إنماonly الساعاتthe hours خيلٌhorses
إنما الساعات خيلٌ
نمتطيهاwe ride them فيin لحاقpursuit
نمتطيها في لحاق
The hours are but horses;
The hours are but horses
We ride them in pursuit.
We ride to catch up
والمنونُand death الحدthe boundary حتماًsurely
والمنونُ الحد حتماً
عندهat it وقفstopped السباقthe race
عنده وقف السباق
And death is surely the boundary
And death is the finish line
At which the race comes to a halt.
Where this race ends
كمhow often زهاshone splendidly الظلthe shade علىupon الزهرةthe flower
كم زها الظل على الزهرة
فيin الصبحthe morning وراقand was lovely
في الصبح وراق
How often the shade shone upon the flower
How the shade hides the flower
In the morning, and was lovely.
In the morn, so serene
بخرتهvaporized it الشمسthe sun فارتدso it returned
بخرته الشمس فارتد
إلىto السبعthe seven heavens الطباقlayered one above another
إلى السبع الطباق
The sun vaporized it, and it returned
The sun burns it away
To the seven heavens, layer upon layer.
Back to the layers unseen
بعدهafter it الزهرthe flowers تداعىcollapsed
بعده الزهر تداعى
فيin ذبولwithering فاحتراقthen burning
في ذبول فاحتراق
After it, the flowers collapsed,
After that the flower fades
Withering, then burning away.
In withering, burning scene
فكأنso, as though لمdid not يكexist طلdew
فكأن لم يك طل
لاno ولاnor زهرٌblossom وساقand a stalk
لا ولا زهرٌ وساق
As though no dew had ever been—
As if there was no dawn
No, nor flower or stalk.
No flower and no green
كمhow many شموسsuns فيin غروبsetting
كم شموس في غروب
كمhow many بدورfull moons فيin المحاقthe moon's dark phase
كم بدور في المحاق
How many suns have set,
How many suns in their setting
How many full moons have waned to darkness!
How many full moons waning
وطيورand birds شقتcleft الجوthe air
وطيور شقت الجو
مطاراin flight فيin ارتزاقseeking sustenance
مطارا في ارتزاق
And birds cleft the air,
Birds that cut through the air
Flying in search of sustenance.
In flight and sustaining
كفلتcared for افراخهاtheir chicks الخضرthe green ones
كفلت افراخها الخضر
بعطفwith tenderness واعتلاقand attachment
بعطف واعتلاق
They tended their green chicks
Raised their young tenderly
With tenderness and attachment.
With care and maintaining
جاءهاcame to them الحتفdeath فأهوتso they fell
جاءها الحتف فأهوت
والردىand doom بالخضرaround the green ones حاقclosed in
والردى بالخضر حاق
Death came to them, and they fell,
Yet death came suddenly
And doom engulfed the green chicks.
And the tender ones remaining
كمhow many جبانa coward سادrose to power بالحظthrough luck
كم جبان ساد بالحظ
وشهمand a noble man فيin انزلاقslipping
وشهم في انزلاق
How many a coward has risen to power through luck,
How many cowards succeeded
While a noble man slides downward.
While noble sank low
وأتىand came الموتdeath علىupon الأثنينboth of them
وأتى الموت على الأثنين
شداًbinding tightly فيin وثاقfetters
شداً في وثاق
And death came upon them both,
Yet death comes to both
Binding them fast in fetters.
In its final throw
كمhow often رجاhoped for العاشقthe lover وصلاunion بينماwhile
كم رجا العاشق وصلا بينما
يدنوdraws near الفراقparting
يدنو الفراق
How often the lover hoped for union while
How the lover hoped and prayed
Parting drew near.
While parting drew nigh
كمhow many عروسa bride سلبrobbed الدهرtime
كم عروس سلب الدهر
حلاهاher ornaments والصداقand the bridal dower
حلاها والصداق
How many a bride has time robbed
How many a bride was robbed
Of her ornaments and bridal dower!
Of her gown and dowry
ضمهاembraced her القبرthe grave وللزوجand for the husband
ضمها القبر وللزوج
إلىfor الضمembracing اشتياقlonging
إلى الضم اشتياق
The grave embraced her, while her husband
The grave embraced her
Longed to embrace her.
While her groom let out a cry
فاتركso abandon الهمworry إنindeed الهمworry
فاترك الهم إن الهم
حملٌa burden لاnot يطاقcan be borne
حملٌ لا يطاق
So leave worry behind, for worry
So leave your worries be
Is a burden that cannot be borne.
They're burdens we can't carry
واشربand drink الحنظلcolocynth حراًas a free man تلقهyou will find it
واشرب الحنظل حراً تلقه
حلوَsweet المذاقthe taste
حلوَ المذاق
And drink colocynth as a free man; you will find it
Drink sweet fresh juice
Sweet to the taste.
To make your days less weary
وانحand turn aside بالنفسwith the soul عنfrom الزلفىseeking favor
وانح بالنفس عن الزلفى
لعبادwith the worshippers of النفاقhypocrisy
لعباد النفاق
And turn your soul away from seeking favor
Turn from false lovers
With the worshippers of hypocrisy.
And those who lie and mislead
إنindeed فضلbounty اللَهGod للمخلوقfor the creature
إن فضل اللَه للمخلوق
ممدودُoutstretched الرواقthe canopy
ممدودُ الرواق
Indeed, God's bounty for His creatures
God's grace reaches all
Has a canopy stretched wide.
With arms open wide
كلevery حيliving being سوفwill يفنىperish
كل حي سوف يفنى
ليسis not غيرother than اللَهGod باقremaining
ليس غير اللَه باق
Every living thing will perish;
All that lives will perish
None but God endures.
None but God will abide
Sol 6.1