المَرءُa person دُنياworld نَفسهِhis own self
المَرءُ دُنيا نَفسهِ
فَإِذاso when اِنقَضىhe has passed away فَقَدthen indeed اِنقَضَتit has ended
فَإِذا اِنقَضى فَقَد اِنقَضَت
A person is his own world.
A man's world is his soul
So when he passes away, it too has ended.
So when his soul passes, his world too shall pass
تَفنىit perishes لَهُfor him بِفَنائِهِwith his perishing
تَفنى لَهُ بِفَنائِهِ
وَتَعودُand returns فيمَنin those whom حَصَّلَتit has gathered
وَتَعودُ فيمَن حَصَّلَت
It perishes for him with his passing,
It shall perish for him in his perishing
And returns in those it has gathered.
And live on in whom it enriched
ماwhat خَيرُgood مُرضِعَةٍa wet nurse بِكَأwith a cu-
ما خَيرُ مُرضِعَةٍ بِكَأ
سِ-p (completing 'cup') المَوتِof death تفطمُshe weans مَنthose whom غذَتshe has nourished
سِ المَوتِ تفطمُ مَن غذَت
What good is a wet nurse who, with the cup
What good is a wet nurse whose milk
Of death, weans those she has nourished?
Weans one for death's embrace?
بَينَماjust as قُربُthe nearness of صَلاحِهhis well-being
بَينَما قُربُ صَلاحِه
أَفسَدتshe has ruined ماwhat أَصلَحتshe has set right
أَفسَدت ما أَصلَحت
Just as his well-being draws near,
While meaning well she undoes
She ruins what she has set right.
All the good she once did
Sol 6.1