لاdo not تَأمنtrust الدَهرTime اِنّindeed الدَهرTime خَوّانtreacherous
لا تَأمن الدَهر اِنّ الدَهر خَوّان
يُعطىis given ولكِنand yet عَطاءgiving الدَهرِTime حِرمانdeprivation
يُعطى ولكِن عَطاء الدَهرِ حِرمان
Do not trust Time; Time is treacherous.
Do not trust time, for time is treacherous
One receives, yet Time's giving is deprivation.
It gives but the gifts of time are privation
وَلاand do not تَخلsuppose أَنthat عينthe eye of الدَهرTime نائِمَةasleep
وَلا تَخل أَن عين الدَهر نائِمَة
الدَهرTime يَقظانwakeful وَالاِنسانand humankind وَسنانdrowsy
الدَهر يَقظان وَالاِنسان وَسنان
Do not suppose that Time's eye is asleep.
Think not the eyes of time are sleeping
Time is wakeful, while humankind is drowsy.
Time is awake while man is nodding
لاdo not تَحسِبَنever suppose المَناياthe fates of death عَنكَof you غافِلَةheedless
لا تَحسِبَن المَنايا عَنكَ غافِلَة
لَهاthey have اِلَيكَtoward you وَاِنand though لَمnot تَدرyou know اِمعانintent scrutiny
لَها اِلَيكَ وَاِن لَم تَدر اِمعان
Do not think the fates of death are heedless of you.
Reckon not that death is heedless of you
They watch you intently, though you do not know.
It has its sights on you, though you see it not
لاdo not تَبكweep for شيخاan elder توارىvanished فيinto الترابthe earth فَكمfor how many
لا تَبك شيخا توارى في التراب فَكم
فيin التُربthe dust منamong أَنبِياءthe prophets of اللَهGod اِنسانa person
في التُرب من أَنبِياء اللَه اِنسان
Do not weep for an elder hidden in the earth; how many
Weep not for an old man hidden in dust
a man among God's prophets lies in the dust.
In the earth are many of God's prophets and men
أَينَwhere المُلوكِthe kings وَأَينَand where التابِعونَthe followers لَهُمof theirs
أَينَ المُلوكِ وَأَينَ التابِعونَ لَهُم
فيin العِزglory أَمor أَينَwhere يونانYunan وَسوسانand Susan
في العِز أَم أَينَ يونان وَسوسان
Where are the kings, and where are their followers
Where are the kings and their followers?
in glory? Or where are Yunan and Susan?
In glory or where are Jonah and lizard?
هَلdid? أَكرَمhonor المَوتdeath ذاone possessing عزmight لعزتهfor his might
هَل أَكرَم المَوت ذا عز لعزته
أَمor هَلdid? نَجاescape مِنهُfrom it بِالاموالِthrough wealth سُلطانa sovereign
أَم هَل نَجا مِنهُ بِالاموالِ سُلطان
Did death honor a mighty man for his might?
Did death honor the noble for their nobility?
Or did a sovereign escape it through wealth?
Or did a sultan escape it with wealth?
كَمhow many مِنamong مُلوكkings رَماهُمstruck them رَيبthe vicissitudes of دَهرِهِمtheir time
كَم مِن مُلوك رَماهُم رَيب دَهرِهِم
فَاِصبَحواso they became وَهُمwhile they فيin التُربِthe dust سكانdwellers
فَاِصبَحوا وَهُم في التُربِ سكان
How many kings were struck by their age's vicissitudes,
How many kings has the caprice of time cast down
and so became dwellers in the dust!
Till they woke in the dust, settled there
كانواthey were بِملكwith dominion وَمَجدand glory شامِخtowering وَغَدواand became
كانوا بِملك وَمَجد شامِخ وَغَدوا
كَأَنَّهُمas though they بَعدafter ذاكَthat العزglory ماnot كانواthey existed
كَأَنَّهُم بَعد ذاكَ العز ما كانوا
They held dominion and towering glory, and became
They had a kingdom, glory, and grandeur
as though, after that glory, they had never existed.
