غَرَّdeceived جَهولاًan ignorant man أَمَلهhis hope
غَرَّ جَهولاً أَمَله
يَموتُdies منwhoever جاhas come أَجَلُهhis appointed time of death
يَموتُ من جا أَجَلُه
His hope deceived an ignorant man.
He misled a fool, his hope
Hope has deceived the ignorant one,
He whose appointed hour has come dies.
He who came for it dies
For he dies whose appointed time has come.
وَمَنand whoever دَناdrew near مِنto حَتفِهِhis death
وَمَن دَنا مِن حَتفِهِ
لَمdid not تُغنِavail عَنهُfor him حِيَلُهhis stratagems
لَم تُغنِ عَنهُ حِيَلُه
And whoever draws near to his death,
And he who drew near his death
And he who draws near to his doom,
his stratagems do not avail him.
His tricks did not avail him
His wiles shall not avail him.
وَماand what بَقاءُendurance آخِرٍone who comes last
وَما بَقاءُ آخِرٍ
قَدalready غابَdeparted عَنهُfrom him أَوَّلُهhis predecessor
قَد غابَ عَنهُ أَوَّلُه
And how can the last endure,
And no later one remains
And what survival is there for the last,
when his predecessor has already departed?
After his former is gone
When the first has already vanished?
فَالمَرءُfor a man لاnot يَصحَبُهُaccompanies him
فَالمَرءُ لا يَصحَبُهُ
فيin القَبرِthe grave إِلّاexcept عَمَلُهhis deeds
في القَبرِ إِلّا عَمَلُه
For nothing accompanies a man
So man is accompanied
For a man is accompanied by nothing,
in the grave except his deeds.
To his grave by his deeds alone
Into the grave, except his deeds.