مَاhow أَطْيَبَsweet الْعَيْشَlife لَوْلاwere it not for أَنَّهُthat it is فَانِيfleeting
مَا أَطْيَبَ الْعَيْشَ لَوْلا أَنَّهُ فَانِي
تَبْلَىwear away النُّفُوسُsouls وَلاbut do not يَبْلَىwear away الْجَدِيدَانِthe ever-new pair (day and night)
تَبْلَى النُّفُوسُ وَلا يَبْلَى الْجَدِيدَانِ
How sweet life would be, were it not fleeting!
Souls wear away, but the ever-new pair—day and night—do not.
قَدْindeed كُنْتُI was فِيin غِرَّةٍheedlessness حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen انْقَشَعَتْit cleared
قَدْ كُنْتُ فِي غِرَّةٍ حَتَّى إِذَا انْقَشَعَتْ
أَبْقَتْit left behind تَبَارِيحَtorments لاnot تَنْفَكُّcease تَغْشَانِيbeset me
أَبْقَتْ تَبَارِيحَ لا تَنْفَكُّ تَغْشَانِي
I lived in heedlessness until, when it cleared,
It left torments that never cease to beset me,
وَشَيْبَةًand a lock of gray hair كَلِسَانِlike the tongue of الْفَجْرِdawn نَاطِقَةًspeaking
وَشَيْبَةً كَلِسَانِ الْفَجْرِ نَاطِقَةً
بِمَاof what طَوَاهُhid it عَنِfrom الإِفْشَاءِdisclosure كِتْمَانِيmy concealment
بِمَا طَوَاهُ عَنِ الإِفْشَاءِ كِتْمَانِي
And a lock of gray, like dawn's tongue, proclaiming
What my concealment had kept from disclosure.
أَضْحَتْit has become قَذَىًa mote لِعُيُونِin the eyes of الْغِانِيَاتِbeautiful women وَقَدْthough once
أَضْحَتْ قَذَىً لِعُيُونِ الْغِانِيَاتِ وَقَدْ
كَانَتْit was حِبَالَةَa snare for أَبْصَارٍeyes وَأَذْهَانِand minds
كَانَتْ حِبَالَةَ أَبْصَارٍ وَأَذْهَانِ
It has become a mote in beautiful women's eyes, though
Once it was a snare for eyes and minds.
كَأَنَّنِيas though I لَمْdid not أَقُدْlead شَعْوَاءَa fierce raid جَافِلَةًsurging
كَأَنَّنِي لَمْ أَقُدْ شَعْوَاءَ جَافِلَةً
وَلَمْand did not أَبِتْI spend the night بَيْنَamong دَارَاتٍclearings وَنِدْمَانِand boon companions
وَلَمْ أَبِتْ بَيْنَ دَارَاتٍ وَنِدْمَانِ
As though I had never led a fierce, surging raid,
Nor spent nights amid clearings and boon companions,
وَلَمْand did not أَقُمْI take my stand فِيin مَقَامَاتٍassemblies وَأَنْدِيَةٍand gathering places
وَلَمْ أَقُمْ فِي مَقَامَاتٍ وَأَنْدِيَةٍ
شَتَّىdiverse in الْهَوَىinclination غَيْرَnot رِعْدِيدٍcowardly وَلاnor وَانِيflagging
شَتَّى الْهَوَى غَيْرَ رِعْدِيدٍ وَلا وَانِي
Nor taken my stand in assemblies and gathering places
Of diverse inclinations, neither cowardly nor faltering.
فَالْيَومَso today أَصْبَحتُI have become لاnot سَيْفِيmy sword بِمُنْصَلِتٍdrawn
فَالْيَومَ أَصْبَحتُ لا سَيْفِي بِمُنْصَلِتٍ
عَلَىagainst الْعَدُوِّthe enemy وَلاnor قَوْسِيmy bow بِمِرْنَانِresounding
عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ وَلا قَوْسِي بِمِرْنَانِ
So today I find my sword no longer drawn
Against the foe, nor my bow resounding.
لاnot أَذْكُرُI remember اللَّهْوَpleasure إِلَّاexcept أَنْthat تُذَكِّرَنِيreminds me
لا أَذْكُرُ اللَّهْوَ إِلَّا أَنْ تُذَكِّرَنِي
وَرْقَاءُa gray dove تَدْعُوcalling هَدِيلاًHadeel (a male dove) بَيْنَamong أَغْصَانِboughs
وَرْقَاءُ تَدْعُو هَدِيلاً بَيْنَ أَغْصَانِ
I recall no pleasure unless I am reminded by
A gray dove calling Hadeel among the boughs.
