الأيّامُthe days تُكدِّرbring distress لكنbut المرءُman يُقَدِّرmakes plans
الأيّامُ تُكدِّر لكن المرءُ يُقَدِّر
أحلامٌdreams سُعودُهاits good fortunes دارٌan abode المَيْنُfalsehood وُعودُهاits promises
أحلامٌ سُعودُها دارٌ المَيْنُ وُعودُها
The days bring distress, yet man makes plans.
The days make bitter, yet one appreciates
Its good fortunes are dreams—an abode whose promises are lies.
Dreams, their auspices a house, their promises steadfast
الإجْرامcrime زادُهاits sustenance إذfor تُرَدّيit ruins مَنwhoever يَرْتَادهاseeks it
الإجْرام زادُها إذ تُرَدّي مَن يَرْتَادها
إظْلامٌdarkness إصْباحُهاits dawn دنياa world الخُسرُloss أرباحهاits profits
إظْلامٌ إصْباحُها دنيا الخُسرُ أرباحها
Crime is its sustenance, for it ruins whoever seeks it.
Crime multiplies when the reckless tread upon them
Its dawn is darkness—a world whose profits are loss.
Darkness, its dawn a losing world, its profits destroyed
وحُطامٌand wreckage مَتاعهاits goods شَيْنٌdisgrace وهوand it خداعهاits deceit
وحُطامٌ مَتاعها شَيْنٌ وهو خداعها
نِيامٌasleep فيهاin it نحنwe أماas for نُهاناour minds غالَhas ravaged الوَهْنweakness
نِيامٌ فيها نحن أما نُهانا غالَ الوَهْن
And its goods are wreckage; its deceit is a disgrace.
Rubble, its wares disgrace and deception
We are asleep within it; as for our minds, weakness has ravaged them.
Slumber, while we sleep, if only we knew, desire overwhelmed us
أنعامٌlivestock سُكّانهاits inhabitants حتىuntil عَمَّhas spread everywhere بُهتانُهاits slander
أنعامٌ سُكّانها حتى عَمَّ بُهتانُها
أَرْمَامٌdecayed remnants حِبالُهاits ropes عِرْسٌa bride الهجرُestrangement وِصالُهاits union
أَرْمَامٌ حِبالُها عِرْسٌ الهجرُ وِصالُها
Its inhabitants are livestock, until its slander has spread everywhere.
Cattle, its inhabitants, until confusion spread among them
Its ropes are decayed remnants—a bride whose union is estrangement.
Ruins, its ropes a wedding, its union separation
فِطامweaning إرْضاعُهاits nursing ظِئرٌa wet nurse تخدعdeceives نُهاكyour mind
فِطام إرْضاعُها ظِئرٌ تخدع نُهاك
أَيْتَامٌorphans أولادُهاits children أمٌّa mother الغَيُّerror رَشادهاits guidance
أَيْتَامٌ أولادُها أمٌّ الغَيُّ رَشادها
Its nursing is weaning—a wet nurse who deceives your mind.
Weaning, its nursing an udder that deceives the weaned
Its children are orphans—a mother whose guidance is error.
Orphans, its children a mother whose absence misguides them
إعْدامdeprivation جُودُهاits generosity إذاthen لانعدامfor nonexistence وُجودهاits existence
إعْدام جُودُها إذا لانعدام وُجودها
أَسْقَامailments أفعالهاits deeds لكنbut الشَّهْدُhoney مَقالهاits speech
أَسْقَام أفعالها لكن الشَّهْدُ مَقالها
Its generosity is deprivation; its existence, then, is destined for nonexistence.
Killing, its generosity when its existence is no more
Its deeds are ailments, but its speech is honey.
Illnesses, its deeds yet its words are sweet