إِنif ساغَgoes down easily بعدَكَafter you ليfor me ماءٌwater علىin ظَمَأٍthirst
إِن ساغَ بعدَكَ لي ماءٌ على ظَمَأٍ
فلاthen may I not تجرعتُI drank in gulps غيرَother than الصابِbitter spurge sap والصَّبَرِand aloes
فلا تجرعتُ غيرَ الصابِ والصَّبَرِ
If, after you, water should ever go down sweet when I thirst,
If, after you, water goes down easily for me when I thirst,
then may I have swallowed nothing but bitter ṣāb and aloe.
may I swallow nothing but bitter spurge sap and aloes.
وإِنand if نظرتُI looked منof الدنياthe world إِلىat حَسَنٍsomething beautiful
وإِن نظرتُ من الدنيا إِلى حَسَنٍ
مُذْsince بِنْتَyou departed عنِّيfrom me فلاthen may I not مُتِّعْتُI was granted pleasure بالنَّظَرِin looking
مُذْ بِنْتَ عنِّي فلا مُتِّعْتُ بالنَّظَرِ
And if I look upon any beauty in this world
And if I look upon anything beautiful in the world
since you parted from me, may sight bring me no delight.
since you left me, may I find no pleasure in the sight.
صحبتَنيyou accompanied me والشبابand youth الغضّtender ثمthen مضىpassed
صحبتَني والشباب الغضّ ثم مضى
كماjust as مضيتَyou passed فماso there is no فيin العيشِlife منany وَطَرِdesire
كما مضيتَ فما في العيشِ من وَطَرِ
You kept me company, and tender, budding youth did too; then youth passed,
You and tender youth kept me company; then it passed,
just as you passed, and now life holds nothing I desire.
as you passed; so life holds nothing I desire.
هَبْنِيsuppose that I بلغتُI reached منof الأعمارِlifespans أطولَهاthe longest of them
هَبْنِي بلغتُ من الأعمارِ أطولَها
ثمَّthen احتويتُI took possession علىof آماليmy hopes الكُبَرِgreatest
ثمَّ احتويتُ على آمالي الكُبَرِ
Suppose I attained the longest of all lifespans,
Suppose I lived the longest of lifetimes,
and then possessed my greatest hopes in full—
then attained my greatest hopes,
فأينthen where عصرُthe time شبابِof youth لاno رجوعَreturn لهُfor it
فأين عصرُ شبابِ لا رجوعَ لهُ
أمor أينَwhere أنتَyou وماليand I have no عنكَof you منany خَبَرِnews
أم أينَ أنتَ ومالي عنكَ من خَبَرِ
where, then, is the age of my youth, which can never return?
where, then, is the time of youth, which cannot return?
Or where are you, when I have no news of you?
Or where are you? I have no news of you.
سبقتمانِيyou both preceded me ولوand if خُيِّرْتُI was given a choice بعدَكُمَاafter you both
سبقتمانِي ولو خُيِّرْتُ بعدَكُمَا
لكنتُthen I would have been أوَّلَthe first لَحَّاقٍswift follower علىon الأثَرِthe trail
لكنتُ أوَّلَ لَحَّاقٍ على الأثَرِ
You both went before me; had I been given the choice once you were gone,
You both went before me; and had I been given a choice after you,
I would have been the first to follow, close upon your tracks.
I would have been the first to follow close upon your trail.
