إنif لمnot لكَfor you يَكُنْbe فيin نَقْدِjudging الرِّجالِmen يَدُskill
إن لم لكَ يَكُنْ في نَقْدِ الرِّجالِ يَدُ
فانظُرْthen look إلىat الموتِdeath كيفَhow الموتُdeath ينتَقِدُjudges
فانظُرْ إلى الموتِ كيفَ الموتُ ينتَقِدُ
If you have no skill in judging men,
If you have no skill in criticizing men,
then look at death: see how death judges.
Then look to death and see how death criticizes.
يَدورُroams فيon الأرضthe earth حولَaround النّاسِthe people مُلتمساًseeking
يَدورُ في الأرض حولَ النّاسِ مُلتمساً
كريمَa noble man of قومٍa people ولاand not يَرضَىis satisfied بماwith what يَجِدُfinds
كريمَ قومٍ ولا يَرضَى بما يَجِدُ
It roams the earth among the people, seeking
It goes around the earth, seeking out people,
a noble man among the people, yet is not content with what it finds.
The best of a tribe, and is not pleased with what it finds.
جَبَّارُmighty صَيدٍhunting يريدُseeks الصَّقْرَthe falcon مُفتخِراًtaking pride
جَبَّارُ صَيدٍ يريدُ الصَّقْرَ مُفتخِراً
بهِin it فإنbut if لمnot يَجِدهُfinds it يُرْضهِsatisfies it الصُرَدُthe shrike
بهِ فإن لم يَجِدهُ يُرْضهِ الصُرَدُ
A mighty hunter, it seeks the falcon, taking pride
A mighty hunter, it wants the noble falcon,
in it; if it does not find it, the shrike satisfies it.
Boasting of it, but if it does not find it, a sparrow will satisfy it.
إذاwhen انتضَىunsheathes سَيفَهُits sword فالرأسُthen the head مَورِدُهُits destination
إذا انتضَى سَيفَهُ فالرأسُ مَورِدُهُ
وإنand if رَمَىshoots السَّهْمَthe arrow فليَستهِدِفِthen let it be the target الكَبِدُthe liver
وإن رَمَى السَّهْمَ فليَستهِدِفِ الكَبِدُ
When it unsheathes its sword, the head is its destination;
When it unsheathes its sword, the head is its target,
and if it shoots the arrow, let the liver be its target.
And when it shoots an arrow, it aims for the liver.
ياO أيُّهاyou المَلِكُking المرهوبُfeared جانبُهُhis presence
يا أيُّها المَلِكُ المرهوبُ جانبُهُ
هذاthis هُوَhe المَلِكُthe king المرهوبُfeared إذwhen يَفِدُarrives
هذا هُوَ المَلِكُ المرهوبُ إذ يَفِدُ
O king whose presence is feared,
O awe-inspiring king, it makes a mockery of him!
this is the king feared when he arrives.
This is the king it ridicules when he comes.
ياO أيُّهاyou الأسدُlion الجانيthe assailant بسَطْوتِهِwith his might
يا أيُّها الأسدُ الجاني بسَطْوتِهِ
علىupon ضَواريpredatory beasts of الفَلاthe wilderness هذاthis هُوَhe الأسَدُthe lion
على ضَواري الفَلا هذا هُوَ الأسَدُ
O lion who wreaks havoc with his might
O lion, oppressor in his power
upon the predators of the wilderness—this is the lion.
Over the beasts of waste―this is the lion!
ياO أيُّهاyou البَطَلُhero الشَّاكيarmed with السِلاحِweapons تُرَىI wonder
يا أيُّها البَطَلُ الشَّاكي السِلاحِ تُرَى
أينَwhere السِّلاحُthe weapons وماذاand what يَمنَعُwards off الزَّرَدُchain mail
أينَ السِّلاحُ وماذا يَمنَعُ الزَّرَدُ
O hero, bristling with weapons—I wonder:
O hero complaining of weapons, do you see
where are the weapons, and what can chain mail ward off?
Where are the weapons, and what prevents the coat of mail?
