تخِذْتُI took up العصاthe staff قَبْلَbefore وقتِthe time of العَصَاthe staff
تخِذْتُ العصا قَبْلَ وقتِ العَصَا
لكيماso that أوَطّئَI might accustom نَفْسيmyself عليهاto it
لكيما أوَطّئَ نَفْسي عليها
I took up the staff before the time for the staff,
I took my staff before the time of need
so that I might accustom myself to it.
That I may accustom my soul to it
ومنand who ليfor me بإدراكto recover عُمرٍa lifetime قضىthat has passed
ومن لي بإدراك عُمرٍ قضى
إذاwhen أحْوَجَتنيmade me need اللياليthe nights إليهاto it
إذا أحْوَجَتني الليالي إليها
And who can restore to me a lifetime gone by,
Who knows the span of a life that's passed
when the nights have made me need it?
When nights render the staff a necessity
إذاwhen ماتتِdies النفسthe soul بعدafter الحياةlife
إذا ماتتِ النفس بعد الحياة
فماذاthen what تَرىdo you think حاصلاًremaining فيin يديهاits hands
فماذا تَرى حاصلاً في يديها
When the soul dies after life,
If the soul dies after life
what, then, do you think remains in its hands?
What then, I wonder, can one achieve?
تسلّtake solace بدنْياكَin your world وانظرْand look إلىat
تسلّ بدنْياكَ وانظرْ إلى
نفوذthe sway of المقاديرfate's decrees فيin عالميهاits two worlds
نفوذ المقادير في عالميها
Take solace in your world, and look at
Take your worldly goods and see
the sway of fate's decrees in its two worlds.
The power fate wields in its sphere
وإنّand indeed لديهاit has متاعاًenjoyment قليلاًlittle
وإنّ لديها متاعاً قليلاً
فكنْso be زاهدَdetached النفسin soul فيماfrom what لديهاit has
فكنْ زاهدَ النفس فيما لديها
And indeed, it holds but little enjoyment,
Though it holds little to delight
so let your soul be detached from what it holds.
Be moderate towards what you possess
Sol 6.1