أَلْبَحْرُthe sea صَعْبُdifficult المُرامِattainment مُرٌّbitter
أَلْبَحْرُ صَعْبُ المُرامِ مُرٌّ
لاmay not جُعِلَتْbe directed حاجَتيmy need إِليْهِtoward it
لا جُعِلَتْ حاجَتي إِليْهِ
The sea is hard to approach and bitter.
The sea is bitter and difficult to cross
May I never have need of it.
Yet I have great need of it
أَلَيْسَis it not ماءًwater وَنَحْنُand we طِينٌclay
أَلَيْسَ ماءً وَنَحْنُ طِينٌ
فماthen what عَسىmight be صَبْرُناour endurance عَلَيْهِupon it
فما عَسى صَبْرُنا عَلَيْهِ
Is it not water, while we are clay?
Is it not but water and we but clay?
How, then, could we endure upon it?
How then can we have patience for it?
Sol 6.1