وكنتُand I used to إذاwhen مرضتُI fell ill رجوتُI hoped for عيشاًlife
وكنتُ إذا مرضتُ رجوتُ عيشاً
لياليَduring the nights كنتُI was فيin شرخthe prime of الشبابِyouth
لياليَ كنتُ في شرخ الشبابِ
And when I fell ill, I used to hope for life,
Once when ill, I hoped for added days
In the nights when I was in the prime of youth.
Those nights when I was in youth’s prime
فصرتُso I became إذاwhen مرضتI fell ill خشيتI feared موتاًdeath
فصرتُ إذا مرضت خشيت موتاً
وقلتُand I said قدalready انقضىcame to an end عَدَدُthe count of الحسابِthe reckoning
وقلتُ قد انقضى عَدَدُ الحسابِ
So now, when I fall ill, I fear death,
Now when ill, I fear my death is near
And I say, 'The reckoning's tally has run out.'
I say my count of days is past its time
فنفسُfor the soul of الشيخthe old man تضعفweakens كلّevery حينٍmoment
فنفسُ الشيخ تضعف كلّ حينٍ
وقوّتُهُand his strength علىon طَرَفِthe verge of الذّهابِdeparture
وقوّتُهُ على طَرَفِ الذّهابِ
For an old man's soul weakens every moment,
An old man’s soul grows weak apace
And his strength is on the verge of departing.
His strength is on its final climb
ولستُand I am not مُصَدّقاًbelieving خُدَعَthe deceits of الأمانيhopes
ولستُ مُصَدّقاً خُدَعَ الأماني
وهلand can تُوكىbe tied shut المَزَادُthe waterskins علىover السّرابِthe mirage
وهل تُوكى المَزَادُ على السّرابِ
And I do not believe the deceits of hopes—
No more believing empty dreams
And can waterskins be tied shut over a mirage?
Can mirage become a rope to climb?
Sol 6.1