مَاnot الدَّهْرُtime إِلَّاexcept ضَوْءُlight شَمْسٍa sun عَلاrose high
مَا الدَّهْرُ إِلَّا ضَوْءُ شَمْسٍ عَلا
وَكَوْكَبٌand a star غَامَgrew dim وَنَبْتٌand a plant بَقَلْsprouted
وَكَوْكَبٌ غَامَ وَنَبْتٌ بَقَلْ
Time is but sunlight risen high,
Time is but the light of a sun risen high,
and a star grown dim, and a plant that sprouted,
A star that has set, some herbs that are dry,
وَرَاحِلٌand one departing أَعْقَبَهُfollowed him نَازِلٌone arriving
وَرَاحِلٌ أَعْقَبَهُ نَازِلٌ
مَاno sooner قِيلَit was said قَدْalready خَيمَhe pitched camp حَتَّىthan اسْتَقَلْhe departed
مَا قِيلَ قَدْ خَيمَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَلْ
and one departing, followed by one arriving;
A steed, and a rider who passes one by,
no sooner is it said, "He has pitched camp," than he departs.
Things said and heard - as quick as a sigh.
عَمَايَةٌdarkness يَخْبِطُstumbles blindly فِيهَاin it النُّهَىminds
عَمَايَةٌ يَخْبِطُ فِيهَا النُّهَى
عَجْزاًhelplessly وَلاand not تُبْصِرُsee فِيهَاin it الْمُقَلْthe eyes
عَجْزاً وَلا تُبْصِرُ فِيهَا الْمُقَلْ
A darkness in which minds stumble
A blindness wherein the laggards collide
helplessly, and eyes cannot see within it.
Too weak to see what the prudent decides.
فَبَادِرِso hasten النّقْلَةَthe move وَاعْمَلْand work لَهَاfor it
فَبَادِرِ النّقْلَةَ وَاعْمَلْ لَهَا
مَاwhatever شِئْتَyou wish فَالدَّهْرُfor time سَريعُswift النُّقَلْchanges
مَا شِئْتَ فَالدَّهْرُ سَريعُ النُّقَلْ
So hasten to make your move, and work toward it
Seize now the chance ere its promise betides;
as you will, for time is swift in its changes.
Time's nature is ever to shift and to glide.
وَاصْمُتْand be silent عَنِabout الشَّرِّevil إِذَاif لَمْnot تُطِقْyou can
وَاصْمُتْ عَنِ الشَّرِّ إِذَا لَمْ تُطِقْ
دَفْعاًrepelling وَإِنْand if صَادَفْتَyou encounter خَيْراًgood فَقُلْthen speak
دَفْعاً وَإِنْ صَادَفْتَ خَيْراً فَقُلْ
And keep silent about evil if you cannot
Keep still if unable good counsel to give,
repel it; and if you encounter good, speak.
But speak to advise if you've virtue to live.
وَسِرْand go forth إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle عَرَضَتْpresented itself فُرْصَةٌan opportunity
وَسِرْ إِذَا مَا عَرَضَتْ فُرْصَةٌ
فَالْبَدْرُfor the full moon قَدْmay يَنْمُوgrow إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle انْتَقَلْit moved
فَالْبَدْرُ قَدْ يَنْمُو إِذَا مَا انْتَقَلْ
And go forth when an opportunity presents itself,
Press on if you find that occasion may thrive,
for the full moon may grow when it moves.
The moon's self may wax though diminish it strive.
مَنْwhoever طَلَبَsought الأَمْرَthe goal بِأَسْبَابِهِthrough its means
مَنْ طَلَبَ الأَمْرَ بِأَسْبَابِهِ
سَاعَدَهُaided him الْمَقْدُورُfate إِمَّاif عَقَلْhe used reason
سَاعَدَهُ الْمَقْدُورُ إِمَّا عَقَلْ
Whoever seeks a goal through its proper means
Who seeks high position with diligent care
is aided by fate, if he uses reason.
Will find that high providence helps him to dare.
قَدْmay يَجْبُنُlose courage الأَعْزَلُthe unarmed man وَهوَwhile he is الْفَتَىthe valiant man
قَدْ يَجْبُنُ الأَعْزَلُ وَهوَ الْفَتَى
وَيَشْجُعُand grows brave النِّكْسُthe weakling إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle اعْتَقَلْhe took up a spear
وَيَشْجُعُ النِّكْسُ إِذَا مَا اعْتَقَلْ
An unarmed man may lose courage, though he is valiant,
Though craven be honored, and brave be most rare,
and a weakling grows brave when he takes up a spear.
True courage grows firmer when dangers impair.
Sol 6.1