ويحalas for السنينthe years ومرهاand their passing
ويح السنين ومرها
ماذاwhat بناto us هيthey (the years) فاعلهdoing
ماذا بنا هي فاعله
Alas for the years and their bitter passing!
Alas for the years and their passing!
What are they doing to us?
What are they doing to us?
جعلتthey have made عصايmy staff ولمand had not تكنbeen
جعلت عصاي ولم تكن
شغليmy concern لكفيfor my hand شاغلهoccupying
شغلي لكفي شاغله
They have made my staff—though it was never
They have made my staff—which had not been
my concern—the occupier of my hand.
my concern—keep my hand occupied.
محمولةcarried هيit فيin المجاthe figurative sense (first fragment)
محمولة هي في المجا
زcompletion of 'figurative sense' وفيand in الحقيقةreality حاملةcarrying
ز وفي الحقيقة حاملة
It is carried, figuratively speaking;
It is carried in the figurative
in truth, it is the one that carries me.
sense, but in truth it carries me.
والعمرand age ألجأنيhas driven me إليto
والعمر ألجأني إلي
هاit والقوىand the powers المتخاذلةfailing
ها والقوى المتخاذلة
Age has driven me to it,
And age has driven me to
while hearts fail one another.
it, as have my failing powers.
والنفسand the soul عماof what سوفىwill تلmeet (first fragment)
والنفس عما سوفى تل
قىcompletion of 'meet' حينwhen تسلمit is safe غافلةheedless
قى حين تسلم غافلة
The soul is heedless of what awaits it
And the soul, of what it will
when it is surrendered in death;
meet, is heedless while it is safe.
وجميعand all مكروهاتهاthe things it loathes
وجميع مكروهاتها
فيin العيشةlife المتطاولةprolonged
في العيشة المتطاولة
and all the things it loathes are found
And all the things it loathes
in life when it drags on too long.
lie in a life prolonged.
Sol 6.1