لِلحالِfor the state of things بِالقَدَرِthrough fate اللَطيفِsubtle تَغَيُّرُchange
لِلحالِ بِالقَدَرِ اللَطيفِ تَغَيُّرُ
فَليَنأَso let it stay far عَنكَfrom you تَفاؤُلٌbelief in good omens وَتَطَيُّرُand belief in ill omens
فَليَنأَ عَنكَ تَفاؤُلٌ وَتَطَيُّرُ
Circumstances change through subtle fate.
With subtle fate all states do vary,
So let belief in good and ill omens stay far from you.
So let hope and fancy from thee tarry.
قَدindeed حارَwas bewildered آدَمُAdam فيconcerning القَضاءِdivine decree وَآلُهُand his descendants
قَد حارَ آدَمُ في القَضاءِ وَآلُهُ
أَفَلِلمَلائِكِdo the angels, then, have فيin السَماءِheaven تَحَيُّرُbewilderment
أَفَلِلمَلائِكِ في السَماءِ تَحَيُّرُ
Adam and his descendants were indeed bewildered by divine decree.
Adam in fate's decrees confounded was,
Are the angels in heaven, then, bewildered too?
Do angels then in heaven misgiving know?
تَتَخَيَّرينَyou choose الأَمرَthe thing كَيso that تَحظَيyou may be favored بِهِwith it
تَتَخَيَّرينَ الأَمرَ كَي تَحظَي بِهِ
هَيهاتَfar from it! لَيسَthere is no عَلىover الزَمانِtime تَخَيُّرُchoice
هَيهاتَ لَيسَ عَلى الزَمانِ تَخَيُّرُ
You choose the thing so that you may attain it.
Thou wouldst the thing as wished for Have alway;
Far from it! Choice holds no sway over time.
Yet choice is not on Time for thee to throw:
وَتَدَيَّريand take up residence عِندَbeside السِماكِal-Simak (a star) أَوor أَلسُهاal-Suha (a star)
وَتَدَيَّري عِندَ السِماكِ أَو أَلسُها
فَلِكُلِّso, for every جِسمٍbody فيin التُرابِthe dust تَدَيُّرُa dwelling
فَلِكُلِّ جِسمٍ في التُرابِ تَدَيُّرُ
And make your home beside al-Simak or al-Suha;
Thou wat'st for fish thy hook awhile to bait,
for every body has its dwelling in the dust.
But every body turns to dust at last.
Sol 6.1