَلَيَّfor me فَليso I have مِنfrom ذاthis وَهاذاكَand that صاحِبُa companion
عَلَيَّ فَلي مِن ذا وَهاذاكَ صاحِبُ
My companion is gone, leaving anguish and sorrow behind
For me; in each of them I now have a companion.
عَجِبتُI marveled لِصَبريat my patience بَعدَهُafter him وَهوَwhile he is مَيِّتٌdead
عَجِبتُ لِصَبري بَعدَهُ وَهوَ مَيِّتٌ
وَكُنتُand I was اِمرِءاًa man أَبكيI wept دَماًblood وَهوَwhile he was غائِبُabsent
وَكُنتُ اِمرِءاً أَبكي دَماً وَهوَ غائِبُ
I marvel at my patience after his death,
When I once wept blood at his mere absence.
عَلىalthough أَنَّهاthey are الأَيّامُthe days قَدindeed صِرنَhave become كُلَّهاall of them
عَلى أَنَّها الأَيّامُ قَد صِرنَ كُلَّها
عَجائِبَwonders حَتّىuntil لَيسَthere are no فيهاin them عَجائِبُwonders
عَجائِبَ حَتّى لَيسَ فيها عَجائِبُ
Yet the days have all become
Such wonders that nothing in them seems wondrous anymore.
Sol 6