أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يَومٌ وَلَيلَةٌ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يَومٌ وَلَيلَةٌ

يَكُرّانِ مِن سَبتٍ جَديدٍ إِلى سَبتِ

يَكُرّانِ مِن سَبتٍ جَديدٍ إِلى سَبتِ

Have you not seen that time is a day and a night,

Do you not see that time is but a day and a night

Do you not see that time is but a day and a night,

Both recurring from one new Saturday to the next?

That keep alternating from one sabbath to another?

Cycling from a new Saturday unto a Saturday?

فَقُل لِجَديدِ الثَوبِ لا بُدَّ مِن بِلىً

فَقُل لِجَديدِ الثَوبِ لا بُدَّ مِن بِلىً

وَقُل لِاِجتِماعِ الشَملِ لا بُدَّ مِن شَتِ

وَقُل لِاِجتِماعِ الشَملِ لا بُدَّ مِن شَتِ

So tell the new garment: wearing out is inevitable,

Say to the one with a new garment that decay is inevitable

So say to the new garment: there is no escaping decay,

And tell the gathered company: dispersal is inevitable.

And say to a family reunion that dispersal is inevitable

And say to the gathered union: there is no escaping dispersion.