ماnot مَقاميmy stay إِلّاexcept إِقامَةُthe sojourn عانٍof a captive
ما مَقامي إِلّا إِقامَةُ عانٍ
كَيفَhow أَسريI journey by night وَفيand in يَدِthe hand الدَهرِof Time أَسريmy captivity
كَيفَ أَسري وَفي يَدِ الدَهرِ أَسري
My sojourn is nothing but a captive's stay.
How can I journey by night while Time's hand holds me captive?
وَيَسارُand the wealth الفَتىof a young man يَمينٌa right hand وَإِنand even if كاhe was (first part)
وَيَسارُ الفَتى يَمينٌ وَإِن كا
نَ(completes 'he was') أَشَلّاًpalsied سامَhe sought الأُمورَaffairs بِيُسرِwith ease
نَ أَشَلّاً سامَ الأُمورَ بِيُسرِ
A man's wealth is his right hand; even if he is
palsied, he pursues his affairs with ease.
تَبِعَتit pursued تُبَعاًTubbaʿ وَفيand in القَصرِthe palace غالَتit slew
تَبِعَت تُبَعاً وَفي القَصرِ غالَت
قَيصَراًCaesar وَاِنتَحَتand it assailed لِكِسرىKisra بِكَسرِwith a shattering blow
قَيصَراً وَاِنتَحَت لِكِسرى بِكَسرِ
It pursued Tubbaʿ, and in the palace slew
Caesar, and assailed Kisra with a shattering blow.
وَطَوَتand it folded away طَيِّئاًTayyiʾ وَآدَتand it weighed down إِياداًIyad
وَطَوَت طَيِّئاً وَآدَت إِياداً
وَأَصابَتand it struck مُلوكَthe kings قِسرٍof Qisr بِقَسرِwith force
وَأَصابَت مُلوكَ قِسرٍ بِقَسرِ
And it folded Tayyiʾ away and weighed down Iyad,
and struck the kings of Qisr with force.
إِنَّindeed جِسراًdaring عَلىtoward المَنيَّةِdeath حَزمٌprudence
إِنَّ جِسراً عَلى المَنيَّةِ حَزمٌ
وَالبَراياand all creatures مِنof عُبشَةٍa palm frond فَوقَupon جِسرِa bridge
وَالبَرايا مِن عُبشَةٍ فَوقَ جِسرِ
Indeed, daring death is prudence,
and all creatures stand upon a palm-frond bridge.
وَلِقابوسَand for Qabus كانَthere was قَبسٌa flame وَفَنّاand Fanna-
وَلِقابوسَ كانَ قَبسٌ وَفَنّا
خَسرُKhusru أَروَتهُit made him drink his fill مِنof فَناءٍannihilation وَخُسرِand loss
خَسرُ أَروَتهُ مِن فَناءٍ وَخُسرِ
And Qabus once had a flame; and Fanna-
Khusru it made drink his fill of annihilation and loss.
وَكَذاكَand likewise النُعمانُal-Nuʿman زالَdeparted نَعيمٌbliss
وَكَذاكَ النُعمانُ زالَ نَعيمٌ
عَنfrom ذَراهُhis heights وَالعَودُand the old camel رَهنٌa hostage بِحَسرِto exhaustion
عَن ذَراهُ وَالعَودُ رَهنٌ بِحَسرِ
And likewise al-Nuʿman—bliss departed
from his heights; and the old camel is hostage to exhaustion.
سَوفَshall أَلقىI encounter مِنَfrom الزَمانِTime كَماjust as لاthey met (first part)
سَوفَ أَلقى مِنَ الزَمانِ كَما لا
قوا(completes 'they met') بِعُنفٍwith violence لاnot يُستَقالُadmitting reprieve وَدَسرِand forceful thrusting
قوا بِعُنفٍ لا يُستَقالُ وَدَسرِ
I shall suffer from Time, just as they
did, violence without reprieve and forceful thrusts.
وَلَوَand even if اِنيthat I السُهىSuha أَوor النِسرُthe Eagle قَدalready شاI witnessed (first part)
وَلَوَ اِني السُهى أَو النِسرُ قَد شا
هَدتُ(completes 'I witnessed') عَصرَينِtwo ages مِنof يَغوثَYaghuth وَنَسرِand Nasr
هَدتُ عَصرَينِ مِن يَغوثَ وَنَسرِ
Even were I Suha or the Eagle, and had
witnessed two ages of Yaghuth and Nasr.
Sol 6.1