وَماand not تَبَقّيpreserves سِهامَthe arrows of المَرءِa man كَثرَتُهاtheir multitude
وَما تَبَقّي سِهامَ المَرءِ كَثرَتُها
فَاِقضِso live out الحَياةَlife وَأَنتَwhile you are الصارِمُthe keen-edged sword الفَردُthe solitary one
فَاِقضِ الحَياةَ وَأَنتَ الصارِمُ الفَردُ
A man's arrows are not preserved by their multitude;
So live out your life as the lone, keen-edged sword.
وَالشَيبُand the gray-haired شابواhave grown gray عَلىin جَهلٍignorance وَمَنقِصَةٍand imperfection
وَالشَيبُ شابوا عَلى جَهلٍ وَمَنقِصَةٍ
وَالمُردُand the beardless youths فيin كُلِّevery أَمرٍpursuit باطِلٍvain مَرَدواhave grown practiced
وَالمُردُ في كُلِّ أَمرٍ باطِلٍ مَرَدوا
The gray-haired have grown gray in ignorance and imperfection;
And the beardless have grown practiced in every vain pursuit.
وَالعَيشُand life كَالماءِlike water تَغشاهُthey throng it حَوائِمُناour thirsty, circling flocks
وَالعَيشُ كَالماءِ تَغشاهُ حَوائِمُنا
فَصادِرونَso some leave the water وَقَومٌand another group إِثرَهُمafter them وَرَدواhave come to drink
فَصادِرونَ وَقَومٌ إِثرَهُم وَرَدوا
Life is like water, thronged by our thirsty flocks;
Some depart, and others come after them to drink.
وَمَدُّand the prolonging of وَقتِيَmy lifetime مِثلُlike القِصرِshortness غايَتُهُits end
وَمَدُّ وَقتِيَ مِثلُ القِصرِ غايَتُهُ
وَفيand in الهَلاكِperishing تَساوىbecame equal الدُرُّpearls وَالبَرَدُand hailstones
وَفي الهَلاكِ تَساوى الدُرُّ وَالبَرَدُ
My life, long or short, has the same end;
And in perishing, pearls and hailstones are equal.
ياah رُبَّhow many أَفواهِmouths of غيدٍgraceful women أُملِأَتwere filled شَنَباًwith the cool sweetness of teeth
يا رُبَّ أَفواهِ غيدٍ أُملِأَت شَنَباً
ثُمَّthen اِستَحالَit changed فَفيand so in أَوطانِهِits abodes الدَرَدُtoothlessness
ثُمَّ اِستَحالَ فَفي أَوطانِهِ الدَرَدُ
Ah, how many graceful women's mouths were filled with cool sweetness,
Then it changed, and toothlessness occupied its abodes.
يَغدواhe goes in the morning عَلىto work on دِرعِهِhis coat of mail الزَرّادُthe mail-maker يُحكِمُهاhe makes it strong
يَغدوا عَلى دِرعِهِ الزَرّادُ يُحكِمُها
وَهَلand can يُنَجّيهِsave him مِمّاfrom what قُدِّرَالزَرَدُhas been decreed—the chain mail
وَهَل يُنَجّيهِ مِمّا قُدِّرَالزَرَدُ
In the morning, the armorer works on his mail, making it strong;
And can mail save him from what has been decreed?
عَجِبتُI marveled لِلمُدنِفِat the gravely ill man المُشفيverging عَلىon تَلَفٍdeath
عَجِبتُ لِلمُدنِفِ المُشفي عَلى تَلَفٍ
وَمَنand those who يُحَدِّثُspeak عَنهُof him بِالرَدىof death خَلَدواhave become immortal
وَمَن يُحَدِّثُ عَنهُ بِالرَدى خَلَدوا
I marvel at the gravely ill man on the brink of death—
And those who speak of his death—have they become immortal?
Sol 6.1