إِنَّindeed الثَّلاثِينَthe thirty years وَالْخَمْسَand the five الَّتِيthat عَرَضَتْhave come upon me
إِنَّ الثَّلاثِينَ وَالْخَمْسَ الَّتِي عَرَضَتْ
ثَنَتْbowed قُوَايَmy strength وَفَلَّتْand blunted غَرْبَthe edge of أَشْجَانِيmy sorrows
ثَنَتْ قُوَايَ وَفَلَّتْ غَرْبَ أَشْجَانِي
The thirty years and five that have come upon me
Have bowed my strength and blunted the edge of my sorrows,
وَخَلَّفَتْنِيand left me عَلَىdespite مَاwhat كَانَhad been مِنْof طَرَبٍmirth
وَخَلَّفَتْنِي عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْ طَرَبٍ
بَادِيshowing الأَسَافَةِsorrow فِيamong قَوْمِيmy people وَجِيرَانِيand my neighbors
بَادِي الأَسَافَةِ فِي قَوْمِي وَجِيرَانِي
And left me, despite all my former mirth,
Visibly sorrowful among my people and my neighbors.
وَكَانَand used to يَحْزُنُنِيsadden me شَيْبِيmy gray hair فَصِرْتُso I came to أَرَىsee
وَكَانَ يَحْزُنُنِي شَيْبِي فَصِرْتُ أَرَى
أَنَّthat الَّذِيwhat بَعْدَهُfollows it أَوْلَىmore entitled بِإِحْزَانِيto sadden me
أَنَّ الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ أَوْلَى بِإِحْزَانِي
My gray hair once saddened me, but now I see
That what follows it has more right to sadden me.
وَهَوَّنَand eased الأَمْرَthe matter عِنْدِيfor me أَنَّthat كُلَّevery فَتَىyoung man
وَهَوَّنَ الأَمْرَ عِنْدِي أَنَّ كُلَّ فَتَى
وَإِنْand even if تَمَلَّأhe has filled himself مِنْwith مَاءِthe water of الصِّبَاyouth فَانِيmortal
وَإِنْ تَمَلَّأ مِنْ مَاءِ الصِّبَا فَانِي
And what eases the matter for me is that every youth,
Though filled with the water of youth, must perish.
يَاO نَفْسُsoul لاdo not تَذْهَبِيperish يَأْسَاًin despair بِمَاover what كَسَبَتْearned
يَا نَفْسُ لا تَذْهَبِي يَأْسَاً بِمَا كَسَبَتْ
يَدَاكِyour two hands فَاللَّهُfor God ذُوpossessor of مَنٍّbounty وَغُفْرَانِand forgiveness
يَدَاكِ فَاللَّهُ ذُو مَنٍّ وَغُفْرَانِ
O soul, do not perish in despair over what
Your hands have earned; God abounds in bounty and forgiveness.
يَعْفُوHe pardons عَنِwith regard to الذَّنْبِsin حَتَّىuntil يَسْتَوِيstand equal كَرَماًout of generosity
يَعْفُو عَنِ الذَّنْبِ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِي كَرَماً
لَدَيْهِbefore Him ذُوthe one with الْعَمَلِthe deed الْمَبْرورِrighteous وَالْجَانِيand the sinner
لَدَيْهِ ذُو الْعَمَلِ الْمَبْرورِ وَالْجَانِي
He pardons sin until, through His bounty, they stand equal—
The doer of righteous deeds and the sinner—in His sight.
هُوَHe الَّذِيthe One who جَعَلَset الأَفْلاكَthe celestial spheres دَائِرَةًrevolving
هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الأَفْلاكَ دَائِرَةً
وَصَوَّرَand fashioned الْخَلْقَcreation مِنْof إِنْسٍhumans وَمِنْand of جَانِjinn
وَصَوَّرَ الْخَلْقَ مِنْ إِنْسٍ وَمِنْ جَانِ
He is the One who set the celestial spheres revolving,
And fashioned creation, both humans and jinn;
وَقَدَّرَand ordained الشَّمْسَthe sun تَجْرِيto run فِيthrough مَنَازِلِهَاits stations
وَقَدَّرَ الشَّمْسَ تَجْرِي فِي مَنَازِلِهَا
وَالنَّجْمَand the stars وَالْقَمَرَand the moon السَّارِيtraveling by night بِحُسْبَانِby measured reckoning
وَالنَّجْمَ وَالْقَمَرَ السَّارِي بِحُسْبَانِ
And ordained the sun to run through its stations,
And the stars and the night-traveling moon, by due reckoning;
وَأَرْسَلَand sent الْغَيْثَrain أَرْسَالاًin successive showers بِرَحْمَتِهِthrough His mercy
وَأَرْسَلَ الْغَيْثَ أَرْسَالاً بِرَحْمَتِهِ
وَأَنْبَتَand made sprout الأَرْضَthe earth مِنْof حَبٍّgrain وَرَيْحَانِand fragrant herbs
وَأَنْبَتَ الأَرْضَ مِنْ حَبٍّ وَرَيْحَانِ
And sent rain in successive showers, through His mercy,
And made the earth sprout grain and fragrant herbs.
سُبْحَانَهُglory be to Him جَلَّHe is exalted عَنْbeyond وَصْفٍa description يُحِيطُencompassing بِهِHim
سُبْحَانَهُ جَلَّ عَنْ وَصْفٍ يُحِيطُ بِهِ
وَكَيْفَand how يُدْرِكُcan grasp وَصْفَthe description of الدَّائِمِthe Eternal الْفَانِيthe mortal
وَكَيْفَ يُدْرِكُ وَصْفَ الدَّائِمِ الْفَانِي
Glory be to Him! He is too exalted for any description to encompass Him.
