سَلامةُsafety المَرْءِof a man ساعةًfor an hour عَجَبُa marvel
سَلامةُ المَرْءِ ساعةً عَجَبُ
وكلُّand every شيءٍthing لِحَتْفهِfor his death سَبَبُa cause
وكلُّ شيءٍ لِحَتْفهِ سَبَبُ
For a man to be safe for an hour is a marvel.
And everything is a cause of his death.
يَفِرُّhe flees والحادِثاتُwhile calamities تَطْلُبُهُpursue him
يَفِرُّ والحادِثاتُ تَطْلُبُهُ
يهْربُhe runs away منهاfrom them ونحْوهاyet toward them الهَرَبُthe flight
يهْربُ منها ونحْوها الهَرَبُ
He flees while calamities pursue him.
He runs from them, yet his flight is toward them.
فكيفَso how يبْقىhe remains علىamid تَقلُّبهِhis changing fortunes
فكيفَ يبْقى على تَقلُّبهِ
مُسَلَّماَunharmed مَنْone whose بَقاؤهُhis survival العَطبُruin
مُسَلَّماَ مَنْ بَقاؤهُ العَطبُ
How, then, amid his changing fortunes, can he remain
Unharmed—he whose very survival is ruin?
Sol 6.1