ماnot وُلِدَتwas born نفسٌa soul ولاnor أُرضِعَتْwas suckled
ما وُلِدَت نفسٌ ولا أُرضِعَتْ
ماnot نزِّهَتwas given diversion نفسٌa soul ولاnor مُتِّعتْwas given enjoyment
ما نزِّهَت نفسٌ ولا مُتِّعتْ
No soul was born or suckled,
No soul was ever born or nursed
No soul was given diversion or delight,
No soul was ever adorned or enjoyed
ماnot قُدِّرتwas apportioned أرزاقُthe sustenance أيامناof our days
ما قُدِّرت أرزاقُ أيامنا
فضُيِّقتthen made scant فيin القَدرmeasure أوor وُسِّعتmade abundant
فضُيِّقت في القَدر أو وُسِّعت
Nor was the sustenance of our days apportioned,
The provisions of our days were never predetermined
Then made scant in measure or abundant,
To be straitened or expanded
إلاexcept لتُدعىto be summoned عندat ميقاتهاits appointed time
إلا لتُدعى عند ميقاتها
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماfor emphasis دُعيَتit was summoned أَسرَعتit hastened
حتى إذا ما دُعيَت أَسرَعت
Except to be summoned at its appointed time,
Except to be summoned at its appointed time
Till, when summoned, it hastened.
Until, when summoned, it hastily responds
بِنتُكَyour daughter ياO أحمدُAhmad فاقلُso shun الأسىsorrow
بِنتُكَ يا أحمدُ فاقلُ الأسى
وديعةٌa trust فيin يَدِكَyour hand ستودِعَتwas entrusted
وديعةٌ في يَدِكَ ستودِعَت
Your daughter, Ahmad—so shun sorrow—
Alas, O Ahmad, your daughter's death should cause little grief
Was a trust entrusted to your hand.
Since she was a trust briefly left in your care
فكيفhow, then لاnot يُظهرُis displayed سيماthe mark الرِّضىof acceptance
فكيف لا يُظهرُ سيما الرِّضى
عليكupon you إذsince كانتshe had قدalready استُرجِعتbeen reclaimed
عليك إذ كانت قد استُرجِعت
How, then, can the mark of acceptance fail to show
Why, then, not show the marks of acceptance
Upon you, since she has been reclaimed?
Now that she has been taken back
Sol 6.1