لِخالِقِناto our Creator الحُكمُthe decree القَديمُeternal وَكَمand many a فَتىًyoung man
لِخالِقِنا الحُكمُ القَديمُ وَكَم فَتىً
لَهُhe has خُلُقٌa disposition رَحبٌgenerous وَعيشَتُهُand his life ضَنكُstraitened
لَهُ خُلُقٌ رَحبٌ وَعيشَتُهُ ضَنكُ
To our Creator belongs the eternal decree; and many a youth
Our Ancient Creator's judgment, and how many
has a generous nature, yet a straitened life.
A man of generous nature and straitened means
فَهَوِّنso lighten عَلَيكَfor yourself الخَطَبَthe calamity ماnot فَتِئَhas ceased الرَدىdeath
فَهَوِّن عَلَيكَ الخَطَبَ ما فَتِئَ الرَدى
يُجيشُmustering عَلىagainst كِسرىKisra الجُيوشَthe armies فَمَنso who زِنكُZink
يُجيشُ عَلى كِسرى الجُيوشَ فَمَن زِنكُ
So take misfortune lightly: death has never ceased
So lighten your sorrows, though misfortunes never cease
mustering armies against Kisra—so who is Zink?
To marshal armies against the throne, yet who prevails
إِذاif ئلَجَأتُهُمcompelled them ساعَةٌan hour مِنof زَمانِهِمtheir time
إِذا ئلَجَأتُهُم ساعَةٌ مِن زَمانِهِم
إِلىto الشَرِّevil لَمdid not يُغنواthey avail فَتيلاًa date-stone fiber وَلَمand did not يَنكواthey inflict harm
إِلى الشَرِّ لَم يُغنوا فَتيلاً وَلَم يَنكوا
If an hour of their time drives them
If one hour they resort unto evil,
to evil, they avail not a thread’s worth, nor inflict harm.
They avail no wick, they build no wall
أَفنُّكَis your way هَذاthis أَيُّهاO الدَهرُTime سادِراًwandering heedlessly
أَفنُّكَ هَذا أَيُّها الدَهرُ سادِراً
وَتَأتيand come المَناياthe deaths بَعدَafter ماthat لُقِيَwas encountered الفُنكُthe marvel
وَتَأتي المَنايا بَعدَ ما لُقِيَ الفُنكُ
Is this your way, O Time, wandering heedlessly,
Is this your way, O Fate, ever-flowing?
while death comes after one has met with wonders?
And death comes after all has gone awry
لَعَنَّكَperhaps you يَنجابُwill lift الظَلامُthe darkness فَتَهتَديso you find your way
لَعَنَّكَ يَنجابُ الظَلامُ فَتَهتَدي
إِذاwhen عَنكَfrom you فيin رَأَدِthe height الضُحىof morning ذَهَبَhas departed العِنكُthe gloom
إِذا عَنكَ في رَأَدِ الضُحى ذَهَبَ العِنكُ
Perhaps the darkness will lift and you will find your way,
Curse a darkness that brings guidance
when the gloom has left you in the height of morning.
When dawn's first light has pierced the gloom
Sol 6.1