قدindeed خانَhas betrayed عَهْدُكَyour trust ماwhat تَرجُوهُyou hope for it منof عُدَدٍarmaments
قد خانَ عَهْدُكَ ما تَرجُوهُ من عُدَدٍ
إذاwhen أتىcomes الموتُdeath يوماًone day ماتتِdie العُدَدُthe armaments
إذا أتى الموتُ يوماً ماتتِ العُدَدُ
The armaments you put your hopes in have betrayed your trust;
Your promises have betrayed what you hoped for from an army
when death comes one day, the armaments die.
When death comes one day, the armies die.
ماnot زالَceased كلُّevery ابنِson of أثنَىa woman مُنذُsince فِطرَتِهِhis creation
ما زالَ كلُّ ابنِ أثنَى مُنذُ فِطرَتِهِ
فَريسةًprey بينَbetween أيديthe hands of الموتِdeath تَرتِعدُtrembles
فَريسةً بينَ أيدي الموتِ تَرتِعدُ
Every son of woman has, since his creation, remained
Every child of woman since his creation
prey trembling in death's hands.
Has been prey amidst the hands of trembling death.
ياO مَنْyou who يقولُsays غداًtomorrow دَعْleave عنكَaway from you ذِكرَmention of غَدٍtomorrow
يا مَنْ يقولُ غداً دَعْ عنكَ ذِكرَ غَدٍ
فلَيسَfor there is no للمَرْءِfor a man فيin هذاthis الزَّمانِage غَدُtomorrow
فلَيسَ للمَرْءِ في هذا الزَّمانِ غَدُ
O you who say "Tomorrow," leave off speaking of tomorrow,
O you who say "Tomorrow!" Leave off talk of tomorrow,
for in this age no man has a tomorrow.
For man has no tomorrow in this time.
للموتِto death كلُّevery أبٍfather فوقَupon التُّرابِthe dust مَشَىwalked
للموتِ كلُّ أبٍ فوقَ التُّرابِ مَشَى
وكلُّand every أُمٍّmother وماand what رَبَّتْshe raised وماand what تَلِدُshe bears
وكلُّ أُمٍّ وما رَبَّتْ وما تَلِدُ
To death belongs every father who walked upon the dust,
For death, every father who walked the dust
and every mother, and all she raised, and all she bears.
And every mother who bore children and gave birth.
إلىto تُرابٍdust جُبِلْناwe were fashioned منهُfrom it مَرجِعُناour return
إلى تُرابٍ جُبِلْنا منهُ مَرجِعُنا
نظيرَlike ماءٍwater إليهto it يَرجِعُreturns البرَدُhail
نظيرَ ماءٍ إليه يَرجِعُ البرَدُ
Our return is to dust, from which we were fashioned,
We were created from dust, to dust is our return
just as hail returns to water.
Like water that goes back to the hail.
نَهتَمُّwe concern ourselves فيwith خِصبِthe plumpness of أجسامٍbodies نُنَعِّمُهاwe pamper them
نَهتَمُّ في خِصبِ أجسامٍ نُنَعِّمُها
ويَشكُرُand thank الدُودُthe worms مِنَّاfrom us ماwhat بهِwith it نَعِدُwe promise
ويَشكُرُ الدُودُ مِنَّا ما بهِ نَعِدُ
We busy ourselves fattening bodies we pamper,
We enjoy plump bodies that we pamper,
and the worms thank us for what we promise them.
While worms thank us for what we store up.
مَناحةٌlamentation فيin دِيارِthe home of المَيْتِthe dead man قائِمةٌunder way
مَناحةٌ في دِيارِ المَيْتِ قائِمةٌ
ودُعوةٌand a banquet فيin دِيارِthe abode of القبرِthe grave تَحتَشِدُgathers in a throng
ودُعوةٌ في دِيارِ القبرِ تَحتَشِدُ
A lamentation is under way in the dead man's home,
There is a funeral in the land of the dead
and a banquet throngs within the grave's abode.
And a gathering call in the land of the grave.
