لوif ابقتhad spared الدنياthe world علىupon منthose who سلفcame before
لو ابقت الدنيا على من سلف
لمnot تكbe اخلافاsuccessors وكانواand they were سلفforebears
لم تك اخلافا وكانوا سلف
Had the world spared those who came before,
If the world remained for those now gone
There would have been no successors, and they were forebears.
It would not be inherited nor would they be ancestors
فماso … not مقامstay المرءthe person فيهاin it سوىother than
فما مقام المرء فيها سوى
عبارةan expression عنof عبرةa lesson للخلفfor posterity
عبارة عن عبرة للخلف
So a person's stay in it is nothing but
So one's existence in it is naught but
A lesson for posterity.
A lesson for those to come