تَرجوyou hope for بقاءًcontinued existence دائماًlasting سَرْمَداًeverlasting
تَرجو بقاءً دائماً سَرْمَداً
ودُونَand before ماwhat ترجوهُyou hope for it خَرْطُstripping القَتادْthe thorny qatad shrub
ودُونَ ما ترجوهُ خَرْطُ القَتادْ
You hope to endure forever, without end;
You hope for enduring, everlasting life;
but between you and that hope lies stripping the thorny qatād bare.
yet before what you hope for lies stripping the thorny qatad shrub.
أنفاسُناour breaths أقواتُprovisions أوقاتِناour hours
أنفاسُنا أقواتُ أوقاتِنا
والقُوتُand sustenance لابُدَّthere is no escape لَهُfor it مِنfrom نَفادrunning out
والقُوتُ لابُدَّ لَهُ مِن نَفاد
Our breaths are the provisions of our allotted time,
Our breaths are the sustenance of our hours,
and every provision must inevitably run out.
and sustenance must inevitably run out.