للدَّهرِfor Time فيin كلِّevery عينٍeye دَمعَةٌa tear قَطَرَتْhas dripped
للدَّهرِ في كلِّ عينٍ دَمعَةٌ قَطَرَتْ
منهُon its account وفيand in كلِevery قلبٍheart جَمْرةٌan ember تَقِدُburns
منهُ وفي كلِ قلبٍ جَمْرةٌ تَقِدُ
Time has, in every eye, a tear that has fallen
Fate drops a tear from every eye that flows
on its account, and in every heart an ember burns.
And a burning coal that flames in every heart.
مَتَىwhenever تُرِدْyou wish أنto تَعُدَّcount السالِمينَthe unscathed فضَعْthen put
مَتَى تُرِدْ أن تَعُدَّ السالِمينَ فضَعْ
صِفراًa zero علىon الطِّرسِthe page حتىuntil يحدُثَappears العَدَدُthe number
صِفراً على الطِّرسِ حتى يحدُثَ العَدَدُ
Whenever you wish to count the unscathed, put
When will you count the unharmed? Then set
a zero on the page until a number appears.
A counter on your rosary until the number comes.
أستَودعُI entrust اللهَGod مَنthe one who بالأمسِyesterday وَدَّعَنيbade me farewell
أستَودعُ اللهَ مَن بالأمسِ وَدَّعَني
كُرهاًunwillingly فَوَدَّعَso bade farewell قلبيmy heart الصَّبرُpatience والجَلَدُand fortitude
كُرهاً فَوَدَّعَ قلبي الصَّبرُ والجَلَدُ
I entrust to God the one who bade me farewell yesterday,
I commend to God whoever yesterday bade me farewell,
against his will; then patience and fortitude bade my heart farewell.
Though against my will―patience and steadfastness have left my heart.
ماnot زالَceased يَصحبُناkeeps us company دَهراًfor an age ويُؤُنِسُناand comforts us
ما زالَ يَصحبُنا دَهراً ويُؤُنِسُنا
فماso what لهُwith him صارَhas become عناapart from us اليومَtoday يَنفرِدُwithdraws
فما لهُ صارَ عنا اليومَ يَنفرِدُ
He long kept us company and brought us solace;
He kept us company for ages and comforted us,
why, then, has he withdrawn from us today?
Why has he now parted from us today?
قدindeed نازَعتْناcontended with us المناياdeaths شَخصَهُhis person حَسَداًout of envy
قد نازَعتْنا المنايا شَخصَهُ حَسَداً
وَيلاهُalas! حتَّىeven المناياdeaths عِندَهاwithin them الحَسَدُenvy
وَيلاهُ حتَّى المنايا عِندَها الحَسَدُ
Death contended with us for him out of envy;
Death competed with us out of envy for his person
alas! Even Death harbors envy.
And misery, until even death was envious.
تَسطُوassails عليناagainst us بلاwithout كَفٍّa hand ولاnor عَضُدٍan arm
تَسطُو علينا بلا كَفٍّ ولا عَضُدٍ
وليسَand not يَنفَعُavails مِنَّاof ours الكَفُّthe hand والعَضُدُand the arm
وليسَ يَنفَعُ مِنَّا الكَفُّ والعَضُدُ
It assails us without a hand or an arm,
It tyrannizes us without restraint or support,
and neither our hand nor our arm can help.
And from us neither palms nor arms are useful.
قدindeed غابَhas set فيin الشَّرقِthe east بدرٌa full moon فيat الضُّحَىmidmorning عَجَباًhow strange!
قد غابَ في الشَّرقِ بدرٌ في الضُّحَى عَجَباً
فأبصَرَso saw النّاسُthe people منهُof it غيرَother than ماwhat عَهِدواthey had known
فأبصَرَ النّاسُ منهُ غيرَ ما عَهِدوا
A full moon has set in the east at midmorning—how strange!
A full moon has disappeared in the east―strangely―
so people saw in it something unlike what they had known.
And people saw in it other than what they were used to.
