وَإِنَّand indeed أَمراًa man أَنفاسُهُhis breaths نَحوَtoward قَبرِهِhis grave
وَإِنَّ أَمراً أَنفاسُهُ نَحوَ قَبرِهِ
خُطاهُhis footsteps لَمَحثوثُsurely hastened المَسيرِin traveling وَلاand not يَدريhe knows
خُطاهُ لَمَحثوثُ المَسيرِ وَلا يَدري
And indeed, a man—whose breaths toward his grave
are his footsteps—is surely hurried on his way, yet knows it not.
أَياO غافِلاًheedless one يُسريcarries along by night بِهِwith him وَهوَwhile he لاnot يَسريtravels by night
أَيا غافِلاً يُسري بِهِ وَهوَ لا يَسري
وَياand O جارِياًrunner أَمسىhas come to be إِلىtoward أَمَدٍan appointed end يَجريhe runs
وَيا جارِياً أَمسى إِلى أَمَدٍ يَجري
O heedless one, borne along by night though you yourself do not journey!
And O runner, now running toward an appointed end!
كَأَنّيas though I بِضَيفِwith the guest of المَوتِdeath قَدalready جاءَhas come نازِلاًalighting to lodge
كَأَنّي بِضَيفِ المَوتِ قَد جاءَ نازِلاً
بِعَقوَةٍin the courtyard of عُمرِthe life of المَرءِa person لِلنَفسِfor the soul يَستَهريunclear as written; perhaps seeks hospitality
بِعَقوَةٍ عُمرِ المَرءِ لِلنَفسِ يَستَهري
I seem to see Death, the guest, already arriving to lodge
In the courtyard of a man's life, seeking the soul as his fare (reading uncertain).
Sol 6.1