ياO خاطِبَsuitor of الدُنياthe world وَأَحداثُهاand its vicissitudes
يا خاطِبَ الدُنيا وَأَحداثُها
مِنهُat him وَمِنand at أَمثالِهِthose like him ساخِرَهmocking
مِنهُ وَمِن أَمثالِهِ ساخِرَه
O suitor of the world—its vicissitudes
O you who preach this world and its events,
mock him and those like him.
Mocking it and the like of it,
هَيهاتِfar from possible أَنthat يَدفَعَward off عَنكَfrom you الرَدىdeath
هَيهاتِ أَن يَدفَعَ عَنكَ الرَدى
ماwhat شِدتَyou erected مِنof أَبنِيَةٍbuildings فاخِرَهsplendid
ما شِدتَ مِن أَبنِيَةٍ فاخِرَه
Never will death be warded off from you
Alas! Your lofty buildings will not ward off ruin from you,
by the splendid buildings you have raised.
After you, another will enjoy them,
يَلهوamuses himself بِهاin them بَعدَكَafter you مُستَمتِعٌone taking pleasure
يَلهو بِها بَعدَكَ مُستَمتِعٌ
وَفيand in الثَرىthe earth أَعظُمُكَyour bones الناخِرَهdecaying
وَفي الثَرى أَعظُمُكَ الناخِرَه
After you, another will enjoy himself in them,
While your prominent skull lies crumbling in the grave.
while your decaying bones lie in the earth.
O how finely you have built these mansions!
ياO حُسنَbeauty of ماwhat شَيَّدتَyou built مِنof مَنزِلٍa dwelling
يا حُسنَ ما شَيَّدتَ مِن مَنزِلٍ
لَوif only كانَit were يُغنيis of use عَنكَto you فيin الآخِرَةthe Hereafter
لَو كانَ يُغني عَنكَ في الآخِرَة
How fine is the dwelling you have built—
If only they could avail you in the hereafter!
if only it could be of use to you in the Hereafter!
Partial English translation: 7 of 8 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1