إذا دانتْ لك الدُّوَل

إذا دانتْ لك الدُّوَل

ففَكِّرْ كيفَ تنتِقلُ

ففَكِّرْ كيفَ تنتِقلُ

If dominions submit to you,

If kingdoms are destined for you,

then reflect on how they change hands.

Think how you will move on.

فلو سَمحتْ بها الأيا

فلو سَمحتْ بها الأيا

مُ لم يَسْمح بها الأَجَل

مُ لم يَسْمح بها الأَجَل

For even if the days grant them to you,

For if days allowed it,

your appointed end will not grant them.

Lifetimes would not.

وإنك سوف تَدفعُها

وإنك سوف تَدفعُها

كما أعطتْكَها الأُوَل

كما أعطتْكَها الأُوَل

And you will surely hand them on,

You will have to relinquish it

as those before you gave them to you.

As the first ones gave it to you.

فلا يَغْرُرْ بك التَّسوي

فلا يَغْرُرْ بك التَّسوي

فُ والآمالُ والعِلَل

فُ والآمالُ والعِلَل

So let not procrastination deceive you,

So do not be fooled by compromise

nor hopes and excuses.

Or hopes and dreams.

فإنك إنْ تجد أملا

فإنك إنْ تجد أملا

تَجدَّدَ بعدَه أَمَل

تَجدَّدَ بعدَه أَمَل

For if you attain one hope,

For if you find hope,

another hope arises after it.

You will find more hope after it.

فما يُرْوِيك من دنيا

فما يُرْوِيك من دنيا

ك لا عَلٌّ ولا نَهَل

ك لا عَلٌّ ولا نَهَل

For nothing of your worldly life quenches your thirst—

What satisfies you of the world now

neither a second draught nor a first.

Is no family or spring.

وإنك كلُّ ما جَمَّعْ

وإنك كلُّ ما جَمَّعْ

تَ يبقىَ حين ترتحِل

تَ يبقىَ حين ترتحِل

And indeed, all that you have gathered

And whatever you gathered

stays behind when you depart.

Will remain when you move on.

فما لك منه فيما بع

فما لك منه فيما بع

دُ إلا الإثم والزَّلل

دُ إلا الإثم والزَّلل

So afterward nothing of it is yours

Beyond this you will have of it

except sin and missteps.

Only sin and lapse.

وبَطْشةُ قابضِ الأَرْوا

وبَطْشةُ قابضِ الأَرْوا

حِ ليس لأخذِها مَهَل

حِ ليس لأخذِها مَهَل

And the violent grasp of the seizer of souls—

And the grip of the seizer of souls

there is no respite when he takes them.

Allows no delay.

عجبت لآمِنٍ ساهٍ

عجبت لآمِنٍ ساهٍ

له بحياته جَذَل

له بحياته جَذَل

I marveled at one who feels safe and is heedless,

I wonder at one heedless and neglectful

who rejoices in his life,

Of his life's frailty,

وجيشُ الموت يطلبه

وجيشُ الموت يطلبه

وقد ضاقتْ به السُّبُل

وقد ضاقتْ به السُّبُل

while death's army seeks him

And death's army seeking him

and the paths have closed in on him.

While paths narrow around him.

وما في قصده شك

وما في قصده شك

ولا يدري متى يصل

ولا يدري متى يصل

And there is no doubt it is seeking him,

There is no doubt in his fate

yet he does not know when it will arrive.

And he knows not when it will arrive.

وسِيّانِ الجبانُ لدي

وسِيّانِ الجبانُ لدي

ه عند البطش والبطل

ه عند البطش والبطل

And before it the coward is equal

The reckless and the valiant

to the hero when it strikes.

Are equal before violence and courage.