أَغارَتraided عَلَيهِمupon them خُيولُthe steeds of الزَمانِTime
أَغارَت عَلَيهِم خُيولُ الزَمانِ
كَأَنَّas though خُيولَهُمtheir steeds لَمhad not تُغِرraided
كَأَنَّ خُيولَهُم لَم تُغِر
The steeds of Time raided them,
as though their own steeds had never raided.
وَقَدand indeed كانَused to يَركَبُهاride them طِفلُهُمtheir child
وَقَد كانَ يَركَبُها طِفلُهُم
حَليفَa companion of الرَضاعِsuckling وَلَمand had not يَتَّغِرgrown his permanent teeth
حَليفَ الرَضاعِ وَلَم يَتَّغِر
And their child used to ride them,
still a nursling, his permanent teeth not yet grown.
وَمَنand who يَدفَعُwards off القَدَرَfate الأَوَّلِيّprimordial
وَمَن يَدفَعُ القَدَرَ الأَوَّلِيّ
إِذاwhen فَمُهُits mouth لِأَكيلٍfor prey فُغِرis opened wide
إِذا فَمُهُ لِأَكيلٍ فُغِر
And who can ward off primordial fate,
when its mouth is opened wide for prey?
لَقَدindeed غَرَّنيdeceived me أَمَلٌhope فيin الحَياةِlife
لَقَد غَرَّني أَمَلٌ في الحَياةِ
كَأَنّيas though I بِماabout what يَفعَلُdoes الدَهرُTime غِرُّnaive
كَأَنّي بِما يَفعَلُ الدَهرُ غِرُّ
Indeed, hope in life has deceived me,
as though I were naive about what Time does.
Sol 6.1