ويحalas for ابنthe son of آدمAdam غرّتهُhas deceived him سلامَتُهhis well-being
ويح ابن آدم غرّتهُ سلامَتُه
فباتso he spends the night يغرىbeing enticed بإعراسby weddings وتعريسand nighttime repose
فبات يغرى بإعراس وتعريس
Alas for the son of Adam—his well-being has deceived him,
Woe to the son of Adam - his wellbeing deceives him,
so he spends the night enticed by weddings and repose,
So he craves night-time and morning.
كأنّas though رحلتهhis departure يوماone day ومأتمَهُand his funeral
كأنّ رحلته يوما ومأتمَهُ
لاnot يأتيانboth bring بتوريدwith reddening وتوريسand yellowing
لا يأتيان بتوريد وتوريس
as though his departure one day, and his funeral,
As if his journey one day and his death
would not bring reddening and yellowing.
Do not come with supplies and packing.
يبلىwears out بكرّthrough the recurrence of الجديدينnight and day القشيبthe fresh كماjust as
يبلى بكرّ الجديدين القشيب كما
ينهَدُّcollapses ماwhat كانwas مرصوصاfirmly fitted together بتأسيسupon foundations
ينهَدُّ ما كان مرصوصا بتأسيس
The fresh wears out as night and day return, just as
The smoothness of the new moons decays, just as
what was firmly built upon foundations crumbles.
What was built solidly crumbles.
والدهرand Time ليسis not بناجٍone who escapes منfrom حبالَتِهِits snare
والدهر ليس بناجٍ من حبالَتِهِ
صعوٌa sparrow بوكرٍin a nest ولاnor ليثٌa lion بعِرّيسin a lair
صعوٌ بوكرٍ ولا ليثٌ بعِرّيس
And none escapes Time's snare:
Fate is not gentle with its coils,
neither a sparrow in its nest nor a lion in its lair.
Rough with a new moon and not a warrior with spears.
تطاولَvied in height الناسُthe people فيin البنيانbuilding ياO عجباwonder
تطاولَ الناسُ في البنيان يا عجبا
أماdid not تقاصَرgrow lower قدماlong ago عرشthe throne of بلقيسBilqis
أما تقاصَر قدما عرش بلقيس
People vie in raising buildings high—how astonishing!
People stretched high in building - how strange!
Was Bilqis's throne not brought low long ago?
Yet the throne of Bilqis has shrunken feet.
إنّindeed الصعابthe unruly وإنand even though أعيتproved too difficult رياضتُهاtheir taming
إنّ الصعاب وإن أعيت رياضتُها
منby المناياdeath لتدويخٍfor overpowering وتخييسِand subjugation
من المنايا لتدويخٍ وتخييسِ
Indeed, the unruly, though their taming proves too hard,
Though the rough times exhaust their violence,
are overpowered and subdued by death.
With defeat and humiliation,
هذيthese قسيّthe bows of اللياليthe nights غيرُnot صائنةٍholding back
هذي قسيّ الليالي غيرُ صائنةٍ
سهامهاtheir arrows عنfrom أخيone given to حبوcrawling وتقريسand grasping with fingertips
سهامها عن أخي حبو وتقريس
These bows of the nights do not hold back
These harsh nights unrelentingly
their arrows from one who crawls and grasps with his fingertips.
Shoot their arrows at my brother Habu.
منwhoever استضاءsought illumination بنورby the light of الحقّtruth مهتدياًrightly guided
من استضاء بنور الحقّ مهتدياً
لمdid not يخشfear ظلمةthe darkness of إبطالٍfalsehood وتلبيسand deception
لم يخش ظلمة إبطالٍ وتلبيس
Whoever seeks illumination in truth's light, rightly guided,
Whoever is enlightened by the light of truth, guided,
will not fear the darkness of falsehood and deception.
Does not fear the dark of nullities and deceit.
لاno بدّescape منfrom وحدةsolitude فيin الرمسthe grave موحشةٍdesolate
لا بدّ من وحدة في الرمس موحشةٍ
إنif لمnot تقدمyou send ahead لهاfor it أعمالdeeds تأنيسof comfort
إن لم تقدم لها أعمال تأنيس
There is no escape from desolate solitude in the grave,
There must be a lonely pillar in tracing,
unless you have sent ahead deeds that bring comfort there.
If no deeds furnish it with company.
فانظرso look لنفسكto your own good ماas long as أنظرتyou are granted respite مزدلفاًdrawing near
فانظر لنفسك ما أنظرت مزدلفاً
للّهto God تحظyou will gain favor وتنفيسand relief
للّه تحظ وتنفيس
So look to your own good while you are granted respite, drawing near
So look to yourself - have you ever looked
to God; you will gain favor and relief.
To God for protection and bliss?
Sol 6.1