لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot الدُنياthis world بِدارِan abode إِقامَةٍresidence
لَعَمرُكَ ما الدُنيا بِدارِ إِقامَةٍ
وَلاnor الحَيُّa living person فيin حالِa state of السَلامَةِgood health آمِنُsecure
وَلا الحَيُّ في حالِ السَلامَةِ آمِنُ
By your life, this world is no abiding home.
By your life, this world is no place to stay
Nor is a living person secure, even in good health.
And no living man remains safe for a day
وَإِنَّand indeed وَليداًa newborn حَلَّهاentered it لَمُعَذَّبٌsurely tormented
وَإِنَّ وَليداً حَلَّها لَمُعَذَّبٌ
جَرَتran their course لِسِواهُfor someone other than him بِالسُعودِwith good fortune الأَيامِنُauspicious omens
جَرَت لِسِواهُ بِالسُعودِ الأَيامِنُ
And a newborn who enters it is surely tormented;
Though Walid once held sway and made it his own
Auspicious omens have brought good fortune to someone other than him.
Fate turned aside and his power was gone
وَنالَand gained بَنوهاits sons ماwhat حَبَتهُمbestowed upon them جُدودُهُمtheir fortunes
وَنالَ بَنوها ما حَبَتهُم جُدودُهُم
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that جَدَّfortune المَرءِa person فيin الجَدِّearnest effort كامِنُhidden
عَلى أَنَّ جَدَّ المَرءِ في الجَدِّ كامِنُ
And its sons have gained what their fortunes bestowed upon them,
His sons won all their heart's desire could claim
Though a person's fortune lies hidden in earnest effort.
Though man's worth depends on his fathers' fame