But after that glory, it was as if they never were
وَكَمand how many رَئيسa chief عَزيزmighty قَدindeed تحكمexercised mastery فيover
وَكَم رَئيس عَزيز قَد تحكم في
جُثمانِهhis corpse بَعدafter ذاكَthat العِزglory ماnot كانواthey were
جُثمانِه بَعد ذاكَ العِز ما كانوا
And how many a mighty chief has had mastery exercised over
And how many a mighty prince has had
his corpse after that glory—'they were not' [wording unclear].
No power over his body, after that grandeur
كُلevery اِبنson of أُنثىa woman فانfor indeed المَوتdeath يَصرعَهstrikes him down
كُل اِبن أُنثى فان المَوت يَصرعَه
قَدindeed اِستَوىare equal فيهِin it أَشياخold men وَشُبّانand youths
قَد اِستَوى فيهِ أَشياخ وَشُبّان
Every son of a woman—death indeed strikes him down.
Death lays low every son of woman
Before it, old men and youths are equal.
Elders and youths are equal in its grasp
تِلكَthose اللَياليnights اِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) أَحسَنتthey show kindness فَلَهاthen they have
تِلكَ اللَيالي اِذا ما أَحسَنت فَلَها
فيin ضِمنthe midst of اِحسانِهاtheir kindness لِلمَرءfor a person اِحزانcausing grief
في ضِمن اِحسانِها لِلمَرء اِحزان
Those nights, whenever they show kindness, hold
Those nights - if they are gentle, still
grief for a man within their kindness.
In their kindness to a man are sorrows
يَوَدّdesires مِنهاfrom them الفَتىthe young man المَغرورdeluded نصرتهاtheir aid
يَوَدّ مِنها الفَتى المَغرور نصرتها
وَاِنَّماand only نصرهاtheir aid لِلمَرءfor a person خِذلانabandonment
وَاِنَّما نصرها لِلمَرء خِذلان
The deluded youth longs for their aid,
The deluded youth longs for their help
yet their aid to a man is nothing but abandonment.
But their aid to a man is desertion
يَظُنُّhe thinks متجرهاtheir commerce رِبحاprofit فَيَتبَعَهاso he follows them
يَظُنُّ متجرها رِبحا فَيَتبَعَها
وَماand not دَرىhe knew اِنthat ذاكَthat الرِبحprofit خَسرانloss
وَما دَرى اِن ذاكَ الرِبح خَسران
He thinks their commerce profitable, and so follows them,
He thinks consorting with them is profit
and did not know that such profit is loss.
Not knowing that profit is loss
لَمnot يَبقَremain شَيءanything بِحالin a state واحِدsingle أَبداever
لَم يَبقَ شَيء بِحال واحِد أَبدا
جَرىhas passed عَلىover ماwhat تَرىyou see دَهرTime وَأَزمانand ages
جَرى عَلى ما تَرى دَهر وَأَزمان
Nothing has ever remained in one state;
Nothing stays forever in one state
Time and ages have passed over what you see.
Time and eras run their course
فَالشَمسُfor the sun تَكسِفis eclipsed وَالافلاكand the celestial spheres دائِرَةrevolving
فَالشَمسُ تَكسِف وَالافلاك دائِرَة
وَالبَدرand the full moon لابُدّinevitably يَبدوappears فيهِin it نُقصانwaning
وَالبَدر لابُدّ يَبدو فيهِ نُقصان
For the sun is eclipsed while the celestial spheres revolve,
The sun is eclipsed, the stars revolve
and the full moon must inevitably show waning.
The moon must wax and wane
وَالدَهرُand Time يَفجَعbereaves وَالاِيّامand the days راحَلَةa riding mount
وَالدَهرُ يَفجَع وَالاِيّام راحَلَة
تَعدوraces بِراكِبِهاwith its rider وَالعُمرُand a lifetime ميدانa racecourse
تَعدو بِراكِبِها وَالعُمرُ ميدان
Time brings bereavement, and the days are a mount
Time brings anguish, days travel on
that races with its rider, while a lifetime is the racecourse.
