أَلاtake heed لاdo not تَبكِweep حادثةan occurrence of اِفتِراقparting
أَلا لا تَبكِ حادثة اِفتِراق
وَلاand do not تَفرحrejoice بِلَذاتin the pleasures of الإِيابreturn
وَلا تَفرح بِلَذات الإِياب
Take heed: do not weep over a parting,
Do not weep for the parting calamity,
Nor rejoice in the pleasures of return;
Nor rejoice over the pleasures of return.
فَماfor ... is not الدُنياthe world وَماand what ضَمتهُit contained it إِلّاexcept
فَما الدُنيا وَما ضَمتهُ إِلّا
كَخَطlike a line منجمan astrologer فَوقَupon التُرابthe dust
كَخَط منجم فَوقَ التُراب
For the world and all it holds are merely
For this life and all it contains is but
Like an astrologer's line upon the dust.
A line drawn in the sand.