أقبلhas come العيدEid وللنفسand for the soul منيwishes (reading مُنى)
أقبل العيد وللنفس مني
غضبgrew angry الدهرTime عليهاagainst them وحردand raged
غضب الدهر عليها وحرد
Eid has come, and the soul has wishes;
The holiday has come, and my soul
Time grew angry with them and raged.
Is still angry at fate and defiant
وتولىand passed العامthe year يتلوfollowing غيرهone other than it
وتولى العام يتلو غيره
لمdid not يقللlessen محنتيmy affliction إنif لمdid not يزدincrease
لم يقلل محنتي إن لم يزد
And the year passed, following another;
The year passes to be followed by others
It did not lessen my affliction, and may have increased it.
My troubles stay constant if not on the rise
دارتrevolved الأفلاكthe celestial spheres فيin أبراجهاtheir zodiacal signs
دارت الأفلاك في أبراجها
واستمرتand continued فيin مسارcourse المتئدthe unhurried one
واستمرت في مسار المتئد
The celestial spheres revolved in their zodiacal signs,
The stars circle round in their mansions
And continued along their unhurried course.
Proceeding ahead on their well-trodden path
وطوتand folded away منsome of عمرناour lifespan فيin سيرهاtheir motion
وطوت من عمرنا في سيرها
منwhoever يلدbegets يحصدreaps ومنand whoever يحصدreaps يلدbegets
من يلد يحصد ومن يحصد يلد
And in their motion folded away part of our lives.
Our lives get folded as time marches on
Whoever begets reaps, and whoever reaps begets.
One generation reaps as another is sown
لمdid not يصبهاbefall them فيin مداهاtheir course غيرٌvicissitudes
لم يصبها في مداها غيرٌ
غيرexcept أنthat المرءَthe human being جهلاًout of ignorance ينتقدfinds fault
غير أن المرءَ جهلاً ينتقد
No change befell them throughout their course;
Nothing has changed in the march of time
Yet man, in ignorance, finds fault.
Save that fools keep on with their critique
Sol 6.1