قَصُرَwas brief العَيشُlife بِأَكنافِin the environs of الغَضاthe ghada trees
قَصُرَ العَيشُ بِأَكنافِ الغَضا
وَكَذاand likewise العَيشُlife إِذاwhen طابَbecame sweet قَصُرwas brief
وَكَذا العَيشُ إِذا طابَ قَصُر
Life was brief amid the sheltering ghada trees;
Life was brief around the ghada trees,
and so is life: when it is sweet, it is brief,
And so is life: when sweet, it is brief.
فيin لَيالٍnights كَأَباهيمِlike the big toes of القَطاthe sandgrouse
في لَيالٍ كَأَباهيمِ القَطا
لَستَyou do not تَدريknow كَيفَhow تَأتيthey come وَتَمُرand they pass
لَستَ تَدري كَيفَ تَأتي وَتَمُر
through nights as short as a sandgrouse’s tiny hind toes—
In nights like the sandgrouse’s big toes,
you cannot tell how they come and pass.
You do not know how they come and pass.
