أروحI go in the evening وأغدوand I go in the morning مرّةa time بعدafter مرّةa time
أروح وأغدو مرّة بعد مرّة
ويوشكand it is imminent يوماone day أنthat أروحI go in the evening ولاand not أغدوI go in the morning
ويوشك يوما أن أروح ولا أغدو
I go forth at evening and at dawn, time after time;
I go out at evening and at morning, time after time.
and soon, one day, I may depart at evening and not go forth at dawn.
And soon, one day, I shall go out at evening but not at morning.
وبينand between يديmy two hands عزمa resolve صحيحfirm إلىtoward المنىhopes
وبين يدي عزم صحيح إلى المنى
يدلّit points the way إلىto قبريmy grave ومنand from خلفهbehind it أعدوI run
يدلّ إلى قبري ومن خلفه أعدو
Before me lies a firm resolve directed toward my hopes,
And before me lies a firm resolve toward my hopes;
pointing toward my grave—and behind it I run.
It points the way to my grave, and I run behind it.
وتدفعنيand drive me الأيّامthe days عنهاaway from them إلىtoward الثرىthe dust
وتدفعني الأيّام عنها إلى الثرى
وكمand how many دونهbefore reaching it منof حادثa calamity الدهرof time ليto me يبدوappears
وكم دونه من حادث الدهر لي يبدو
Yet the days drive me away from them and toward the earth,
And the days drive me away from them toward the dust.
and how many turns of fate appear to me before it.
And how many a calamity of time appears to me before I reach it!
كأنّيَas though I were سكرانa drunkard يسيرhe walks بسكرهin his drunkenness
كأنّيَ سكران يسير بسكره
وينهضُand he rises أحياناsometimes وفand in (apparently intended as وفي) سكرهhis drunkenness يكبوhe stumbles
وينهضُ أحيانا وف سكره يكبو
I am as though a drunkard, walking in his drunkenness:
I am like a drunkard walking in his drunkenness,
at times he rises, and in his drunkenness he stumbles.
And sometimes he rises, and in his drunkenness he stumbles.
