عايِنobserve أَواخِرَthe endings كائِنٍan existing thing بِأَوائِلٍthrough beginnings
عايِن أَواخِرَ كائِنٍ بِأَوائِلٍ
إِنَّindeed الهِلالَthe crescent يُحَقُّis fulfilled بِالإِبدارِby becoming full
إِنَّ الهِلالَ يُحَقُّ بِالإِبدارِ
Discern a thing's endings through its beginnings;
indeed, the crescent is fulfilled by waxing full.
وَاللَيلُand the night يُؤذِنُheralds بِالصَباحِthe morning فَإِنso if تَرُمyou intend
وَاللَيلُ يُؤذِنُ بِالصَباحِ فَإِن تَرُم
فيهِin it سُراكَyour night journey لِحاجَةٍfor a need فَبِدارُthen hasten
فيهِ سُراكَ لِحاجَةٍ فَبِدارُ
And night heralds morning; so if you intend
a night journey in it for some need, then hasten.
أَرَجَوتَdid you hope أَنthat تُعطىyou be given اِختِيارَكَyour choice وَالفَتىwhile the young man
أَرَجَوتَ أَن تُعطى اِختِيارَكَ وَالفَتى
يَغدوgoes forth عالىastride شُمسٍunruly steeds مِنَof الأَقدارِthe decrees of fate
يَغدو عالى شُمسٍ مِنَ الأَقدارِ
Did you hope to be granted your choice, while a young man
goes forth astride unruly steeds of fate?
وَأَرىand I see العَروسَthe bride تَحَجَّبَتhas veiled herself فيin خِدرِهاher secluded chamber
وَأَرى العَروسَ تَحَجَّبَت في خِدرِها
كَمُعَرَّسِlike the resting-place of الآسادِthe lions فيin الأَخدارِthe dens
كَمُعَرَّسِ الآسادِ في الأَخدارِ
And I see the bride veiled in her chamber,
like the resting-place of lions in their dens.
أَحسِنact well جِواراًas a neighbor لِلفَتاةِtoward the maiden وَعُدَّهاand regard her
أَحسِن جِواراً لِلفَتاةِ وَعُدَّها
أُختَthe sister of السِماكِal-Simāk عَلىdespite دُنُوِّthe nearness of الدارِthe dwelling
أُختَ السِماكِ عَلى دُنُوِّ الدارِ
Be a good neighbor to the maiden, and regard her
as al-Simāk's sister, though her dwelling is near;
كَتَجاورُlike the adjacency of العَينَينِthe two eyes لَنwill never تَتَلاقَياthe two meet
كَتَجاورُ العَينَينِ لَن تَتَلاقَيا
وَحِجازُand a barrier بَينَهُماbetween them both قَصيرُlow جِدارِa wall
وَحِجازُ بَينَهُما قَصيرُ جِدارِ
like the two eyes side by side, which will never meet,
though the barrier between them is a low wall.
وَالحَيُّand the living man دارٍaware بِالَّذيof what هُوَit حّادِثٌis to happen
وَالحَيُّ دارٍ بِالَّذي هُوَ حّادِثٌ
وَلَهُand he has مِنَfrom الأَمَلِhope المُضَلَّلِdelusive دارِa deceiver
وَلَهُ مِنَ الأَمَلِ المُضَلَّلِ دارِ
And the living man knows what is to come,
yet in delusive hope he has a deceiver.
يَسعىstrives الحَريصُthe covetous man وَماand not القَضاءُfate بِغافِلٍheedless
يَسعى الحَريصُ وَما القَضاءُ بِغافِلٍ
عَنof رَبِّone responsible for إيرادٍbringing in وَلاnor إِصدارِsending out
عَن رَبِّ إيرادٍ وَلا إِصدارِ
The covetous man strives, yet fate is not heedless
of anyone who brings in or sends out.
كَمmany a نِعمَةٍblessing لِلَّهِof God يَحسِبُهاhe considers it اِمرُؤٌa man
كَم نِعمَةٍ لِلَّهِ يَحسِبُها اِمرُؤٌ
بِالشَحطِat a distance وَهِيَwhile it قَريبَةُnear المُزدارِthe place of visitation
بِالشَحطِ وَهِيَ قَريبَةُ المُزدارِ
Many a blessing of God's a man deems
far away, though it lies within easy reach.