أَرى عِلَلَ الدينا عَلَيَّ كَثيرَةً

أَرى عِلَلَ الدينا عَلَيَّ كَثيرَةً

وَصاحِبَها حَتّى المَماتِ عَليلُ

وَصاحِبَها حَتّى المَماتِ عَليلُ

I see that the world's afflictions upon me are many,

I see the ailments of time are many upon me,

I see the tribulations of this world pressing heavily upon me,

And its companion remains ailing until death.

And I will suffer them until death.

For he who keeps its company remains ailing until death.

ذَكَرتُ أَبا أَروى فَبِتُّ كَأَنَّني

ذَكَرتُ أَبا أَروى فَبِتُّ كَأَنَّني

بَردِّ الهُمومِ الماضياتِ وَكيلُ

بَردِّ الهُمومِ الماضياتِ وَكيلُ

I remembered Abu Arwa and spent the night as though I

I remembered Abu Arwa and spent the night as if

I remembered Abu Arwa, and passed the night as though

were charged with bringing back bygone sorrows.

I am the heir of past sorrows.

I were a guardian charged with summoning back past sorrows.

يُريدُ الفَتى أَن لا يَدومَ خَليلُهُ

يُريدُ الفَتى أَن لا يَدومَ خَليلُهُ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا المَماتِ سَبيلُ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا المَماتِ سَبيلُ

The young man wishes that his friend should not endure,

The young man wants his friend not to last,

The youth is destined that his friend shall not endure,

Yet he has no path but death.

And he has no way but death.

And for him, there is no other path but death.

فَلا بُدَّ مِن مَوتٍ وَلا بُدَّ مِن بَلىً

فَلا بُدَّ مِن مَوتٍ وَلا بُدَّ مِن بَلىً

وَإِنَّ بَقائي بَعدَكُم لَقَليلُ

وَإِنَّ بَقائي بَعدَكُم لَقَليلُ

There is no escaping death, nor any escaping decay,

There is no escape from death or decay,

There is no escape from death, nor from decay,

And indeed, my life after you will be brief.

And my remaining after you is little.

And my own survival after you is surely brief.

لِكُلِّ اِجتماعٍ مِن خَليلَينِ فِرقَةٌ

لِكُلِّ اِجتماعٍ مِن خَليلَينِ فِرقَةٌ

وَكُلُّ الَّذي دونَ المَماتِ قلَيلُ

وَكُلُّ الَّذي دونَ المَماتِ قلَيلُ

Every meeting of two friends has its parting,

Every reunion of two friends has a separation,

For every union of two friends must end in separation,

And everything short of death is a small matter.

And all that is before death is little.

And everything short of death is of little weight.

وَإِن اِفتِقادي واحِداً بَعدَ واحِدٍ

وَإِن اِفتِقادي واحِداً بَعدَ واحِدٍ

دَليلٌ عَلى أَن لا يَدومَ خَليلُ

دَليلٌ عَلى أَن لا يَدومَ خَليلُ

And indeed, my losing one after another

That I lose one friend after another

And my loss of loved ones, one after another,

is proof that no friend endures.

Shows that no friend endures.

Is proof that no intimate companion lasts forever.

إِذا اِنقَطَعتَ يَوماً عَنِ العَيشِ مُدَّتي

إِذا اِنقَطَعتَ يَوماً عَنِ العَيشِ مُدَّتي

فَإِنَّ غِناءَ الباكياتِ قَليلُ

فَإِنَّ غِناءَ الباكياتِ قَليلُ

When one day my span is cut off from life,

When you depart life one day, my lifespan

When, one day, my tether to this life is severed,

Then the weeping women's lament will count for little.

After you will surely be brief.

Then the wailing of the mourning women will be brief.

سَيُعرَضُ عَن ذِكري وَتُنسى مَوَدَّتي

سَيُعرَضُ عَن ذِكري وَتُنسى مَوَدَّتي

وَيَحدُثُ بَعدي لِلخَليلِ خَليلُ

وَيَحدُثُ بَعدي لِلخَليلِ خَليلُ

My memory will be shunned, and my affection forgotten,

Talk of me will be dropped and affection forgotten,

My memory will be shunned, and my affection forgotten,

And after me, my friend will find another friend.

And after me a friend will find a new friend.

And a new companion will arise for the friend I leave behind.