لَيسَthere is no لِلمَرءِfor a person عُصرَةٌa refuge مِنfrom وَقَاعِthe blows of الدَّtime (first part)
لَيسَ لِلمَرءِ عُصرَةٌ مِن وَقَاعِ الدَّ
هرِtime (completion) تُغنيavails عَنهُfor him سَنَامُthe summit of عَنَاقِʿAnāq
هرِ تُغني عَنهُ سَنَامُ عَنَاقِ
No man has a refuge from the blows of
Man has no refuge from the ravages of time,
time; ʿAnāq's summit cannot protect him.
No shelter from its storms can last.
قَدindeed تَبَيَّنتُI have examined فيin الخُطُوبِthe calamities الَّتيthat
قَد تَبَيَّنتُ في الخُطُوبِ الَّتي
قَبليbefore me فماand so none بَعدهاafter them إلَىuntil اليَومِtoday باقيremaining
قَبلي فما بَعدها إلَى اليَومِ باقي
I have pondered the calamities that
I've seen what happened to people before me,
preceded me: after them, none remains to this day.
And all that comes after will also pass.
وأَرَىand I see الشَّاهِقَthe lofty peak المُدِلَّtaking pride بهِin it الأَرthe mountain goats (first part)
وأَرَى الشَّاهِقَ المُدِلَّ بهِ الأَر
وَىmountain goats (completion) دُوَينَjust beneath السَّحابِthe clouds وَعرَrugged الَمراقيthe ascents
وَى دُوَينَ السَّحابِ وَعرَ الَمراقي
And I see the lofty peak, the pride of the mountain
I watch the lofty mountain, worn away,
goats, just beneath the clouds, rugged in ascent;
Collapsing under clouds and wind and rain.
وَدِلاَلُand the pride of العَزيزِthe mighty man بالَجمعِin the host ذيpossessing الأَرthe pillars (first part)
وَدِلاَلُ العَزيزِ بالَجمعِ ذي الأَر
كانِpillars (completion) كُلاٍّeach مَعاذُهُhis refuge غَيرُnot واقيprotective
كانِ كُلاٍّ مَعاذُهُ غَيرُ واقي
and the mighty man's pride in his host with its
The proud are humbled, their glories fade,
pillars: each one's refuge affords no protection.
Fortune betrays them, joy turns to pain.
لاnot يُعرِّيspares رَيبُthe vicissitudes of الَمنُونِdeath ذَويthose enjoying العَيlife (first part)
لا يُعرِّي رَيبُ الَمنُونِ ذَوي العَي
شِlife (completion) ولاnor مِنone who حَياتهِhis life بِرِمَاقon a mere breath
شِ ولا مِن حَياتهِ بِرِمَاق
Death's vicissitudes spare neither those enjoying
Fate strips away all we own and love,
life nor one whose life is but a last breath.
Our lives flicker out like guttering flames.
كُلُّevery حَيٍّliving being تَقُودُهُleads him كَفُthe hand of هَادٍa guide
كُلُّ حَيٍّ تَقُودُهُ كَفُ هَادٍ
جِنَّhidden from عَينٍsight يُغشيهِmakes him encounter ماwhat هُوَhe لاقيwill meet
جِنَّ عَينٍ يُغشيهِ ما هُوَ لاقي
Every living being is led by the hand of a guide,
Each living soul is guided by the hand
hidden from sight, who brings him to what he must meet.
Of one whose eyes are blind to what they see.