Galloping with their rider, and life is an arena
وَالمُلكُand sovereignty لِلَّهِbelongs to God لَيسَis not الاِمرauthority مُشتَرِكاshared
وَالمُلكُ لِلَّهِ لَيسَ الاِمر مُشتَرِكا
وَلَيسَand there are no لِلَّهِfor God فيin الاحكامjudgments أَعوانhelpers
وَلَيسَ لِلَّهِ في الاحكام أَعوان
Sovereignty belongs to God; authority is not shared,
To God belongs the kingdom, rule is not shared
and God has no helpers in His judgments.
And God has no helpers in His judgements
وَالمَوتُand death حقa certainty وَلكِنand yet لَيسَis not كلevery فَتىyoung man
وَالمَوتُ حق وَلكِن لَيسَ كل فَتى
يَبكيis wept over عَلَيهِfor him اِذاwhen يَعروهbefalls him فُقدانloss
يَبكي عَلَيهِ اِذا يَعروه فُقدان
Death is certain, yet not every young man
Death is truth, though not every youth
is mourned when loss befalls him.
Weeps for him when loss makes itself known
وَلَيسَand not مَوتthe death of اِمرىءa man شاعَتbecame widely known فَضائِلُهhis virtues
وَلَيسَ مَوت اِمرىء شاعَت فَضائِلُه
كَمَوتlike the death of مَنone who لاnot لَهhe has فَضلmerit وَعرفانand knowledge
كَمَوت مَن لا لَه فَضل وَعرفان
Nor is the death of a man whose virtues are widely known
A man of widespread virtues does not die
like the death of one with neither merit nor knowledge.
Like one who has no merit or renown
مَوتthe death of العُلومthe sciences بِمَوتwith the death of العارِفينthose who know بِهاabout them
مَوت العُلوم بِمَوت العارِفين بِها
وَمَوتِهِمand their death لِخَرابِof the ruin of الدارِthe abode عُنوانa sign
وَمَوتِهِم لِخَرابِ الدارِ عُنوان
The sciences die when those who know them die,
Sciences die with the death of those who know them
and their death is a sign of the abode's ruin.
And their death is a sign of the ruin of the abode
حادىdriver of المَطاياthe mounts بِهِمwith them مَهلاgently فَبُعدُهُمfor their absence
حادى المَطايا بِهِم مَهلا فَبُعدُهُم
لاnot الناسُthe people ناسpeople وَلاand not البُلدانthe lands بُلدانlands
لا الناسُ ناس وَلا البُلدان بُلدان
O driver of the mounts bearing them, gently! For in their absence,
Restrain the steeds a while, for after them
people are no longer people, nor are lands lands.
People are not people, and countries not countries
وَأَنتَand you ياO دَهرُTime فَاِفعَلthen do ماwhat تَشاءُyou wish فَقَدfor already
وَأَنتَ يا دَهرُ فَاِفعَل ما تَشاءُ فَقَد
تَهَدّمتhave crumbled منamong رُسومِthe landmarks of العِلمِlearning أَركانpillars
تَهَدّمت من رُسومِ العِلمِ أَركان
And you, O Time, do whatever you will, for already
And you, O Time, do what you will, for indeed
pillars among the landmarks of learning have crumbled.
The pillars of knowledge are demolished
فيin كُلevery يَومٍday نَرىwe see أَهلthe people of الفَضائِلِvirtues فيin
في كُل يَومٍ نَرى أَهل الفَضائِلِ في
نُقصانdecline عَدّnumber وَلِلجهالand for the ignorant رُجحانascendancy
نُقصان عَدّ وَلِلجهال رُجحان
Every day we see the people of virtue in
Daily we see the people of virtue
declining numbers, while the ignorant gain ascendancy.
Declining in number, and fools proliferating
قَدindeed ماتَhas died منthe one who كانَwas فيin كُلّall العُلومِthe sciences لَهُhe had
قَد ماتَ من كانَ في كُلّ العُلومِ لَهُ
باعَreach طَويلlong وَتَحقيقand rigorous inquiry وَاِتِّقانand mastery
باعَ طَويل وَتَحقيق وَاِتِّقان
He has died who, in every science, had
He who was master of every science is dead
a long reach, rigorous inquiry, and mastery.
