يا صَلتُ إِنَّ أَباكَ رَهنُ مَنِيَّةٍ

يا صَلتُ إِنَّ أَباكَ رَهنُ مَنِيَّةٍ

مَكتوبَةٍ لا بُدَّ أَن يَلقاها

مَكتوبَةٍ لا بُدَّ أَن يَلقاها

O Ṣalt, your father is hostage to a death

O ties of kinship, your father is hostage to mortality

decreed, which he must meet.

Written, which he must inevitably meet,

سَلَفَت سَوالِفُها بِأَنفُسِ مَن مَضى

سَلَفَت سَوالِفُها بِأَنفُسِ مَن مَضى

وَكَذاكَ يَتبَعُ باقِياً أُخراها

وَكَذاكَ يَتبَعُ باقِياً أُخراها

Its earlier visitations claimed the lives of those gone before,

Its episodes were concluded by the souls of those passed,

and likewise its last visitation pursues whoever remains.

Just as what remains will be followed by the rest.

وَالدَهرُ يوشِكُ أن يُفَرِّقَ رَيبَهُ

وَالدَهرُ يوشِكُ أن يُفَرِّقَ رَيبَهُ

بِالمَوتِ أَو رِحَلٍ تَشِتُّ نَواها

بِالمَوتِ أَو رِحَلٍ تَشِتُّ نَواها

And time's vicissitudes will soon bring separation,

Time is about to disperse its doubts,

through death or journeys whose destinations diverge,

With death or travel whose shelter is folded.

لا بُدَّ بَينَكُما فَتُسمِعُ دَعوَةً

لا بُدَّ بَينَكُما فَتُسمِعُ دَعوَةً

أَو تَستَجيبُ لِدَعوَةٍ تُدعاها

أَو تَستَجيبُ لِدَعوَةٍ تُدعاها

inevitably, between you two; then you will sound a call,

Inevitably between you two, you will hear an invocation,

or respond to a call that summons you.

Or respond to an invocation you are called to.