عَلَّperhaps زَماناًan age يُديلُturns the tide آخِرُهُits end
عَلَّ زَماناً يُديلُ آخِرُهُ
فَقَدfor perhaps يَكونُis الرَشادُright guidance فيin العِجَزِthe latter parts
فَقَد يَكونُ الرَشادُ في العِجَزِ
Perhaps an age’s close will turn the tide;
Time has perhaps drawn out its last
for right guidance may lie in endings.
So advice may come in helplessness
إِلىto الأَنينِgroaning اِستَراحَtook comfort خِدنُa companion ضَنىwasting sickness
إِلى الأَنينِ اِستَراحَ خِدنُ ضَنى
كَماjust as اِستَعانَsought aid السُفاةُthe swift travelers بِالرَجَزِwith rajaz chants
كَما اِستَعانَ السُفاةُ بِالرَجَزِ
A companion of wasting sickness took comfort in groaning,
To sorrow's moan rest has come
as swift travelers sought aid in rajaz chants.
As fools take aid of poetry
وَالدَينُand religion نُصحُsincerity الجُيوبِthe bosoms مُقتَرِناًcoupled
وَالدَينُ نُصحُ الجُيوبِ مُقتَرِناً
مَدىthroughout اللَياليthe nights بِعِفَّةِwith chastity الحُجُزِthe waistbands
مَدى اللَيالي بِعِفَّةِ الحُجُزِ
And religion is sincerity of the bosom, coupled
And religion is fellow to pockets
throughout the nights with chastity of the girdle.
Through the nights in honor of seclusion
ياO صاحِfriend إِنّيindeed I لَزائِفٌsurely counterfeit عَمَليmy work
يا صاحِ إِنّي لَزائِفٌ عَمَلي
فَحَقَّso it is fitting أَنيthat I وُجِدتُI was found لَمdid not أَجُزِpass muster
فَحَقَّ أَني وُجِدتُ لَم أَجُزِ
O friend, my work is surely counterfeit;
Oh friend, my work is vain
so it is fitting that I was found not to pass muster.
So I was found, yet I did not suffice
Sol 6.1