الدَّهرُtime مُستَعجِلin haste يَخُبُّtrots
الدَّهرُ مُستَعجِل يَخُبُّ
فاختِمso seal it وطينُwhile the clay of الكتابِthe document رَطبُis wet
فاختِم وطينُ الكتابِ رَطبُ
Time is in haste, trotting on.
Time is rushing, don't delay
So seal it while the document's clay is wet.
Seal the book, while the clay is wet
إنindeed الذيthat which أنتَyou فيهin it حُلمٌa dream
إن الذي أنتَ فيه حُلمٌ
وسوفand will تنساهyou forget it إذwhen تَهُبُّyou awaken
وسوف تنساه إذ تَهُبُّ
Indeed, what you are living through is a dream,
What you are in is but a dream
And you will forget it when you wake.
You'll forget when the winds blow
تَوَقَّguard against مكرَthe treachery of الزَّمانِtime واحذَرand beware
تَوَقَّ مكرَ الزَّمانِ واحذَر
ولاand do not تثقtrust فالزَّمانُfor time خِبُّa deceiver
ولا تثق فالزَّمانُ خِبُّ
Guard against time's treachery, and beware.
Beware the cunning of time
And do not trust it, for time is a deceiver.
Do not trust, for time betrays
جميعُall أحوالِهits states غُرُورٌdeception
جميعُ أحوالِه غُرُورٌ
وَجلُّand most of ماwhat نحنwe فيهِin it لعبُplay
وَجلُّ ما نحن فيهِ لعبُ
All its states are deception,
All its states are but deceit
And most of what we are caught up in is play.
Our present days are child's play
وَلَيسَand not يبقىendures عليهin it شيءanything
وَلَيسَ يبقى عليه شيء
يكرهُهُhates it الَمرءُa person أوor يُحبُّloves
يكرهُهُ الَمرءُ أو يُحبُّ
And nothing endures in it
Nothing remains forever
That a person hates or loves.
Be it misery or bliss