عَجَباًwhat a wonder! عَجِبتُI marveled لِغَفلَةِat the heedlessness of الإِنسانِman
عَجَباً عَجِبتُ لِغَفلَةِ الإِنسانِ
قَطَعَhe spent الحَياةَlife بِغِرَّةٍin heedlessness وَأَمانِand security
قَطَعَ الحَياةَ بِغِرَّةٍ وَأَمانِ
How I marveled at man's heedlessness!
He spent his life in heedlessness and a sense of safety.
فَكَّرتُI reflected فيon الدُنياthis world فَكانَتand it was مَنزِلاًa lodging
فَكَّرتُ في الدُنيا فَكانَت مَنزِلاً
عِنديin my eyes كَبَعضِlike one of مَنازِلِthe stopping places of الرُكبانِriders
عِندي كَبَعضِ مَنازِلِ الرُكبانِ
I pondered this world and found it a lodging,
in my eyes, like one of the riders' stopping places.
عِنديin my view جَميعُall الناسِthe people فيهاin it واحِدٌalike
عِندي جَميعُ الناسِ فيها واحِدٌ
فَقَليلُهاso a little of it وَكَثيرُهاand much of it سِيّانِare equal
فَقَليلُها وَكَثيرُها سِيّانِ
To me, all people in it are alike;
so a little of it and much of it are the same.
فَإِلىso until مَتىwhen كَلَفيmy craving بِماfor what لَوif كُنتُI were تَحbeneath (first fragment)
فَإِلى مَتى كَلَفي بِما لَو كُنتُ تَح
تَ(completes 'beneath') الأَرضِthe earth ثُمَّthen رُزِقتُهُI were granted it لَأَتانيit would surely come to me
تَ الأَرضِ ثُمَّ رُزِقتُهُ لَأَتاني
How long, then, this craving for what, even were I beneath
the earth and then allotted it, would surely reach me?
أَبغيI seek الكَثيرَabundance إِلىadded to الكَثيرِabundance مُضاعَفاًmultiplied
أَبغي الكَثيرَ إِلى الكَثيرِ مُضاعَفاً
وَلَوِand if اِقتَصَرتُI limited myself عَلىto القَليلِa little كَفانيit would have sufficed me
وَلَوِ اِقتَصَرتُ عَلى القَليلِ كَفاني
I seek abundance upon abundance, multiplied,
yet had I limited myself to little, it would have sufficed me.
لِلَّهِto God belongs دَرُّthe excellence of الوارِثينَthe heirs كَأَنَّنيas though I
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ الوارِثينَ كَأَنَّني
بِأَخَصِّهِمwith the closest of them مُتَبَرِّماًvexed بِمَكانيat my presence
بِأَخَصِّهِم مُتَبَرِّماً بِمَكاني
What fine heirs! I seem to see
the closest of them, vexed by my presence,
قَلِقاًrestless يُجَهِّزُنيhe prepares me إِلىfor دارِthe abode of البِلىdecay
قَلِقاً يُجَهِّزُني إِلى دارِ البِلى
مُتَحَرِّياًseeking لِكَرامَتيfor my honor بِهَوانيthrough my humiliation
مُتَحَرِّياً لِكَرامَتي بِهَواني
restless, preparing me for the abode of decay,
seeking to honor me through my humiliation,
مُتَبَرِّئًاdisassociating himself مِنيfrom me إِذاwhen نُضِدَis heaped الثَرىthe soil
مُتَبَرِّئًا مِني إِذا نُضِدَ الثَرى
فَوقيabove me طَوىhe folded كَشحاًhis flank عَلىupon هِجرانيforsaking me
فَوقي طَوى كَشحاً عَلى هِجراني
disowning me once the soil is heaped
above me, turning his flank away, intent on forsaking me.