كَيفَhow الرَباحُprofit وَقَدand indeed تَأَلّىhas sworn رَبُّناour Lord
كَيفَ الرَباحُ وَقَد تَأَلّى رَبُّنا
بِالعَصرِby Time إِنَّindeed المَرءَthe human being حِلفُan ally of خَسارِloss
بِالعَصرِ إِنَّ المَرءَ حِلفُ خَسارِ
How can there be profit, when our Lord has sworn
How is the breeze when our Lord has sworn
By Time that man is an ally of loss?
By time, the human is losing indeed!
وَتَقاسُمُand the sharing out by الأَيّامِthe days مَنwhoever مَرَّتpassed بِهِover him
وَتَقاسُمُ الأَيّامِ مَن مَرَّت بِهِ
مِنfrom among أَهلِهاtheir people كَتَقاسُمِlike the sharing out by الأَيسارِthe gamblers
مِن أَهلِها كَتَقاسُمِ الأَيسارِ
The days share out those over whom they pass,
The days allotted to pass him by
From among their people, as gamblers divide their shares.
Share as if they were equal in might and need
هِيَthey سَبعَةٌseven مِثلُlike القَداحِthe gambling arrows فَوائِزٌwinners
هِيَ سَبعَةٌ مِثلُ القَداحِ فَوائِزٌ
مُتَساوِياتٌequal فيin غِناًwealth وَيَسارِand prosperity
مُتَساوِياتٌ في غِناً وَيَسارِ
They are seven, like the gambling arrows, all winners,
Seven alike as goblets they are
Equal in wealth and prosperity.
Matching in wealth and dearth, agreed
مُتَشابِهاتٌalike ماnever اِقتَضَينَthey exacted payment مَِنfrom الفَتىthe young man
مُتَشابِهاتٌ ما اِقتَضَينَ مَِن الفَتى
نَفَساًa breath فَرامَand then he sought اللِيَdelay in payment بِالإِعسارِby pleading insolvency
نَفَساً فَرامَ اللِيَ بِالإِعسارِ
Alike: never have they demanded from a man
Similar in what they exact from the lad
A breath for which he sought delay by pleading insolvency.
A soul whom poverty has stamped its deed
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe wonders أَنَّنيthat I عانٍa captive بِهاamong them
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّني عانٍ بِها
أَرجوI hope المَنيَّةَdeath أَنthat تَفُكَّit will loosen إِساريmy bonds
أَرجو المَنيَّةَ أَن تَفُكَّ إِساري
And it is a wonder that I am captive among them,
Of wonders, I bear them, hoping for death
Hoping that death will loosen my bonds.
To free my shackles and captive steed
وَالمَوتُand death يَأخُذُtakes كُلَّevery حينٍmoment باكِرٌcoming early
وَالمَوتُ يَأخُذُ كُلَّ حينٍ باكِرٌ
أَوor مُظهِرٌcoming at noon أَوor رائِحٌcoming in the evening أَوor ساريtraveling by night
أَو مُظهِرٌ أَو رائِحٌ أَو ساري
And death takes lives at every hour, coming early,
Each instant, early or late, death takes
Or at noon, or in the evening, or traveling by night.
Approaching or leaving, it pays no heed
وَمِنَand from الجِهاتِthe directions السِتِّthe six لاnot هُوَhe طارِقٌone who comes
وَمِنَ الجِهاتِ السِتِّ لا هُوَ طارِقٌ
مِنfrom عَنthe side of يَمينيmy right مَرَّةًat one time وَيَساريand my left
مِن عَن يَميني مَرَّةً وَيَساري
And from all six directions—not merely coming
From all six directions, no knock does it make
Now from my right, now from my left.
Once from my right and once from my left, indeed
ماnot يَفخَرُboasts الأَسَديُّthe Asadī tribesman بَعدَafter حِمامِهِhis death
ما يَفخَرُ الأَسَديُّ بَعدَ حِمامِهِ
بِنُسورِof the vultures of مَعرَكَةٍa battlefield وَلاnor بِنِسارِof Nisār
بِنُسورِ مَعرَكَةٍ وَلا بِنِسارِ
The Asadī does not boast after his death
No more would the Asadi boast of his doves
Of a battlefield’s vultures, nor of Nisār.
After battle, neither crest nor steed
Sol 6.1