ماnot سَرَّنيpleased me أَنّيthat I am إِمامُa leader زَمانِهِhis age
ما سَرَّني أَنّي إِمامُ زَمانِهِ
تُلقىare handed over إِلَيَّto me مِنَof الأُمورِthe affairs مَقالِدُkeys
تُلقى إِلَيَّ مِنَ الأُمورِ مَقالِدُ
It would not please me to be the leader of my age,
with the keys to affairs handed over to me.
ياO حارِHarith (shortened) إِنَّindeed العُمرَlife حارٍdwindling فَاِنتَبِهso take heed
يا حارِ إِنَّ العُمرَ حارٍ فَاِنتَبِه
ياO خالِدُKhalid اِتَّقِbeware لَيسَnot يُعرَفُis known خالِدُan immortal
يا خالِدُ اِتَّقِ لَيسَ يُعرَفُ خالِدُ
O Harith, life is dwindling, so take heed.
O Khalid, beware: no immortal is known.
فَعَلامَwhy then تَجتَنِبُshun الحِمامَdeath بِجَهلِهاin their ignorance
فَعَلامَ تَجتَنِبُ الحِمامَ بِجَهلِها
مُهَجٌّsouls تُطاعِنُexchange spear-thrusts فيin الوَغىbattle وَتُجالِدُand exchange sword-blows
مُهَجٌّ تُطاعِنُ في الوَغى وَتُجالِدُ
Why, then, do they shun death in their ignorance—
souls that exchange spear-thrusts and sword-blows in battle?
يَرجوpins his hopes on الأَبُthe father الطِفلَthe child الصَغيرَlittle وَطالَماand how often
يَرجو الأَبُ الطِفلَ الصَغيرَ وَطالَما
هَلَكَdied الوَليدُthe infant وَعاشَand lived فيناamong us الوالِدُthe father
هَلَكَ الوَليدُ وَعاشَ فينا الوالِدُ
The father pins his hopes on the little child, yet how often
the infant has died while the father has lived on among us!
Sol 6.1