كَأَنَّas though إِباراًneedles فيin المَفارِقِthe hair-partings خَيَّطَتstitched
كَأَنَّ إِباراً في المَفارِقِ خَيَّطَت
بُرودَstriped cloaks المَناياdeaths وَاللَياليand the nights سُلوكُهاtheir threads
بُرودَ المَنايا وَاللَيالي سُلوكُها
As though needles in the partings of the hair had stitched
As if the threads of fate in partings she sewed
the striped cloaks of death, and the nights were their threads.
The chill of death nights and days its journey made
يَرىsees الفِكرُreason أَنَّthat النورَthe light فيin الدَهرِtime مُحدَثٌnewly created
يَرى الفِكرُ أَنَّ النورَ في الدَهرِ مُحدَثٌ
وَماand not عُنصُرُthe substance الأَوقاتِthe times إِلّاexcept حُلوكُهاtheir darkness
وَما عُنصُرُ الأَوقاتِ إِلّا حُلوكُها
Reason sees that light in time is newly created,
Thought sees that light in life is newly found
and the substance of time is nothing but its darkness.
Yet time's essence is but its passing charade
فَلاso do not تَرغَبواyou desire فيin المُلكِkingship تَعصونَyou sin بِالظُباwith sword blades
فَلا تَرغَبوا في المُلكِ تَعصونَ بِالظُبا
عَلَيهِfor its sake فَمِنfor among أَشقىthe most wretched الرِجالِmen مُلوكُهاits kings
عَلَيهِ فَمِن أَشقى الرِجالِ مُلوكُها
So do not covet kingship, sinning with sword blades
Then yearn not for kingship, lest you transgress
for its sake; for its kings are among the most wretched of men.
For wretched are kings, however grand their parade
وَإِنَّand indeed غُروبَthe setting الشَمسِthe sun كُلَّevery عَشيَّةٍevening
وَإِنَّ غُروبَ الشَمسِ كُلَّ عَشيَّةٍ
يُحَدِّثُtells أَهلَpeople of اللُبِّunderstanding عَنهُof it دُلوكُهاits decline
يُحَدِّثُ أَهلَ اللُبِّ عَنهُ دُلوكُها
And indeed, the sun's setting each evening—
And dusk each evening certainly imparts
its decline tells the discerning of it.
To wise men its tidings and stories relayed
وَماand not فَتِئَتceased رُسُلُthe messengers الحِمامِdeath تَزورُناvisit us
وَما فَتِئَت رُسُلُ الحِمامِ تَزورُنا
إِذاwhen لَمdid not تُشافِهspeak face to face ذَكَّرَتناreminded us أَلوكُهاtheir message
إِذا لَم تُشافِه ذَكَّرَتنا أَلوكُها
And death's messengers have never ceased to visit us;
Unceasingly do messenger doves visit us
when they do not speak face to face, their message reminds us.
When kin do not, their features remind and persuade
فَكونواso be جِياداًfine steeds أُضمِرَتwere made lean خَوفَfor fear of غارَةٍa raid
فَكونوا جِياداً أُضمِرَت خَوفَ غارَةٍ
صَوائِمَfasting إِلّاexcept مِنfrom شَكيمٍbridle bits تَلوكُهاthey chew them
صَوائِمَ إِلّا مِن شَكيمٍ تَلوكُها
So be fine steeds, made lean for fear of a raid,
So be steadfast steeds, masking a raid's alarm
fasting, save for the bridle bits they chew.
That fasting save what glory's vigilance weighed
Sol 6.1