لوif أنصفتْهُhad treated him fairly دَراريbrilliant stars of الأُفْقِthe horizon ماnot طَلَعتْhad risen
لو أنصفتْهُ دَراري الأُفْقِ ما طَلَعتْ
حُزْناًin grief عليهfor him وغَشّىand veiled أُفْقَهاtheir horizon الكَمَدُsorrow
حُزْناً عليه وغَشّى أُفْقَها الكَمَدُ
Had the horizon's brilliant stars done him justice, they would not have risen,
If the horizons had pitied it, they would not have risen
out of grief for him, and sorrow would have veiled their horizon.
In grief over it, and sadness would have covered its horizons.
ياO أيُّهاyou المضجَعُresting place الميمونُblessed طالعُهُits fortune
يا أيُّها المضجَعُ الميمونُ طالعُهُ
هلhas ...? ضَمَّembraced كمنْlike the one whom تحويهِyou hold him أوor بَلَدُa land
هل ضَمَّ كمنْ تحويهِ أو بَلَدُ
O resting place whose fortune is blessed,
O blessed resting place, was he who occupies you
has any resting place or land embraced one like the one you hold?
Embraced or did the country know him?
أكرِمْhonor لَكَfor you اللهُGod ضَيفاًa guest قدindeed ظَفِرتَyou have won بهِhim
أكرِمْ لَكَ اللهُ ضَيفاً قد ظَفِرتَ بهِ
فطالماfor so often أكرَمَhe honored الضِيفانَthe guests إذwhen وَفدواthey arrived
فطالما أكرَمَ الضِيفانَ إذ وَفدوا
Honor—God be with you—the guest you have won,
May God honor you with a guest you have obtained,
for so often he honored guests when they arrived.
For guest and host have always honored each other when they arrive.
واعرِفْand recognize جَلالَةthe majesty of شخصٍa person فيكwithin you قدindeed عَرَفتْhave recognized
واعرِفْ جَلالَة شخصٍ فيك قد عَرَفتْ
مَقامَهُhis standing كُبراءُthe great among الناسِpeople والعُمَدُand the pillars
مَقامَهُ كُبراءُ الناسِ والعُمَدُ
And know the majesty of one within you; they have recognized
Recognize the eminence of one whose station
his standing—the great among men and the pillars of society.
The elite of mankind and pillars have acknowledged.
واحرِصْand be watchful علىover كلِّevery عَظمٍbone منof مَفاصلِهِhis joints
واحرِصْ على كلِّ عَظمٍ من مَفاصلِهِ
فذاكfor that منamong أشرَفِthe noblest الآثارِrelics يُعتَقدُis deemed
فذاك من أشرَفِ الآثارِ يُعتَقدُ
And guard every bone of his joints,
Take care of every bone among his joints
for that is held to be among the noblest relics.
For that is believed to be the noblest relic.
ياO مَنْyou who سَكِرتَyou became drunk وليسَand is not السُّكْرُdrunkenness عادتَهُhis habit
يا مَنْ سَكِرتَ وليسَ السُّكْرُ عادتَهُ
بخَمْرةٍon wine لمhas not يُفِقْsobered up منfrom سُكرِهاits intoxication أحَدُanyone
بخَمْرةٍ لم يُفِقْ من سُكرِها أحَدُ
O you who became drunk, though drunkenness was not your habit,
O you made drunk without wine being your habit,
on a wine from whose intoxication no one has recovered.
From whose drunkenness none awakens!
أراكَI see you بالقُرْبِnearby منِّيfrom me غيرَnot مُبتعِدٍfar away
أراكَ بالقُرْبِ منِّي غيرَ مُبتعِدٍ
وأنتَand you أبعَدُthe farthest مَنْthose who فيon الأرضِthe earth يَبتِعدُgoes away
وأنتَ أبعَدُ مَنْ في الأرضِ يَبتِعدُ
I see you near me, not far away,
I see you near me, not keeping your distance,
yet you are the farthest away of all who depart on earth.
Yet you are further than anyone in the world who distances himself.
ماwhat a نومةٌsleep لَكَyours يومُthe Day of الحَشْرِResurrection مَوعِدُهاits appointed time
ما نومةٌ لَكَ يومُ الحَشْرِ مَوعِدُها
ويحيwoe is me وماand what an غيبةٌabsence ميعادُهاits appointed term الأبَدُeternity
ويحي وما غيبةٌ ميعادُها الأبَدُ
What a sleep is yours, whose appointed term is Resurrection Day!
