عايِنdiscern أَواخِرَthe endings of كائِنٍa thing that exists بِأَوائِلٍfrom beginnings
عايِن أَواخِرَ كائِنٍ بِأَوائِلٍ
إِنَّindeed الهِلالَthe crescent moon يُحَقُّis fulfilled بِالإِبدارِby waxing full
إِنَّ الهِلالَ يُحَقُّ بِالإِبدارِ
Discern a thing's endings from its beginnings.
Eyes glimpse endings in beginnings,
Indeed, the crescent finds fulfillment in the full moon.
The crescent moon deserves to wax fully,
وَاللَيلُand the night يُؤذِنُheralds بِالصَباحِthe dawn فَإِنso if تَرُمyou intend
وَاللَيلُ يُؤذِنُ بِالصَباحِ فَإِن تَرُم
فيهِin it سُراكَyour night journey لِحاجَةٍfor a need فَبِدارُthen make haste
فيهِ سُراكَ لِحاجَةٍ فَبِدارُ
And night heralds dawn; so if you plan
And night heralds morning. So if in it
your journey through it on an errand, make haste.
You seek your night patrol, then go forth!
أَرَجَوتَdid you hope أَنto تُعطىbe granted اِختِيارَكَyour choice وَالفَتىwhile a man
أَرَجَوتَ أَن تُعطى اِختِيارَكَ وَالفَتى
يَغدوgoes forth عالىastride شُمسٍunruly steeds مِنَof الأَقدارِfate's decrees
يَغدو عالى شُمسٍ مِنَ الأَقدارِ
Did you hope to be granted your choice, when a man
You hoped to be graced with your choice, and the young man
rides forth on the unruly steeds of fate?
Rises to a lofty sun of destinies,
وَأَرىand I see العَروسَthe bride تَحَجَّبَتhas veiled herself فيin خِدرِهاher secluded chamber
وَأَرى العَروسَ تَحَجَّبَت في خِدرِها
كَمُعَرَّسِlike the resting-place of الآسادِthe lions فيin الأَخدارِthe lairs
كَمُعَرَّسِ الآسادِ في الأَخدارِ
And I see the bride veiled in her chamber,
And I see the bride secluded in her chamber,
like lions at rest within their lairs.
Like lions secluded among the thickets,
أَحسِنbe good جِواراًin neighborliness لِلفَتاةِto the maiden وَعُدَّهاand consider her
أَحسِن جِواراً لِلفَتاةِ وَعُدَّها
أُختَa sister of السِماكِal-Simāk عَلىdespite دُنُوِّthe nearness of الدارِthe dwelling
أُختَ السِماكِ عَلى دُنُوِّ الدارِ
Be a good neighbor to the maiden, and count her
Treat the girl kindly and regard her
a sister to al-Simāk, though her dwelling is near.
As a neighbor at the house’s edge,
كَتَجاورُlike the proximity of العَينَينِthe two eyes لَنwill never تَتَلاقَياyou two meet
كَتَجاورُ العَينَينِ لَن تَتَلاقَيا
وَحِجازُand the barrier بَينَهُماbetween them قَصيرُlow جِدارِwall
وَحِجازُ بَينَهُما قَصيرُ جِدارِ
Like two neighboring eyes, you two will never meet,
As eyes are neighbors, they will not meet
though the barrier between them is a low wall.
Though a short wall divides between them,
وَالحَيُّand the living person دارٍis aware بِالَّذيof what هُوَit حّادِثٌis to come
وَالحَيُّ دارٍ بِالَّذي هُوَ حّادِثٌ
وَلَهُand he has مِنَfrom الأَمَلِhope المُضَلَّلِdelusive دارِa beguiler
وَلَهُ مِنَ الأَمَلِ المُضَلَّلِ دارِ
And the living man knows what is to come,
One alive in a house is one who is new to it
yet in delusive hope he has a beguiler.
And has from fanciful hopes a dwelling,
يَسعىstrives الحَريصُthe covetous man وَماbut not القَضاءُfate بِغافِلٍat all heedless
يَسعى الحَريصُ وَما القَضاءُ بِغافِلٍ
عَنof رَبِّone who undertakes إيرادٍbringing in وَلاnor إِصدارِsending out
عَن رَبِّ إيرادٍ وَلا إِصدارِ
The covetous man strives, yet fate is not heedless
The avid one strives but Fate is not inattentive
of anyone who brings in or sends out.
To the Lord of livelihoods nor prevention,
كَمhow many a نِعمَةٍblessing لِلَّهِfrom God يَحسِبُهاconsiders it اِمرُؤٌa man
كَم نِعمَةٍ لِلَّهِ يَحسِبُها اِمرُؤٌ
بِالشَحطِat a distance وَهِيَthough it is قَريبَةُnear المُزدارِthe place of visitation
بِالشَحطِ وَهِيَ قَريبَةُ المُزدارِ
How many a blessing from God a man thinks
How many blessings of God does a man think
far away, though it lies within easy reach.
Are barred, while near to hand!
Sol 6.1