أُوَدِّعُI bid farewell to يَوميmy day عالَماًknowing إِنَّindeed مِثلَهُits like
أُوَدِّعُ يَومي عالَماً إِنَّ مِثلَهُ
إِذاwhen مَرَّpasses عَنpast مِثليsomeone like me فَلَيسَthen it does not يَعودُreturn
إِذا مَرَّ عَن مِثلي فَلَيسَ يَعودُ
I bid my day farewell, knowing that its like,
I bid farewell to a life, the like of which,
once it passes someone like me, will never return.
If it passes by the likes of me, will not return,
وَماand not غَفَلاتُheedless moments العَيشِlife إِلّاexcept مَناحِسٌmisfortunes
وَما غَفَلاتُ العَيشِ إِلّا مَناحِسٌ
وَإِنand even if ظَنَّthought قَومٌsome people أَنَّهُنَّthat they سُعودُgood fortunes
وَإِن ظَنَّ قَومٌ أَنَّهُنَّ سُعودُ
And life's heedless moments are nothing but misfortunes,
And the heedlessness of living is nothing but misfortune,
even if some people think them good fortune.
Though some may think it brings happiness.
كَأَنّيas though I عَلىupon العودِthe old camel الرَكوبِfit for riding مُهَجِّراًtraveling at noon
كَأَنّي عَلى العودِ الرَكوبِ مُهَجِّراً
إِذاwhen نَصَّraises حِرباءُa chameleon الظَهيرَةِnoon عودُa branch
إِذا نَصَّ حِرباءُ الظَهيرَةِ عودُ
It is as though I were on an old riding camel, traveling at noon,
As if I were departing on a camel at noon
when a branch raises the noonday chameleon.
When the heat of midday departed and returned.
سَرىtraveled by night المَوتُdeath فيin الظَلماءِthe darkness وَالقَومُand the people فيin الكَرىslumber
سَرى المَوتُ في الظَلماءِ وَالقَومُ في الكَرى
وَقامَand rose عَلىon ساقٍa leg وَنَحنُand we قُعودُseated
وَقامَ عَلى ساقٍ وَنَحنُ قُعودُ
Death traveled through the darkness while the people slumbered,
Death crept in the darkness while people were heedless,
and rose to its feet while we remained seated.
And rose on one leg while we were seated.
وَتِلكَand that لَعَمرُby the life of اللَهِGod أَصعَبُthe hardest خُطَّةٍplight
وَتِلكَ لَعَمرُ اللَهِ أَصعَبُ خُطَّةٍ
كَأَنَّas though حُدوريmy descent فيinto التُرابِthe earth صُعودُan ascent
كَأَنَّ حُدوري في التُرابِ صُعودُ
And that, by God's life, is the hardest plight:
By God, that is the most difficult situation,
as though my descent into the earth were an ascent.
As if my burial cloth was ascending the earth.
وَإِنَّand indeed حَياتيmy life لِلمَناياfor deaths سَحابَةٌa cloud
وَإِنَّ حَياتي لِلمَنايا سَحابَةٌ
وَإِنَّand indeed كَلاميmy speech لِلحِمامِfor death رَعودُthunderclaps
وَإِنَّ كَلامي لِلحِمامِ رَعودُ
And indeed, my life is a cloud for death,
And my life to death is like a cloud,
and indeed, my speech is thunder for death.
And my words to doves are like thunder.
يُنَجِّزُcarries out هَذاthis الدَهرُage ماwhat كانَwas مَوعِداًthreatening
يُنَجِّزُ هَذا الدَهرُ ما كانَ مَوعِداً
وَتَمطُلُand put off مِنهُfrom it بِالرَجاءِwith hope وُعودُpromises
وَتَمطُلُ مِنهُ بِالرَجاءِ وُعودُ
This age carries out what it had threatened,
This life fulfils its promised appointed time,
while its promises put us off with hope.
Yet hope of delay from it continues to linger.
Sol 6.1