You have no awakening on the Day of Assembly,
Woe is me! And what an absence, whose term is eternity!
Oh woe! What absence whose appointment is endless!
ماwhat بالُthe matter with عينيِكَyour eyes لاnot تَنفَكُّcease مُغمضَةًclosed
ما بالُ عينيِكَ لا تَنفَكُّ مُغمضَةً
جُفُونُهاtheir eyelids وبِعينيand in my eye لاnot بهاin them الرَمدُeye inflammation
جُفُونُها وبِعيني لا بها الرَمدُ
What ails your eyes, with their ever-closed
Why do your eyes not cease to remain shut
lids, when the inflammation is in my eye, not theirs?
Their eyelids, while mine have no rheum?
هذِهْthis هيَit النَظْرَةُthe look الأخرىthe last نُزوَّدُهاwe are provisioned with it
هذِهْ هيَ النَظْرَةُ الأخرى نُزوَّدُها
فهلso will ...? بِزادِwith sustenance of حُدِيثٍa little talk منكَfrom you نُفتَقَدُwe are sought out
فهل بِزادِ حُدِيثٍ منكَ نُفتَقَدُ
This is the final look we are given as provision;
This is the last glance we bid him farewell with―
so will we be sought out with the sustenance of a few words from you?
So, do we lack conversation from you to ask about?
وهلand will ...? تُرَدُّbe returned علىacross بُعدٍdistance تحيِتُّناour greeting
وهل تُرَدُّ على بُعدٍ تحيِتُّنا
وهلand will ...? تُؤَدَّىbe conveyed رِسالاتٌmessages لناto us تَرِدُcome
وهل تُؤَدَّى رِسالاتٌ لنا تَرِدُ
And will our greeting be returned across the distance?
Will you return our greetings from afar
And will messages be conveyed to reach us?
And will messages for us come back?
عَلوتَyou have risen ياO أيُّهاyou العاليlofty one إلىto فَلَكٍa celestial sphere
عَلوتَ يا أيُّها العالي إلى فَلَكٍ
قدindeed طالَlong extended منكَfrom you إلىtoward ماwhat فَوقَهُabove it الرَّصَدُobservation
قد طالَ منكَ إلى ما فَوقَهُ الرَّصَدُ
You have risen, O lofty one, to a celestial sphere
You ascended, O Most High, to a sphere
above which your observations had long ranged.
Whose furthest range from you is beyond sighting.
أنتَyou الغريبُthe stranger ومَنْand who ليfor me أنthat يكُونَthere will be لناfor us
أنتَ الغريبُ ومَنْ لي أن يكُونَ لنا
غرائبٌmarvels فيin أساليبَthe forms of الرِّثاelegy جُدُدُnew
غرائبٌ في أساليبَ الرِّثا جُدُدُ
You are the stranger; who can assure me we shall have
You are the stranger―and who do I have
new marvels in the forms of elegy?
That there should be strangenesses in elegy for us?
جادَتْpoured generously علىupon قَبرِكَyour grave الأنواءُthe rains باكيةًweeping
جادَتْ على قَبرِكَ الأنواءُ باكيةً
كأنَّماas though قدalready عراهاhad overtaken them الغَمُّgrief والنَكَدُand misery
كأنَّما قد عراها الغَمُّ والنَكَدُ
The rains poured generously upon your grave, weeping,
The gusts of wind blew over your grave, weeping,
as though grief and misery had overtaken them.
As if grief and sadness had stripped them naked.
هذاthis هُوَit المَنزِلُthe home الباقيlasting وعُدَّتُهُand its provision
هذا هُوَ المَنزِلُ الباقي وعُدَّتُهُ
هيit الذَّخيرةُthe treasure لاnot مالٌwealth ولاnor وَلَدُoffspring
هي الذَّخيرةُ لا مالٌ ولا وَلَدُ
This is the abiding home, and its provision
This is the lasting residence, its supplies
is the treasure, not wealth or children.
Are provisions―not money or children.
Sol 6.1