And how can the mortal grasp the description of the Eternal?
لَقَدْindeed تَفَرَّدَHe is unique فِيin لاهُوتِthe divinity of قُدْرَتِهِHis power
لَقَدْ تَفَرَّدَ فِي لاهُوتِ قُدْرَتِهِ
فَمَاso there is no لَهُfor Him أَبَدَاًever فِيin مُلْكِهِHis dominion ثَانِيpeer
فَمَا لَهُ أَبَدَاً فِي مُلْكِهِ ثَانِي
Truly, He is unique in the divinity of His power;
He has no peer, ever, in His dominion.
وَإِنَّماand only نَحْنُwe نُطْرِيهِextol Him كَمَاas سَبَقَتْhad already decreed
وَإِنَّما نَحْنُ نُطْرِيهِ كَمَا سَبَقَتْ
بِهِconcerning it الإِرَادَةُthe will مِنْof وَصْفٍdescription وَتِبْيَانِand explanation
بِهِ الإِرَادَةُ مِنْ وَصْفٍ وَتِبْيَانِ
And we only extol Him as was already ordained
By His will, in description and explanation.
كُلٌّeach يَقُولُspeaks عَلَىaccording to مِقْدَارِthe measure of فِطْنَتِهِhis understanding
كُلٌّ يَقُولُ عَلَى مِقْدَارِ فِطْنَتِهِ
وَاللَّهُand God أَعْلَمُknows best بِالْقَاصِيabout the far-off وَبِالدَّانِيand about the near
وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالْقَاصِي وَبِالدَّانِي
Each speaks according to the measure of his understanding;
And God knows best the far-off and the near.
تَبَارَكَexalted is اللَّهُGod عَمَّاabove what قِيلَwas said وَابْتُدِعَتْand was invented
تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ عَمَّا قِيلَ وَابْتُدِعَتْ
فِيconcerning ذَاتِهِHis essence مِنْof أَضَالِيلٍdelusions وَبُهْتَانِand slander
فِي ذَاتِهِ مِنْ أَضَالِيلٍ وَبُهْتَانِ
Exalted is God above what is said and invented
Concerning His essence, of delusions and slander.
قَدْindeed لَفَّقُوهَاthey concocted them أَسَاطِيراًfables مُحَبَّرَةًembellished
قَدْ لَفَّقُوهَا أَسَاطِيراً مُحَبَّرَةً
بِحِكْمَةٍwith wisdom ذَاتِpossessing أَشْكَالٍshapes وَأَلْوَانِand colors
بِحِكْمَةٍ ذَاتِ أَشْكَالٍ وَأَلْوَانِ
They have cobbled them together as embellished fables,
With wisdom of many shapes and colors,
كَأَنَّهُمْas though they قَدْhad أَصَابُواfound طُرْفَةًa rarity عَجَبَاًwondrous
كَأَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَصَابُوا طُرْفَةً عَجَبَاً
أَوْor جَاءَهُمْcame to them نَبَأٌa report صِدْقٌtrue بِبُرْهَانِwith proof
أَوْ جَاءَهُمْ نَبَأٌ صِدْقٌ بِبُرْهَانِ
As though they had found a wondrous rarity,
Or a true report had reached them, backed by proof.
وَلَوْand if تَكَشَّفَwere revealed هَذَاthis الأَمْرُmatter لارْتَدَعَتْwould surely desist
وَلَوْ تَكَشَّفَ هَذَا الأَمْرُ لارْتَدَعَتْ
مَعَاشِرٌgroups خَلَطُواwho mixed كُفْرَاًdisbelief بِإِيمَانِwith faith
مَعَاشِرٌ خَلَطُوا كُفْرَاً بِإِيمَانِ
And were this matter laid bare, they would desist—
Those groups who mingled disbelief with faith.
يَارَبِّO my Lord إِنَّكَindeed You ذُوpossessor of مَنٍّbounty وَمَغْفِرَةٍand forgiveness
يَارَبِّ إِنَّكَ ذُو مَنٍّ وَمَغْفِرَةٍ
فَاسْتُرْso conceal بِعَفْوِكَthrough Your pardon زَلَّاتِيmy lapses وَعِصْيَانِيand my disobedience
فَاسْتُرْ بِعَفْوِكَ زَلَّاتِي وَعِصْيَانِي
O my Lord, Yours are bounty and forgiveness;
So veil, through Your pardon, my lapses and my disobedience.
وَلاand do not تَكِلْنِيentrust me إِلَىto مَاwhat كَانَwas مِنْof عَمَلِيmy deeds
وَلا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْ عَمَلِي
فَإِنَّهُfor it is سَبَبٌa cause يُفْضِيleads لِحِرْمَانِيto my deprivation
فَإِنَّهُ سَبَبٌ يُفْضِي لِحِرْمَانِي
And do not entrust me to the work I have done,
For it is a cause that leads to my deprivation.
Sol 6.1