قُبِّحَmay it be disgraced الدَهرُTime فَماذاso what صَنَعاit did
قُبِّحَ الدَهرُ فَماذا صَنَعا
كُلَّماwhenever أَعطىit gave نَفيساsomething precious نَزَعاit snatched away
كُلَّما أَعطى نَفيسا نَزَعا
Cursed be Time—what, then, has it done?
The days are accursed, what have they done?
Whenever it gave something precious, it snatched it away.
Whenever they gave something precious, they took it away.
قَدindeed هَوىplunged down ظُلماًunjustly بِمَنwith one whose عاداتُهhis habits
قَد هَوى ظُلماً بِمَن عاداتُه
أَنto يُناديcall out كُلَّevery مَنone who يَهوىfalls لَعاrise again!
أَن يُنادي كُلَّ مَن يَهوى لَعا
It has unjustly brought low one whose custom
He has fallen in love with one whose ways
was to call to everyone who fell, "Rise again!"
Are to call each beloved he desires a foe.
مَنone who إِذاwhen قيلwas uttered الخَناfoul speech صَمّturned deaf وَإِنand if
مَن إِذا قيل الخَنا صَمّ وَإِن
نطقَspoke العافونseekers of aid هَمساin whispers سَمِعاhe heard
نطقَ العافون هَمسا سَمِعا
One who, when foul speech was uttered, turned deaf, yet if
One who, if you speak ill of him, is deaf,
seekers of aid spoke in whispers, he heard.
Yet if the noble speak, he hears but whispers.
مَنone who إِذاwhen الغَيثُthe rain هَمىpoured down مُنهِمراًin torrents
مَن إِذا الغَيثُ هَمى مُنهِمراً
أَخجَلتهshamed it كَفّهhis palm فاِنقَطَعاso it ceased
أَخجَلته كَفّه فاِنقَطَعا
One who, when rain poured down in torrents,
One whom, when the rain clouds threaten to pour down,
put it to shame with his palm, so it ceased.
His palms make him ashamed, so he holds back.
مَنone whose غمامُa cloud الجودِgenerosity مِنfrom راحتِهِhis palm
مَن غمامُ الجودِ مِن راحتِهِ
عصفتblew fiercely ريحٌa wind بِهِthrough it فاِنقَشَعاso it dispersed
عصفت ريحٌ بِهِ فاِنقَشَعا
One from whose palm came a cloud of generosity—
One whose clouds of generosity from his peace
a wind swept through it, and it dispersed.
A wind has blown, dispersing them.
قُلsay لِمَwhy يَطمَعhe hopes فيfor نائِلِهِhis bounty
قُل لِمَ يَطمَع في نائِلِهِ
قَدalready أَزالَremoved اليَأسُdespair ذاكَthat الطَمَعاhope
قَد أَزالَ اليَأسُ ذاكَ الطَمَعا
Say: why hope for his bounty?
Say to him, why does he hope for attainment
Despair has already banished that hope.
When despair has done away with that hope?
راحَhe ended up لاnot يَملِكُpossessing إِلّاexcept دَعوَةًa prayer
راحَ لا يَملِكُ إِلّا دَعوَةً
جبرَmay succor اللَهُGod العُفاةَseekers of aid الضُيَّعاthe forsaken
جبرَ اللَهُ العُفاةَ الضُيَّعا
He is left with nothing but a prayer:
He has nothing left but a prayer
"May God succor the forsaken seekers of aid!"
God has compensated the neglected outcast.
Sol 6.1