ماnot القبرthe grave إلاexcept ترجمانinterpreter الماثتthe deceased (apparently intended)
ما القبر إلا ترجمان الماثت
للّهto God درهits excellence منas a خطيبorator ساكتsilent
للّه دره من خطيب ساكت
The grave is but the interpreter of the dead.
The grave is but a translator of the deceased
God bless it—what a silent orator!
What an eloquent yet silent preacher he is
نطقتspoke لسانtongue الحالcircumstance فيهwithin it فأخرستand so silenced
نطقت لسان الحال فيه فأخرست
أفواهناour mouths سمعاin listening لذاكto that الصامتsilent one
أفواهنا سمعا لذاك الصامت
The tongue of circumstance spoke within it and silenced
The state of affairs has spoken through him, rendering
Our mouths as we listened to that silent one.
Our mouths mute, listening to that silent one
عظةa lesson إليكto you وياand oh لهاfor it عظةa lesson ترىyou behold
عظة إليك ويا لها عظة ترى
ويحwoe to الذيthe one who لمdid not يتعظtake heed بالفائتfrom what has passed
ويح الذي لم يتعظ بالفائت
A lesson for you—and what a lesson you behold!
A lesson to you, what a lesson it is you see
Woe to him who has not learned from what has passed!
Woe to him who has not learned from the past
نحتواthey carved القبورthe graves لمنfor whoever قضىspent أيامهhis days
نحتوا القبور لمن قضى أيامه
فيهمamong them فكانتso they became واعظاa preacher للناحتto the carver
فيهم فكانت واعظا للناحت
They carved the graves for those who spent their days
They carved graves for those who lived out their days
Among them; so the graves became a preacher to the carver.
So these became preachers to the engravers
نبتsprouted ابنson آدمAdam منfrom ترابdust جدهhis forefather
نبت ابن آدم من تراب جده
وإلىand to الترابthe dust معادreturn ذاكthat النابتsprouting one
وإلى التراب معاد ذاك النابت
The son of Adam sprouted from his forefather's dust,
The son of Adam sprouted from the soil of his ancestors
And to the dust that sprout returns.
And to dust shall return that sprout
دنياكyour world بدرa full moon مشرقshining بسمائهin its sky
دنياك بدر مشرق بسمائه
دارتrevolved عليهaround it حياتناour life كالهالةlike a halo
دارت عليه حياتنا كالهالة
Your world is a full moon shining in its sky;
Your world is a rising moon with its heavens
Our life revolved around it like a halo.
Our lives revolved around it like a halo
نحنwe الفراشthe moths لنورهاto its light فلناso we have بهاin it
نحن الفراش لنورها فلنا بها
ماwhat للفراشةbelongs to the moth منof ضنىanguish وتهافتand headlong rushing
ما للفراشة من ضنى وتهافت
We are moths to its light; in it, ours is
We are the moths to its light so we
The moth's anguish and headlong rush.
Have no rest or respite in it
ياO منyou who رأىdeemed تعباtoil حياتهhis life فيamong الورىmortals
يا من رأى تعبا حياته في الورى
هلare you...? بعدafter موتكyour death واثقconfident بالراحةof rest
هل بعد موتك واثق بالراحة
O you who deemed your life among mortals toil,
O you who saw life's toil in this world
Are you sure of rest after your death?
Will you feel secure in rest after death?
العقلreason أشقاناmade us wretched وأسعدناand made us happy فماso how
العقل أشقانا وأسعدنا فما
أشقىwretched وأسعدand happy عاقلاa thinking person بالثابتthrough what is certain
أشقى وأسعد عاقلا بالثابت
Reason has made us wretched and happy—how
Reason has caused us misery and joy so
Wretched and happy it makes a thinking man through what is certain!
No reasonable one despairs over the inevitable
منwho ليfor me بحالتهاwith their condition السوائمthe grazing beasts علهاperhaps they
من لي بحالتها السوائم علها
تنعىlament وتشكوand complain فيin الحياةlife شكايتيmy complaint
تنعى وتشكو في الحياة شكايتي
Who can tell me how the grazing beasts fare? Perhaps they
I wish the passing days would empathize
Lament and voice in life the same complaint as mine.
And lament in life my own complaints
حالcondition الخلائقcreatures سيءbad منظورهاits visible aspect
حال الخلائق سيء منظورها
منwho ليfor me بمعرفةwith knowledge الخفيthe hidden الخافتthe hushed
من لي بمعرفة الخفي الخافت
What is visible of creatures' condition is wretched;
The state of people is visibly evil
Who can grant me knowledge of the hidden and the hushed?
If only I knew the hidden and obscure
هذاthis one يسلمentrusts بالهدايةthrough guidance أمرهhis affairs
هذا يسلم بالهداية أمره
وسواهand another besides him يسبحswims فيin بحارseas ضلالةerror
وسواه يسبح في بحار ضلالة
This one, guided aright, entrusts his affairs,
One is guided, his affair surrendered
While another swims in seas of error.
While others swim in seas of misguidance
والموتand death كشافrevealer الحقائقthe truths مشرقshining
والموت كشاف الحقائق مشرق
بسناهwith its radiance وهوand it is العلمknowledge بعدafter جهالةignorance
بسناه وهو العلم بعد جهالة
And death, the revealer of truths, shines
And death the revealer of truths shines
With its radiance; it is knowledge after ignorance.
With its sword, bringing knowledge after ignorance
Sol 6.1