إِنَّماonly المَرءُthe human being نُطفَةٌa drop of semen وَمَداهُand his span
إِنَّما المَرءُ نُطفَةٌ وَمَداهُ
خَطفَةٌa fleeting instant لَيسَthere is no عَطفَةٌreturn حينَwhen يَمضيhe departs
خَطفَةٌ لَيسَ عَطفَةٌ حينَ يَمضي
Man is but a drop of semen, and his span
Man is but a single sperm, his life-span but a moment
a fleeting instant; there is no return when he departs.
A brief breath, not a perpetual gift when he passes on
وَكَأَنَّand as though الأَنامَhumankind سَرحُa grazing herd حُسامٍa sharp sword
وَكَأَنَّ الأَنامَ سَرحُ حُسامٍ
يَتَسَلّىit finds diversion بِخُلَّةٍwith sweet herbage بَعدَafter حَمضِsalty fodder
يَتَسَلّى بِخُلَّةٍ بَعدَ حَمضِ
And humankind seem a sharp sword's grazing herd,
And people seem like mounted knights
finding diversion in sweet herbage after salty fodder.
Sporting with a tattered shroud after it frays
صاحِO friend إِنif جالَroamed فيamong الحَوادِثِcalamities فِكريmy thought
صاحِ إِن جالَ في الحَوادِثِ فِكري
صاحَit cried out ياO لَلأَسىfor sorrow يُنَفِّرُit drives away غَمضيmy sleep
صاحَ يا لَلأَسى يُنَفِّرُ غَمضي
Friend, if my thought ranges over calamities,
Cry out, if thoughts of calamities cross my mind
it cries, 'Alas!' driving away my sleep.
Cry out, oh what sorrow startles my sleep
إِنif تُراعواyou show regard مِنَin the sense of المُراعاةِshowing regard رَبّاًa Lord
إِن تُراعوا مِنَ المُراعاةِ رَبّاً
لاdo not تُراعواbe frightened بِالرَوعِby terror مِنَof ذاتِthat which possesses رَمضِscorching heat
لا تُراعوا بِالرَوعِ مِنَ ذاتِ رَمضِ
If you heed a Lord with mindful regard,
If you heed some of the needs of the Lord
do not be terror-stricken by a scorching fire.
Do not heed, with dread, one who dwells in the grave
Sol 6.1