رَأَيتُI saw الحَتفَdeath طَوَّفَroamed كُلَّevery أُفقٍhorizon
رَأَيتُ الحَتفَ طَوَّفَ كُلَّ أُفقٍ
وَجابَand traversed الأَرضَthe earth مِنincluding مِصرٍa town وَكَفرِand a village
وَجابَ الأَرضَ مِن مِصرٍ وَكَفرِ
I saw Death roam every horizon,
And traverse the earth, through town and village.
وَكَيفَand how يُثَمِّرُmakes grow الإِنسانُman وَفراًwealth
وَكَيفَ يُثَمِّرُ الإِنسانُ وَفراً
وَلَمand did not يَخرُجleave مِنَfrom الدُنياthis world بِوَفرِwith wealth
وَلَم يَخرُج مِنَ الدُنيا بِوَفرِ
And how does man multiply his wealth,
Yet leave this world with none?
وَلَمnor did أَرَI see مِثلَthe like of أَيّاميmy days سِراعاًswift
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ أَيّامي سِراعاً
خُيولَhorses of فَوارِسٍhorsemen وَرِكابَand riding camels of سَفرِtravellers
خُيولَ فَوارِسٍ وَرِكابَ سَفرِ
Nor have I seen the equal of my days in speed
Among horsemen’s steeds or travellers’ riding camels.
لَقَدindeed عَجِبواthey marvelled لِأَهلِat the people of البَيتِthe House لَمّاwhen
لَقَد عَجِبوا لِأَهلِ البَيتِ لَمّا
أَتاهُمcame to them عِلمُهُمtheir knowledge فيin مَسكِthe hide of جَفرِa young goat
أَتاهُم عِلمُهُم في مَسكِ جَفرِ
They marvelled indeed at the People of the House, when
Their knowledge came to them in a young goat’s hide.
وَمِرآةُand the mirror of المَنجِمِthe astrologer وَهِيَthough it is صُغرىsmall
وَمِرآةُ المَنجِمِ وَهِيَ صُغرى
أَرَتهُshowed him كُلَّevery عامِرَةٍinhabited place وَقَفرِand wilderness
أَرَتهُ كُلَّ عامِرَةٍ وَقَفرِ
Yet the astrologer’s mirror, small though it is,
Showed him every inhabited place and wilderness.
Sol 6.1