ذَكَرَhe recalled الصِّبَاyouth فَبَكَىso he wept وَلاتَbut no longer أَوَانِthe proper time
ذَكَرَ الصِّبَا فَبَكَى وَلاتَ أَوَانِ
مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter مَاwhat وَلَّىdeparted بِهِwith it الْمَلَوَانِnight and day
مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا وَلَّى بِهِ الْمَلَوَانِ
They recalled youth, and he wept—but the hour was past,
He recalled youth and wept—but it was too late,
after day and night had borne it away.
after night and day had carried it away.
هَيْهَاتَnever! يَرْجِعُreturns فَائِتٌwhat has passed لَعِبَتْtoyed بِهِwith it
هَيْهَاتَ يَرْجِعُ فَائِتٌ لَعِبَتْ بِهِ
عُصُرٌages أَوَائِلُearlier أُرْدِفَتْwere followed بِثَوَانِيby later ones
عُصُرٌ أَوَائِلُ أُرْدِفَتْ بِثَوَانِي
Far beyond return is a thing gone by, toyed with
Never will what is gone return, toyed with by
by former ages that gave way to later ones.
earlier ages followed by later ones.
هَوِّنْmake easier عَلَيْكَon yourself فَكُلُّfor every شَيءٍthing ذَاهِبٌpassing away
هَوِّنْ عَلَيْكَ فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ ذَاهِبٌ
وَالدَّهْرُand time مَصْدَرُa source عِزَّةٍhonor وَهَوَانِand humiliation
وَالدَّهْرُ مَصْدَرُ عِزَّةٍ وَهَوَانِ
Take heart: everything must pass away,
Be easy on yourself, for everything passes away,
and Time is the source of might and abasement.
and time is a source of honor and humiliation.
وَاحْذَرْand beware مِنَof الدُّنْيَاthe world إِذَاwhen هِيَit أَقْبَلَتْapproaches
وَاحْذَرْ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا هِيَ أَقْبَلَتْ
بِالْبِشْرِwith cheerfulness فَهْيَfor it is كَثِيرَةُhaving many الأَلْوَانِcolors
بِالْبِشْرِ فَهْيَ كَثِيرَةُ الأَلْوَانِ
Beware the world when she turns toward you
And beware of the world when it comes to you
with smiling welcome: she is many-colored.
with a smiling face, for its colors are many.
وَدَعِand abandon التَّعَلُّقَclinging بِالْمُحَالِto the impossible فَمَنْfor whoever يَعِشْlives
وَدَعِ التَّعَلُّقَ بِالْمُحَالِ فَمَنْ يَعِشْ
فِيin غِبْطَةٍhappiness يُرْمَىis hurled بِهِwith him الرَّجَوَانِthe two brinks of a well
فِي غِبْطَةٍ يُرْمَى بِهِ الرَّجَوَانِ
Abandon attachment to the unattainable, for whoever lives
And abandon clinging to the impossible, for whoever lives
in bliss will be tossed from side to side.
in happiness is hurled between a well's two brinks.
لاdo not تَأْمُلَنَّexpect (emphatic) بِكُلِّin every عَامٍyear مُقْبِلٍcoming
لا تَأْمُلَنَّ بِكُلِّ عَامٍ مُقْبِلٍ
خَيْرَاًgood fortune فَكُلُّfor all الدَّهْرِtime عَامُthe year of جِوَانِJiwān
خَيْرَاً فَكُلُّ الدَّهْرِ عَامُ جِوَانِ
Never expect each coming year
Do not expect in every coming year
to bring good—for all time is the Year of Jawan.
good fortune, for all time is the year of Jiwān.
وَالدَّهْرُand time أَيَّامٌdays تُبِيدُdestroy صُرُوفُهَاtheir vicissitudes
وَالدَّهْرُ أَيَّامٌ تُبِيدُ صُرُوفُهَا
وَتُشِيدُand build up فَهْيَfor they are هَوَادِمٌdemolishers وَبَوَانِيand builders
وَتُشِيدُ فَهْيَ هَوَادِمٌ وَبَوَانِي
Time is but days whose vicissitudes destroy
And time is days whose vicissitudes destroy
and build: they are destroyers and builders.
and build up, for they are demolishers and builders.
أَنَّىhow يَفِرُّflees الْمَرْءُa person مِنfrom شَرَكِthe snare of الرَّدَىdeath
أَنَّى يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِن شَرَكِ الرَّدَى
وَالْمَوْتُand death مَقْدُورٌdecreed عَلَىfor الْحَيَوَانِliving beings
وَالْمَوْتُ مَقْدُورٌ عَلَى الْحَيَوَانِ
How can a mortal flee death’s snare
How can one flee from the snare of death,
when death is decreed for every living creature?
when death is decreed for all living beings?
Sol 6.1