ماwhat يرتَجيهِhe hopes for it المرءُa man منfrom مولودهِhis newborn
ما يرتَجيهِ المرءُ من مولودهِ
غيرَnothing but اللِّحاقِjoining بسالفاتِwith the bygone generations of جُدودهِhis forefathers
غيرَ اللِّحاقِ بسالفاتِ جُدودهِ
What a man hopes for from his newborn
Is nothing but reunion with his forefathers of old.
فلْيُعدِدِso let him prepare الأكفانَthe shrouds قبلَbefore ثيابِهِhis clothes
فلْيُعدِدِ الأكفانَ قبلَ ثيابِهِ
والنَّعشَand the bier قبلَbefore سريرهِhis bed ومُهودِهِand his cradles
والنَّعشَ قبلَ سريرهِ ومُهودِهِ
So let him prepare the shrouds before his clothes,
And the bier before his bed and cradles.
يَقضيspends الزَّمانَtime المرءُa man فيin خَطَرٍperil فقدfor indeed
يَقضي الزَّمانَ المرءُ في خَطَرٍ فقد
مَزَجَتhas mingled مَناحتُهُhis mourning فَكاهَةthe mirth of عيدِهِhis feast day
مَزَجَت مَناحتُهُ فَكاهَة عيدِهِ
A man passes his time in peril, for indeed
His mourning has mingled with his feast-day mirth.
الموتُdeath بينَbetween صباحهِhis morning ومَسائهِand his evening
الموتُ بينَ صباحهِ ومَسائهِ
ومَنامِهِand his sleep وقيامهِand his rising وقُعودِهِand his sitting
ومَنامِهِ وقيامهِ وقُعودِهِ
Death lies between his morning and his evening,
And between his sleep, his rising, and his sitting.
يتلوrecites عليناto us الميتُthe dead man أفصحَthe most eloquent خُطبةٍsermon
يتلو علينا الميتُ أفصحَ خُطبةٍ
كتِلاوةِlike the recitation of القُرآنِthe Qur'an فيin تَجويدهِits proper intonation
كتِلاوةِ القُرآنِ في تَجويدهِ
The dead man recites to us the most eloquent sermon,
Like the Qur'an recited with proper intonation.
والحيُّand the living man عنof إنذارهِhis warning مُتَغافِلٌdeliberately heedless
والحيُّ عن إنذارهِ مُتَغافِلٌ
حتىso that تَراهُyou see him كطامعٍlike one hoping بخُلودهِfor his immortality
حتى تَراهُ كطامعٍ بخُلودهِ
Yet the living man willfully ignores his warning,
So that you see him as one hoping for immortality.
الموتُdeath أخبَثُthe foulest ماthat which يكونexists مَذاقةًin taste
الموتُ أخبَثُ ما يكون مَذاقةً
وأشَدُّand the direst خَطْبٍcalamity هالَstruck terror عندat وُفودهِits arrival
وأشَدُّ خَطْبٍ هالَ عند وُفودهِ
Death has the foulest taste there is,
And is the direst calamity, terrifying upon its arrival.
كلُّall الشَّدائدِhardships ليسare not تُحسَبُreckoned عندهُbeside it
كلُّ الشَّدائدِ ليس تُحسَبُ عندهُ
إلاّexcept كأدنىas the slightest قِشْرةٍflake of bark منfrom عُودِهِits wood
إلاّ كأدنى قِشْرةٍ من عُودِهِ
All hardships count for nothing beside it,
Except as the merest flake of bark from its wood.
لوif خُيِّرَwere given a choice السُّلطانُthe sultan لاختارَhe would surely choose البَقاsurvival
لو خُيِّرَ السُّلطانُ لاختارَ البَقا
ويكونَand be عبداًa slave منamong أقلِّthe humblest of عبيدهِhis slaves
ويكونَ عبداً من أقلِّ عبيدهِ
Were the sultan given a choice, he would choose survival,
And be a slave among his humblest slaves.
ويودُّand wishes مَنwhoever فيin السِّجنprison أنto يبقىremain بهin it
ويودُّ مَن في السِّجن أن يبقى به
حيّاًalive يعيشُliving معذَّباًtormented بقيودِهِby his chains
حيّاً يعيشُ معذَّباً بقيودِهِ
And the prisoner wishes to remain within it,
Alive, living tormented by his chains.
هذاthis الذيthat which قَهَرَconquered الملوكَkings بنفسهِby itself
هذا الذي قَهَرَ الملوكَ بنفسهِ
لاnot باعتدادِby reliance on سِلاحهِits weapons وجُنودِهِand its troops
لا باعتدادِ سِلاحهِ وجُنودِهِ
This is what has conquered kings on its own,
Not by relying on its weapons and its troops.
