أَلاBehold إِنَّماnothing but الدُنياthe world نُحوسٌill fortunes لِأَهلِهاfor its people
أَلا إِنَّما الدُنيا نُحوسٌ لِأَهلِها
فَماfor there is no فيin زَمانٍan age أَنتَyou فيهِin it سُعودُgood fortunes
فَما في زَمانٍ أَنتَ فيهِ سُعودُ
Behold, the world is nothing but ill fortune for its people;
for no age in which you live holds good fortune.
يُوَصّيhe makes his will الفَتىthe young man عِندَat الحِمامِdeath كَأَنَّهُas though he
يُوَصّي الفَتى عِندَ الحِمامِ كَأَنَّهُ
يَمُرُّhe passes by فَيَقضيthen he fulfills حاجَةًa need وَيَعودُand he returns
يَمُرُّ فَيَقضي حاجَةً وَيَعودُ
The young man makes his will at death, as though he
were passing by to fulfill a need and return.
وَماand not يَئِسَتdespaired مِنof رَجعَةٍa return نَفسُa soul ظاعِنٍof one departing
وَما يَئِسَت مِن رَجعَةٍ نَفسُ ظاعِنٍ
مَضَتit departed وَلَهاand for it عِندَwith القَضاءِfate وُعودُpromises
مَضَت وَلَها عِندَ القَضاءِ وُعودُ
And no departing person's soul has despaired of return;
it departed, with promises held for it by fate.
تَسيرُthey move along بِناwith us الأَيّامُthe days وَهِيَand they are حَثيثَةٌswift
تَسيرُ بِنا الأَيّامُ وَهِيَ حَثيثَةٌ
وَنَحنُand we قِيامٌstanding فَوقَهاupon them وَقُعودُand sitting
وَنَحنُ قِيامٌ فَوقَها وَقُعودُ
The days bear us along, hurrying on,
while we stand and sit upon them.
فَماso not خَشِيَتthey feared فيin السَيرِthe journey زَلَّةَa slip عاثِرٍof one who stumbles
فَما خَشِيَت في السَيرِ زَلَّةَ عاثِرٍ
وَلَكِنbut تَساوىwere equal مَهبِطٌa descent وَصُعودُand an ascent
وَلَكِن تَساوى مَهبِطٌ وَصُعودُ
So they feared no stumbler's slip along their course,
but descent and ascent were alike.
Sol 6.1