عرىbonds الأعمارlifespans يعلوهاovertakes them انفصامُrupture
عرى الأعمار يعلوها انفصامُ
وأمرand the decree اللّهGod ماthere is no منهfrom it اعتصامُrefuge
وأمر اللّه ما منه اعتصامُ
The bonds of life are overtaken by rupture,
The ages slipped by, riven by schism,
and there is no refuge from God's decree.
God's command allows no resistance.
سواءٌequal فيin الثرىthe dust ملكٌa king وعبدٌand a slave
سواءٌ في الثرى ملكٌ وعبدٌ
ثوىlay at rest النعمانُal-Nu‘man حيثwhere ثوىlay at rest عصام‘Isam
ثوى النعمانُ حيث ثوى عصام
A king and a slave are equal in the dust;
King and slave are equal in the earth,
al-Nu‘man lay where ‘Isam lay.
Al-Nu'man and 'Assam lie side by side.
أعدّprepare لموقفfor the station العرضpresentation for judgment احتجاجاa defense
أعدّ لموقف العرض احتجاجا
لعلّكperhaps you ليسdoes not يقطعُكsilence you الخصامthe dispute
لعلّك ليس يقطعُك الخصام
Prepare a defense for your appearance at judgment,
Prepare to stand at judgement resigned,
perhaps the dispute will not silence you.
Perchance disputation may not seize you.
ولاand not يعظمloom large سوىexcept التفريطnegligence خطبٌa calamity
ولا يعظم سوى التفريط خطبٌ
عليكupon you فإنّهُfor it is الخطبthe calamity العظامimmense
عليك فإنّهُ الخطب العظام
And let no calamity but negligence weigh heavily
No fault excels neglect and omission,
upon you, for it is the great calamity.
On you; of faults the greatest of all.
أبنmake clear ليto me هلwhether تبارزُyou face combat أمor تولّىyou turn away
أبن لي هل تبارزُ أم تولّى
إذاwhen شركَتensnared بكyou الحربthe war العقامbarren
إذا شركَت بك الحرب العقام
Tell me: will you face combat or turn away
Say, will you strive or turn and retreat,
when barren war ensnares you?
If War's fell minions on you complete?
ولمand did not تعرِفyou know وقدand already فجىءَcame suddenly انتقالٌa departure
ولم تعرِف وقد فجىءَ انتقالٌ
أغفرٌis it forgiveness? للذنوبِfor sins أمor انتقامُretribution
أغفرٌ للذنوبِ أم انتقامُ
And when departure comes suddenly, you do not know:
You never learned that death is sure and fleet,
is it forgiveness for sins, or retribution?
Whether pardon or vengeance you meet.
بوقّunclear as written منfrom السافرthe traveler علىin a state of اغترارٍheedless confidence
بوقّ من السافر على اغترارٍ
فليسfor there is no لساكنيfor the inhabitants الدنياthe world مقامُan abiding place
فليس لساكني الدنيا مقامُ
[Opening word unclear] from the traveler, in heedless confidence;
Hark to the traveller's bell in the night,
for this world's inhabitants have no lasting abode.
No place of rest for the world's denizens.
وإنّand indeed الموتَdeath للأتقىfor the most pious شفاءٌhealing
وإنّ الموتَ للأتقى شفاءٌ
كماjust as أنّindeed الحياةlife لهfor him سقامُsickness
كما أنّ الحياة له سقامُ
And death is healing for the most pious,
For the devout is death but healing and light,
just as life for him is sickness.
As life to him is but sickness and blight.
حذارbeware حذارbeware إنّكindeed you فيin بحارٍseas
حذار حذار إنّك في بحارٍ
منof الدنياthe world طمتoverflowed فلهاso they have التطامُcrashing together
من الدنيا طمت فلها التطامُ
Beware, beware! You are amid seas
Beware, beware the seas of the world
of this world, overflowing and crashing together.
Whose waves clash in ceaseless commotion.
وتعلمُand you know أنّهاthat it ترديbrings ruin يقيناًcertainly
وتعلمُ أنّها تردي يقيناً
ومنّاand from us فيinto غواربِهاits wave-crests اقتحامُheadlong plunging
ومنّا في غواربِها اقتحامُ
And you know for certain that it brings ruin,
You know they race to disaster unfurled,
yet we plunge headlong into its wave-crests.
We in their launch there is no promotion.
وإنّand indeed منamong العجائبthe wonders أنthat أمرّتgrew bitter
وإنّ من العجائب أن أمرّت
مواردُهاits watering places وإنand though كثُرَgrew great الزحامُthe throng
مواردُها وإن كثُرَ الزحامُ
And one of the wonders is that bitterness has overtaken
Strangest of all that their torrents swirled
its watering places, though the throng is great.
Though crowds blocked their path, unchecked in their motion.
Sol 6.1