أَرىI see الخَيرَgoodness فيin عُمُريmy life حَسرَةًa source of regret
أَرى الخَيرَ في عُمُري حَسرَةً
لِأَنّيbecause I عَنof فِعلِهِdoing it عاجِزُincapable
لِأَنّي عَن فِعلِهِ عاجِزُ
I see goodness in my life as a source of regret,
because I am powerless to do it.
إِذاif رُمتُهُI sought it مَرَّةًonce فيin الزَمانِtime
إِذا رُمتُهُ مَرَّةً في الزَمانِ
رَجَعتُI turned back وَليand I have دونَهُbetween me and it حاجِزُa barrier
رَجَعتُ وَلي دونَهُ حاجِزُ
If once, in the course of time, I seek it,
I turn back, with a barrier between me and it.
يُماطِلُkeeps waiting جَدٌّfortune أَخاa man of حاجَةٍneed
يُماطِلُ جَدٌّ أَخا حاجَةٍ
لَهُfor him أَجَلٌan allotted lifespan بِالرَدىby death ناجِزُswiftly completed
لَهُ أَجَلٌ بِالرَدى ناجِزُ
Fortune keeps a man in need waiting,
whose allotted span is swiftly ended by death.
وَلَمand did not أَرقَI ascend فيthrough دَرَجاتِthe ranks of الكَريمِthe noble man
وَلَم أَرقَ في دَرَجاتِ الكَريمِ
وَهَلand does ...? يَبلُغُmatch الشاعِرَthe poet الراجِزُthe rajaz versifier
وَهَل يَبلُغُ الشاعِرَ الراجِزُ
Nor have I risen through the ranks of the noble;
and can a rajaz versifier match a poet?
Sol 6.1