كلُّall الجبابرةِtyrants الأعِزَّةِthe mighty عندَهُbefore it
كلُّ الجبابرةِ الأعِزَّةِ عندَهُ
مثلُlike الدُّخانِsmoke يَبيدُvanishes بعدَafter صُعودِهِits ascent
مثلُ الدُّخانِ يَبيدُ بعدَ صُعودِهِ
All mighty tyrants before it
Are like smoke that vanishes after rising.
مَنwhoever كانَused to يَفترِسُdevour الأُسُودَlions نراهُwe see him قدalready
مَن كانَ يَفترِسُ الأُسُودَ نراهُ قد
نَزَلَdescended into الثَّرَىthe soil فغداand so became فريسةَprey to دُودِهِits worms
نَزَلَ الثَّرَى فغدا فريسةَ دُودِهِ
He who once devoured lions—we see that he has
Gone down into the soil and become prey to its worms.
والمالِكُand the master of الأعناقِnecks أمسَىhas become عُنْقُهُhis neck
والمالِكُ الأعناقِ أمسَى عُنْقُهُ
مِلكَthe property of الدَّبيبِcrawling creatures مُشَبَّثاًfastened بوريدِهِto his jugular vein
مِلكَ الدَّبيبِ مُشَبَّثاً بوريدِهِ
And the master of men's necks—his neck has become
The property of crawling creatures clinging to his jugular.
ياO رحمةَmercy of اللهِGod الكريمِthe Generous تعهَّديwatch over
يا رحمةَ اللهِ الكريمِ تعهَّدي
شخصاًa person كبدرٍlike a full moon حلَّsettled in سَعْدَthe auspicious station of سُعودِهِhis lucky stars
شخصاً كبدرٍ حلَّ سَعْدَ سُعودِهِ
O mercy of God the Generous, watch over
A man like a full moon, settled in its most auspicious station.
ناحَتwailed عليهِover him الباكياتُthe weeping women فأذهلَتand so distracted
ناحَت عليهِ الباكياتُ فأذهلَت
بنُواحِهاwith their wailing القُمْريَّthe turtledove عنfrom تَغريدِهِits song
بنُواحِها القُمْريَّ عن تَغريدِهِ
The weeping women wailed for him, and distracted
The turtledove from its song with their lament.
قدindeed علَّمَtaught التَّصعيدَrising sighs (sublimation) صَدْرَthe breast of مُحبِّهِone who loved him
قد علَّمَ التَّصعيدَ صَدْرَ مُحبِّهِ
فتعلَّمَso it learned التَّقطيرَdistillation (tear-dripping) منfrom تَصعيدِهِits rising sighs
فتعلَّمَ التَّقطيرَ من تَصعيدِهِ
He taught his lover's breast to send up sighs;
So it learned to distill tears from its rising sighs.
سَهرانُsleepless يَرعَىwatches النَّجمَthe star وَهوَand it is جليسُهُhis companion
سَهرانُ يَرعَى النَّجمَ وَهوَ جليسُهُ
وإذاand if سألتَyou ask فذاكَthen that بعضُone of شُهودِهِhis witnesses
وإذا سألتَ فذاكَ بعضُ شُهودِهِ
Sleepless, he watches the star, his companion;
And if you ask, that is one of his witnesses.
قدindeed ساءَhas worsened خُلْقُthe character of الدَّهْرِtime حتَّىto the point that إنَّهُindeed it
قد ساءَ خُلْقُ الدَّهْرِ حتَّى إنَّهُ
لمdid not يَرْعَhonor حقَّthe due of شهابهِits Shihab ومجيدِهِand its Majid
لم يَرْعَ حقَّ شهابهِ ومجيدِهِ
Time's character has grown so wicked that
It did not honor the rights of its Shihab and its Majid.
غَدَرَbetrayed المجيدَMajid ابنَson of الشِّهابِShihab بجهلِهِin its ignorance
غَدَرَ المجيدَ ابنَ الشِّهابِ بجهلِهِ
فوَفَىso did justice بحقِّto the claim of الحُزنِgrief دمعُthe tears of رشيدِهِhis Rashid
فوَفَى بحقِّ الحُزنِ دمعُ رشيدِهِ
In its ignorance, it betrayed Majid, son of Shihab;
So the tears of his Rashid paid grief its due.
قدindeed سارَjourneyed تحتَbeneath لفائفِthe folds of الأكفانِthe shrouds مَنhe who
قد سارَ تحتَ لفائفِ الأكفانِ مَن
كانتused to تَسيرُmarch النَّاسُthe people تحتَbeneath بُنودِهِhis banners
كانت تَسيرُ النَّاسُ تحتَ بُنودِهِ
Beneath the folds of shrouds has journeyed the man
Under whose banners the people used to march.
