يُحِبُّ الفَتى طولَ البَقاءِ وَإِنَّهُ

يُحِبُّ الفَتى طولَ البَقاءِ وَإِنَّهُ

عَلى ثِقَةٍ أَنَّ البَقاءَ فَناءُ

عَلى ثِقَةٍ أَنَّ البَقاءَ فَناءُ

The young man loves a long life, although he

The young man loves longevity, yet he

is certain that living on is passing away.

Is confident that longevity leads to death.

زِيادَتُهُ في الجِسمِ نَقصُ حَياتِهِ

زِيادَتُهُ في الجِسمِ نَقصُ حَياتِهِ

وَلَيسَ عَلى نَقصِ الحَياةِ نَماءُ

وَلَيسَ عَلى نَقصِ الحَياةِ نَماءُ

His growth in body is a decrease in his life,

As his body grows, his life shortens;

and there is no growth in life's decline.

No growth comes from life's lessening.

إذا ما طَوى يَوماً طَوى اليَومُ بَعضَهُ

إذا ما طَوى يَوماً طَوى اليَومُ بَعضَهُ

وَيَطويهِ إِن جَنَّ المَساءُ مَساءُ

وَيَطويهِ إِن جَنَّ المَساءُ مَساءُ

Whenever he folds away a day, that day folds away part of him,

If he lives through a day, that day takes

and when evening falls, an evening folds him away.

A part of his life, even if evening seems eternal.

جَديدانِ لا يَبقى الجَميعُ عَلَيهِما

جَديدانِ لا يَبقى الجَميعُ عَلَيهِما

وَلا لَهُما بَعدَ الجَميعِ بَقاءُ

وَلا لَهُما بَعدَ الجَميعِ بَقاءُ

Two ever-renewing ones: no one endures through them,

Both the new day and he will disappear someday,

nor do they endure after everyone is gone.

With no existence after everything else is gone.