سَلواAsk مَعشَرَO company of المَوتىthe dead الَّذيthe one who جاءَcame وافِداًas a newcomer
سَلوا مَعشَرَ المَوتى الَّذي جاءَ وافِداً
إِلَيكُمto you يَخبَرhe knows فَهوَfor he أَقرَبُكُمthe most recent among you عَهداin time
إِلَيكُم يَخبَر فَهوَ أَقرَبُكُم عَهدا
Ask, O company of the dead, the one who has come as a newcomer
Ask those who died before and came to you as guests,
to you—he knows, for he is the most recently departed among you.
For he is closer in time, he'll tell you true,
يُحَدِّثُكُمhe tells you أَنَّthat البِلادَthe lands مُقيمَةٌremaining
يُحَدِّثُكُم أَنَّ البِلادَ مُقيمَةٌ
عَلىas ماwhat عَهِدتُمyou knew ذَلِكَthat الهَضبَhigh ground وَالوَهداand low ground
عَلى ما عَهِدتُم ذَلِكَ الهَضبَ وَالوَهدا
He tells you that the lands remain
That the countries are still the same,
as you knew them—those uplands and lowlands.
As you knew them, hills and valleys,
وَلَمand has not تَفتاءِceased الدُنِّياthe world تَغُرُّdeceives خَليلِهاher intimate friend
وَلَم تَفتاءِ الدُنِّيا تَغُرُّ خَليلِها
وَتُبَدِّلُهُand gives him in exchange مِنin place of غَمضِclosing أَجفانِهاher eyelids سَهَداsleeplessness
وَتُبَدِّلُهُ مِن غَمضِ أَجفانِها سَهَدا
And the world has never ceased deceiving her intimate friend,
The world and its ways still enchant its lover,
and replacing the closing of her eyelids with sleeplessness for him.
She hides her sleepy eyes and entrances with a look,
تُريهُshe shows him الدُجىdarkness فيin هَيئَةِthe guise of النورِlight خِدعَةًas a trick
تُريهُ الدُجى في هَيئَةِ النورِ خِدعَةً
وَتُطعِمُهُand feeds him صاباًbitter sap فَيَحسِبُهُso he takes it for شَهَداhoney
وَتُطعِمُهُ صاباً فَيَحسِبُهُ شَهَدا
She shows him darkness in the guise of light, as a trick,
Shows him darkness in guise of light, deception!
and feeds him bitter sap, which he takes for honey.
Feeds him poison but makes him think it honey sweet,
وَقَدand indeed حَمَلَتهُshe carried him فَوقَupon نَعشٍa bier وَطالَماand many a time
وَقَد حَمَلَتهُ فَوقَ نَعشٍ وَطالَما
سَرىhe travelled by night فَوقَupon عَنسٍa sturdy she-camel أَوor عَلاhe mounted فَرَساًa horse نَهِداpowerfully built
سَرى فَوقَ عَنسٍ أَو عَلا فَرَساً نَهِدا
And she has carried him upon a bier, though many a time
She carries him high on a bier though often,
he rode by night on a sturdy she-camel or mounted a powerful horse.
He rode a steed or a carriage, head held high,
وَلَمand has not تَتَّرِكleft مِنany حيلَةٍtrick لِتَغُرُّهُto deceive him
وَلَم تَتَّرِك مِن حيلَةٍ لِتَغُرُّهُ
وَلمand has not يُبقِspared فيin إِخلاصِهِhis devotion حُبُّهاlove for her جُهداany effort
وَلم يُبقِ في إِخلاصِهِ حُبُّها جُهدا
And she has left no trick untried to deceive him,
She left no trick to ensnare him,
and his love for her has spared no effort in his devotion.
Of loving her, she left him no effort to make.
Sol 6.1