حَمَلَتهُbore him أكتافُthe shoulders of الرِّجالِthe men وخيلهُand his horses
حَمَلَتهُ أكتافُ الرِّجالِ وخيلهُ
ترنوgaze لحاملهِat his bearer بعينِwith the eye of حَسودهِhis envier
ترنو لحاملهِ بعينِ حَسودهِ
Men's shoulders bore him, while his horses
Gaze at his bearer with an eye that envies him.
وَثَبَsprang الحِمامُdeath عَليهِupon him وِثبةَwith the leap of فاتكٍan assassin
وَثَبَ الحِمامُ عَليهِ وِثبةَ فاتكٍ
جَعَلَتmade نِصالَthe blades of سِلاحِهِhis weapons كغُمودِهِlike its sheaths
جَعَلَت نِصالَ سِلاحِهِ كغُمودِهِ
Death sprang upon him with an assassin's leap,
That made the blades of his weapons like their sheaths.
ومحافلُand the gatherings of الأُمَراءِthe princes حولَaround سريرهِhis bier
ومحافلُ الأُمَراءِ حولَ سريرهِ
لمcould not يَقدِرواmanage إلاّexcept علىto تَعديدِهِrecount his virtues
لم يَقدِروا إلاّ على تَعديدِهِ
And the gathered princes around his bier
Could do nothing but recount his virtues.
هذاthis عَمودٌa pillar كانwas رُكنَthe mainstay of عشيرةٍa clan
هذا عَمودٌ كان رُكنَ عشيرةٍ
صارتhas become كبُرجٍlike a tower مالَtilted خَطُّthe axis of عَمودهِits pillar
صارت كبُرجٍ مالَ خَطُّ عَمودهِ
This was a pillar, the mainstay of a clan
Now like a tower whose pillar's axis has tilted.
أخَذَtook الرِّئاسةَleadership مَنصِباًas an office عنfrom جَدِّهِhis grandfather
أخَذَ الرِّئاسةَ مَنصِباً عن جَدِّهِ
فكأنَّهُso it seems he أوصىbequeathed بهاit لحفيدهِto his grandson
فكأنَّهُ أوصى بها لحفيدهِ
He took the office of leadership from his grandfather,
As though he had bequeathed it to his grandson.
جادَwas generous الزمانُtime بهِwith him فكانَthen became كنادِمٍlike one regretting
جادَ الزمانُ بهِ فكانَ كنادِمٍ
ولذاكand for that reason صارbecame السَّلبُtaking away غايةَthe culmination of جُودِهِits generosity
ولذاك صار السَّلبُ غايةَ جُودِهِ
Time gave him generously, then seemed to regret it;
So taking him away became the culmination of its generosity.
والدَّهرُand time خازِنُthe treasurer of أهلهِits people لكنَّهُyet it
والدَّهرُ خازِنُ أهلهِ لكنَّهُ
فيin الصَّرفِspending يَبدأُbegins منwith أجَلِّthe most precious of نُقودِهِits coins
في الصَّرفِ يَبدأُ من أجَلِّ نُقودِهِ
Time is the treasurer of its people, yet
In spending, it begins with its most precious coins.
فيin ذِمَّةِthe protection of اللهGod الحَفيظِthe Protector مُسافِرٌa traveler
في ذِمَّةِ الله الحَفيظِ مُسافِرٌ
كانتwere قلوبُthe hearts of النَّاسِthe people منamong تزويدِهِhis provisions
كانت قلوبُ النَّاسِ من تزويدِهِ
In the keeping of God, the Protector, is a traveler
Whose provisions included the hearts of the people.
قامتْrose تودِّعُهُto bid him farewell الرِّجالُthe men فأودَعتْand so placed
قامتْ تودِّعُهُ الرِّجالُ فأودَعتْ
حَبَّthe kernels of القلوبِthe hearts قِلادةًas a necklace فيon جِيدِهِhis neck
حَبَّ القلوبِ قِلادةً في جِيدِهِ
The men rose to bid him farewell, and laid
The kernels of their hearts as a necklace about his neck.
عبدٌa servant إلىto مولاهُhis Lord جرَّدَstripped bare نفسَهُhimself
عبدٌ إلى مولاهُ جرَّدَ نفسَهُ
طوعاًwillingly فنالَand so attained الرَّفعَexaltation منthrough تجريدهِhis renunciation
طوعاً فنالَ الرَّفعَ من تجريدهِ
A servant who stripped himself bare for his Lord,
Willingly, gaining exaltation through his renunciation.
