ياO أيُّهاyou الهاربُthe one fleeing منْfrom دهرهِhis time
يا أيُّها الهاربُ منْ دهرهِ
أدركَكَhas overtaken you الدهرُtime علىon خَيلِهِits steeds
أدركَكَ الدهرُ على خَيلِهِ
O you who flee your time,
O you who flees his fate
Time has overtaken you on its steeds.
Fate has caught up with you on its steeds
يسوقُhe drives منfrom نُفرتهhis flight طرةًa forelock
يسوقُ من نُفرته طرةً
إلىtoward مدىًa distance يقصرُhe falls short عنof نيلهattaining it
إلى مدىً يقصرُ عن نيله
In his flight he drives a forelock
Driving those who fled from it hastily
Toward a distance he falls short of reaching.
To a goal beyond reach
فوجهُهُso his face يأخذُtakes منfrom رأسهِhis head
فوجهُهُ يأخذُ من رأسهِ
أخذَthe taking of نهارِdaytime الصيفِsummer منfrom ليلهِits night
أخذَ نهارِ الصيفِ من ليلهِ
So his face takes from his head
Its face takes from his head
As summer's day takes from its night,
As a summer day takes from its night
مثلُlike الذيone who يرقعُpatches منin جَيبهhis garment's neck opening
مثلُ الذي يرقعُ من جَيبه
وهْياًa tear بماwith what يأخذُhe takes منfrom ذيلِهِhis hem
وهْياً بما يأخذُ من ذيلِهِ
Like one who patches, at his garment's neck,
Like one who patches his pocket
A tear with what he takes from his hem.
With that which it takes from its tail