تَربصتَyou waited بيfor me رَيْبَthe calamity المنونِof death تجرُّنيyou drag me
تَربصتَ بي رَيْبَ المنونِ تجرُّني
علىthrough مَطْلكyour stalling الممدودِprolonged عصراًan age إلىto عصرِan age
على مَطْلك الممدودِ عصراً إلى عصرِ
You waited for the calamity of death to befall me, dragging me
You spied on me with death's suspicion, dragging me
through your prolonged stalling, from one age to the next.
Across your outstretched plain, from day to day.
وأعْطيتنيand you gave me زادprovisions المسافرof a traveler عالماًknowing
وأعْطيتني زاد المسافر عالماً
بقلةِof the scantness ماwhat أبقىleft remaining مطالُكyour stalling منof عمريmy life
بقلةِ ما أبقى مطالُك من عمري
And you gave me a traveler's provisions, knowing
You gave me a traveler's provisions, knowing
how little of my life your stalling had left.
How little of my life your distances left me.
ومثلand one like امرئٍa man أفنىconsumed مطالكyour stalling عمرَهُhis life
ومثل امرئٍ أفنى مطالك عمرَهُ
كفاهsufficed him لعمريby my life مثلthe likes of نائلكyour bounty النزرِscant
كفاه لعمري مثل نائلك النزرِ
And a man like one whose life your stalling has consumed
Like a man who spent his life crossing your deserts
would find, by my life, the likes of your scant bounty enough.
The little you left me of life was enough for me.