ضمَّتهُembraced him أجنِحَةُthe wings of المَلائكِthe angels بينَهاbetween them
ضمَّتهُ أجنِحَةُ المَلائكِ بينَها
كالحرفِlike a letter ضَمَّembraced أخاهُits brother فيin تشديدِهِits doubling
كالحرفِ ضَمَّ أخاهُ في تشديدِهِ
The angels' wings embraced him between them,
As a letter clasps its brother when doubled.
للهGod has سِرٌa mystery فيamong البريَّةِthe creatures غامضٌhidden
لله سِرٌ في البريَّةِ غامضٌ
وَقَفتْhalted عقولُthe minds of النَّاسِpeople عندat حُدُودهِits bounds
وَقَفتْ عقولُ النَّاسِ عند حُدُودهِ
God has a hidden mystery among His creatures,
At whose bounds human minds have halted.
لاnot يَهتديfinds guidance عِلمُthe science of النُّجومِthe stars برصدهِby observing it
لا يَهتدي عِلمُ النُّجومِ برصدهِ
ويضِلُّand goes astray عِلمُthe science of الرَّملِsand divination فيin توليدِهِits generation of figures
ويضِلُّ عِلمُ الرَّملِ في توليدِهِ
Astrology finds no guidance by observing it,
And geomancy goes astray in casting its figures.
عادَreturned التُّرابُthe dust إلىto حقيقةِthe true nature of أصلِهِits origin
عادَ التُّرابُ إلى حقيقةِ أصلِهِ
كالثَّلجِlike snow إذwhen يَنحَلُّcomes undone عَقدُthe knot of جُمودِهِits freezing
كالثَّلجِ إذ يَنحَلُّ عَقدُ جُمودِهِ
Dust has returned to the true nature of its origin,
Like snow when the knot of its freezing comes undone.
حُكمٌa decree قديمٌancient لاnot يزالُceases to be مُجَدَّداًrenewed
حُكمٌ قديمٌ لا يزالُ مُجَدَّداً
فنَروحُso we pass بينbetween قديمِهِits old form وجديدهِand its new form
فنَروحُ بين قديمِهِ وجديدهِ
An ancient decree, forever renewed,
So we pass between its old form and its new.
نمشيwe walk إليهtoward it كلَّevery يومٍday خَطوةًa step
نمشي إليه كلَّ يومٍ خَطوةً
فيكونُso becomes ذاكthat مُقرِّباًbringing nearer لبعيدهِits far-off moment
فيكونُ ذاك مُقرِّباً لبعيدهِ
We walk toward it a step each day,
And that brings its far-off moment nearer.
ولرُبَّماand sometimes يجريruns إليناtoward us خاطِفاًsnatching
ولرُبَّما يجري إلينا خاطِفاً
كالبرقِlike lightning يعدوgallops فوقَupon خيلthe horses of بريدِهِits courier service
كالبرقِ يعدو فوقَ خيل بريدِهِ
And sometimes it races toward us, snatching us away,
Like lightning, galloping upon its courier horses.
هذاthis الذيthat which لاno بُدَّescape منهُfrom it لكلِّfor every مَنone
هذا الذي لا بُدَّ منهُ لكلِّ مَن
فيon الأرضearth يحفَظُkeeps سالفاتِthe ancient ones of عُهودِهِits covenants
في الأرض يحفَظُ سالفاتِ عُهودِهِ
This is what is inevitable for everyone
On earth; it keeps its covenants of old.
يُشقيbrings misery ويُسعِدُand brings happiness تارةًat times بقدومِهِby its coming
يُشقي ويُسعِدُ تارةً بقدومِهِ
ويظَلُّand continues يمزُجُmixing وعدَهُits promise بوعيدهِwith its threat
ويظَلُّ يمزُجُ وعدَهُ بوعيدهِ
It brings misery and happiness at times by its coming,
And keeps mingling its promise with its threat.
منwhoever ماتَdied فيin ثوبِthe garment of الصَّلاحِrighteousness فإنَّهُthen indeed he
من ماتَ في ثوبِ الصَّلاحِ فإنَّهُ
قدindeed عاشَlived فالموتُfor death ارتجاعُthe regaining of وُلُودِهِhis birth
قد عاشَ فالموتُ ارتجاعُ وُلُودِهِ
Whoever dies in the robe of righteousness, indeed,
Has lived; death is his birth regained.
كانَwas الوُجودُexistence مُسبِّباًa cause لفنائِهِof his perishing
كانَ الوُجودُ مُسبِّباً لفنائِهِ
فغداso became الفَناءُperishing مُسبِّباًa cause لوُجودهِof his existence
فغدا الفَناءُ مُسبِّباً لوُجودهِ
Existence was the cause of his perishing,
And so perishing became the cause of his existence.
Sol 6.1