أَمّا المَكانُ فَثابِتٌ لا يَنطَوي

أَمّا المَكانُ فَثابِتٌ لا يَنطَوي

لَكِن زَمانُكَ ذاهِبٌ لا يَثبُتُ

لَكِن زَمانُكَ ذاهِبٌ لا يَثبُتُ

As for space, it is fixed and does not fold away;

As for the place, it is fixed and does not fold,

But your time passes away and does not endure.

But your time is fleeting, it does not stay.

قالَ الغَوِيُّ لَقَد كَبَتُّ مُعانِدي

قالَ الغَوِيُّ لَقَد كَبَتُّ مُعانِدي

خَسِرَت يَداهُ بِأَيِّ أَمرٍ يَكبِتُ

خَسِرَت يَداهُ بِأَيِّ أَمرٍ يَكبِتُ

The misguided man said, “I have indeed subdued my adversary.”

The misguided said, "I have subdued my opponents!"

May his hands come to grief! By what means can he subdue another?

With what command did he lose his hands as he subdues?

وَالمَرءُ مِثلُ النارِ شَبَّت وَاِنتَهَت

وَالمَرءُ مِثلُ النارِ شَبَّت وَاِنتَهَت

فَخَبَت وَأَفلَحَ في الحَياةِ المُخبِتُ

فَخَبَت وَأَفلَحَ في الحَياةِ المُخبِتُ

And man is like a fire that blazed and ran its course,

A man is like fire - it flared up and died down,

Then died down; and the humble man prospered in life.

It faded, and the one who humbles in life succeeds.

وَحَوادِثُ الأَيّامِ مِثلُ نَباتِها

وَحَوادِثُ الأَيّامِ مِثلُ نَباتِها

تُرعى وَيَأمُرُها المَليكُ فَتَنبُتُ

تُرعى وَيَأمُرُها المَليكُ فَتَنبُتُ

And the events of the days are like their vegetation:

The events of days are like their plants -

They are grazed upon, and the Sovereign commands them, so they sprout.

They are fed, and the King commands them to grow.

وَإِذا الفَتى كانَ التُرابُ مَآلَهُ

وَإِذا الفَتى كانَ التُرابُ مَآلَهُ

فَعَلامَ تَسهَرُ أُمُّهُ وَتُرَبِّتُ

فَعَلامَ تَسهَرُ أُمُّهُ وَتُرَبِّتُ

And if dust is the young man's final destination,

When the youth's destination is the dust,

Then why does his mother stay awake and gently pat him?

Why does his mother stay up night and raise him?

إِن كانَت الأَحبارُ تُعَظِّمُ سَبتَها

إِن كانَت الأَحبارُ تُعَظِّمُ سَبتَها

فَأَخو البَصيرَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ مُسبِتُ

فَأَخو البَصيرَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ مُسبِتُ

If the rabbis venerate their Sabbath,

If the rabbis esteem their Sabbath,

Then the man of insight keeps Sabbath every day.

The brother of insight every day has a Sabbath.