لِخالِقِناto our Creator الحُكمُthe decree القَديمُeternal وَكَمand how many a فَتىًyoung man
لِخالِقِنا الحُكمُ القَديمُ وَكَم فَتىً
لَهُhe has خُلُقٌa disposition رَحبٌgenerous وَعيشَتُهُand his life ضَنكُstraitened
لَهُ خُلُقٌ رَحبٌ وَعيشَتُهُ ضَنكُ
To our Creator belongs the eternal decree; and many a young man
has a generous nature, yet his life is straitened.
فَهَوِّنso make light of عَلَيكَfor yourself الخَطَبَthe calamity ماnot فَتِئَhas ceased الرَدىdeath
فَهَوِّن عَلَيكَ الخَطَبَ ما فَتِئَ الرَدى
يُجيشُmusters عَلىagainst كِسرىKisra الجُيوشَthe armies فَمَنso who زِنكُZink
يُجيشُ عَلى كِسرى الجُيوشَ فَمَن زِنكُ
So take misfortune lightly; Death has never ceased
to muster armies against Kisra—who, then, is Zink?
إِذاif ئلَجَأتُهُمforces them ساعَةٌan hour مِنof زَمانِهِمtheir time
إِذا ئلَجَأتُهُم ساعَةٌ مِن زَمانِهِم
إِلىinto الشَرِّevil لَمdid not يُغنواaccomplish فَتيلاًa date-stone thread وَلَمand did not يَنكواinflict harm
إِلى الشَرِّ لَم يُغنوا فَتيلاً وَلَم يَنكوا
If an hour of their time forces them
into evil, they accomplish not a thread’s worth and inflict no harm.
أَفنُّكَis your way هَذاthis أَيُّهاO الدَهرُTime سادِراًheedless
أَفنُّكَ هَذا أَيُّها الدَهرُ سادِراً
وَتَأتيand comes المَناياdeath بَعدَafter ماthat لُقِيَwas encountered الفُنكُpleasure
وَتَأتي المَنايا بَعدَ ما لُقِيَ الفُنكُ
Is this your way, O heedless Time,
that death comes after pleasure has been found?
لَعَنَّكَperhaps you يَنجابُclears away الظَلامُthe darkness فَتَهتَديso you find your way
لَعَنَّكَ يَنجابُ الظَلامُ فَتَهتَدي
إِذاwhen عَنكَfrom you فيin رَأَدِthe beginning الضُحىthe forenoon ذَهَبَdeparts العِنكُthe gloom
إِذا عَنكَ في رَأَدِ الضُحى ذَهَبَ العِنكُ
Perhaps the darkness will lift for you, and you will find your way,
when, in the early forenoon, the gloom departs from you.
Sol 6.1