هَلِis ...? الدُنياthe world وَماand what فيهاin it جَميعاًall together
هَلِ الدُنيا وَما فيها جَميعاً
سِوىanything but ظِلٍّa shadow يَزولُvanishes مَعَwith النَهارِthe day
سِوى ظِلٍّ يَزولُ مَعَ النَهارِ
Is the world, and all that is in it,
Anything but a shadow that vanishes with the day?
تَفَكَّرreflect أَينَwhere أَصحابُcommanders of السَراياmilitary detachments
تَفَكَّر أَينَ أَصحابُ السَرايا
وَأَربابُand owners of الصَوافِنِsteeds standing with one hoof poised وَالعِشارِand she-camels ten months pregnant
وَأَربابُ الصَوافِنِ وَالعِشارِ
Reflect: where are the commanders of the troops,
And the owners of poised steeds and pregnant she-camels?
وَأَينَand where الأَعظَمونَthose greatest يَداًin bounty وَبَأساًand in might
وَأَينَ الأَعظَمونَ يَداً وَبَأساً
وَأَينَand where السابِقونَthose who outstripped لِذيthe possessor of الفَخارِrenown
وَأَينَ السابِقونَ لِذي الفَخارِ
And where are those greatest in bounty and might?
And where are those who outstripped the men of renown?
وَأَينَand where القَرنُthe generation بَعدَafter القَرنِthe generation مِنهُمof them
وَأَينَ القَرنُ بَعدَ القَرنِ مِنهُم
مِنَof الخُلَفاءِthe caliphs وَالشُمِّand the lofty ones الكِبارِthe great
مِنَ الخُلَفاءِ وَالشُمِّ الكِبارِ
And where is generation after generation of them,
Of caliphs and lofty, great men?
كَأَنas though لَمnot يُخلَقواthey were created أَوor لَمnot يَكونواthey existed
كَأَن لَم يُخلَقوا أَو لَم يَكونوا
وَهَلand is ...? أَحَدٌanyone يُصانُis protected مِنَfrom البَوارِruin
وَهَل أَحَدٌ يُصانُ مِنَ البَوارِ
As though they had never been created, or never existed.
And is anyone protected from ruin?
Sol 6.1