With his expansive knowledge, care, and perfection
بَحرsea of العُلومِthe sciences الخَليفىal-Khalifi رَوضَةُgarden of الفَضلاthe learned
بَحر العُلومِ الخَليفى رَوضَةُ الفَضلا
كَمhow many أَثمَرَتbore fruit مِنهُfrom him لِلطلابfor students أَغصانbranches
كَم أَثمَرَت مِنهُ لِلطلاب أَغصان
The sea of learning, al-Khalifi, the garden of the learned—
The caliph, garden of virtue -
how many branches from him bore fruit for students!
How many branches it yielded to students!
ياO مَنyou who يَرومُaspires to مَداهُhis reach لاdo not تَرمaim شَططاtoo far
يا مَن يَرومُ مَداهُ لا تَرم شَططا
لاnot يَستَويequal بِجِيادwith the finest الخَيلhorses عُرجانlame ones
لا يَستَوي بِجِياد الخَيل عُرجان
O you who aspire to his reach, do not aim too far;
O you who seek its reach, do not overstep
lame horses cannot equal the finest steeds.
The lame do not compete with racers
اِنif طالَlasted long نوحيmy lament عَلَيهِover him أَوor بكايَmy weeping لَهُfor him
اِن طالَ نوحي عَلَيهِ أَو بكايَ لَهُ
فَتِلكَthen that نفثَةa sigh مَصدورone sick at heart لَهhe has شانa concern
فَتِلكَ نفثَة مَصدور لَه شان
If my lament over him, or my weeping for him, is prolonged,
If I weep long for him or bewail him
then that is a sigh from one sick at heart, with a concern of his own.
That is the venting permitted to one of worth
سامَhe sought اِصطِباريmy patience فاعياso proved too difficult نيلهits attainment فَغَداso he became
سامَ اِصطِباري فاعيا نيله فَغَدا
وَدَمعُهُand his tears فيهin it هَدّارroaring وَهَتّانand pouring
وَدَمعُهُ فيه هَدّار وَهَتّان
He sought my patience, but could not attain it; so he was left
My patience was resolute, driving me to attain it
with his tears, in that state, roaring and pouring.
While his tears upon it flowed unrestrained
بشرهgive him glad tidings بِالخَيرof goodness وَاِعذرand excuse منthe one who يُؤَرّخهrecords his date
بشره بِالخَير وَاِعذر من يُؤَرّخه
فَلِلخَليفيso, for al-Khalifi لماwhen آبhe returned أَفنانboughs
فَلِلخَليفي لما آب أَفنان
Give him glad tidings of good, and excuse the one who records his date:
Give him good tidings and pardon one who memorializes him
for al-Khalifi, when he returned, there are boughs.
For the caliph has departed to where all must go
ياO رَبLord أَنزِلsend down عَلَيهِupon him مِنكَfrom You مرحمةmercy
يا رَب أَنزِل عَلَيهِ مِنكَ مرحمة
فَاِنتَfor You ياO رَبLord غَفّارAll-Forgiving وَرَحمنand Most Merciful
فَاِنتَ يا رَب غَفّار وَرَحمن
O Lord, send down upon him mercy from You,
O Lord, bestow on him mercy from You
for You, O Lord, are All-Forgiving and Most Merciful.
For You, O Lord, are Forgiving and Merciful
وَأَذنand permit لِسَحبfor clouds of صَلاةblessing لِلَّذيfor the one who شرفتwere ennobled
وَأَذن لِسَحب صَلاة لِلَّذي شرفت
بِهِthrough him القَبائِلthe tribes عَدنانAdnan وَقَحطانand Qahtan
بِهِ القَبائِل عَدنان وَقَحطان
And permit clouds of blessing for the one through whom
And permit that prayers be offered for him
the tribes were ennobled—Adnan and Qahtan.
By whom You ennobled the tribes of Adnan and Qahtan
Sol 6.1