أَلاLo! صُمَّتِwere deaf الأَجداثُthe graves عَنّيto me فَلَمso did not تُجِبanswer
أَلا صُمَّتِ الأَجداثُ عَنّي فَلَم تُجِب
وَلَمand did not يُغنِنيavail me أَنّيthat I رَفَعتُI raised لَهاto them صَوتيmy voice
وَلَم يُغنِني أَنّي رَفَعتُ لَها صَوتي
Lo, the graves were deaf to me and did not answer.
Alas! The graves were deaf to my cries; they did not answer.
And it availed me nothing that I raised my voice to them.
It did not help me to raise my voice to them.
فَياthen, oh عَجَباًwonder ليfor me كَيفَhow آنَسُI find comfort بِالمُنىin wishes
فَيا عَجَباً لي كَيفَ آنَسُ بِالمُنى
وَغايَةُand the end ماwhat أَدرَكتُI attained مِنهاof them إِلىto الفَوتِloss
وَغايَةُ ما أَدرَكتُ مِنها إِلى الفَوتِ
How strange of me, then—how can I find comfort in wishes,
How strange I find comfort in desires,
When all I have attained of them ends in loss?
When the most I can grasp of them is loss.
وَهَلand is there مِنany سُرورٍjoy أَوor أَمانٍsecurity لِعاقِلٍfor a rational person
وَهَل مِن سُرورٍ أَو أَمانٍ لِعاقِلٍ
وَمَفضىand the destination عُبورِof the passage العابِرينَof those passing through إِلىto المَوتِdeath
وَمَفضى عُبورِ العابِرينَ إِلى المَوتِ
And is there any joy or security for a person of reason,
Can the reasonable find any joy or safety
When the passage of those who pass through ends in death?
When the fate of all travelers is death?