قَلَّمتُI clipped ظِفرِيَmy nail تاراتٍrepeatedly وَماand not جَسَديmy body
قَلَّمتُ ظِفرِيَ تاراتٍ وَما جَسَدي
إِلّاexcept كَذاكَlike that مَتىwhen ماever (emphatic) فارَقَparts from الروحاthe spirit
إِلّا كَذاكَ مَتى ما فارَقَ الروحا
I have clipped my nail time and again; and my body is nothing
but its like, whenever it parts from the spirit.
وَمِنand whoever تَأَمَّلponders أَقواليmy sayings رَأىsees جُمَلاًstatements
وَمِن تَأَمَّل أَقوالي رَأى جُمَلاً
يَظَلُّremains فيهِنَّin them سِرُّthe secret of الناسِhumankind مَشروحاlaid bare
يَظَلُّ فيهِنَّ سِرُّ الناسِ مَشروحا
And whoever ponders my sayings finds statements
in which the secret of humankind remains laid bare.
إِنَّindeed الحَياةَlife لَمَفروحٌcertainly rejoiced in بِهاin it طَلَقاًunrestrainedly
إِنَّ الحَياةَ لَمَفروحٌ بِها طَلَقاً
يُغَادِرُleaves الخَلدَthe heart الجَذلانَthe jubilant مَقروحاwounded
يُغَادِرُ الخَلدَ الجَذلانَ مَقروحا
Life is indeed greeted with unrestrained joy,
which leaves the jubilant heart wounded.
قَدalready اِدَّعَيتُمyou have claimed فَقُلناso we said أَينَwhere شاهِدُكُمyour witness
قَد اِدَّعَيتُم فَقُلنا أَينَ شاهِدُكُم
فَجاءَthen came مَنone who باتَhad become عِندَin the judgment of اللُبِّreason مَجروحاdiscredited
فَجاءَ مَن باتَ عِندَ اللُبِّ مَجروحا
You have made your claims, so we said, 'Where is your witness?'
Then came one already discredited in reason's judgment.
إِنif صَحَّis true تَعذيبُtormenting رَمسٍa grave مَنwhoever يَحُلُّdwells بِهِin it
إِن صَحَّ تَعذيبُ رَمسٍ مَن يَحُلُّ بِهِ
فَجَنِّبانِيَthen spare me, you two مَلحوداًa niche-grave وَمَضروحاand a trench-grave
فَجَنِّبانِيَ مَلحوداً وَمَضروحا
If it is true that a grave torments whoever dwells in it,
then spare me both niche-grave and trench-grave.
الوَحشُwild beasts وَالطَيرُand birds أَولىmore fitting أَنthat تَنازَعَنيfight over me
الوَحشُ وَالطَيرُ أَولى أَن تَنازَعَني
فَغادِرانيso leave me, you two بِظَهرِupon the surface of الأَرضِthe earth مَطروحاcast down
فَغادِراني بِظَهرِ الأَرضِ مَطروحا
Better that wild beasts and birds should fight over me;
so leave me cast upon the earth's surface.
شُدّاfasten, you two عَلَيَّover me دَريساًa threadbare garment كَيso that يُوارِيَنيit may cover me
شُدّا عَلَيَّ دَريساً كَي يُوارِيَني
ثُمَّthen اِغدواdepart in the morning, you two بِسَلامِin the peace of اللَهِGod أَوor روحاdepart in the evening, you two
ثُمَّ اِغدوا بِسَلامِ اللَهِ أَو روحا
Fasten a threadbare garment over me to cover me;
then depart in God's peace, in the morning or the evening.
ياO نَفسِmy soul ياO طائِراًbird فيin سِجنِthe prison of مالِكِهِits master
يا نَفسِ يا طائِراً في سِجنِ مالِكِهِ
لَتُصبِحَنَّyou shall surely become بِحَمدِwith praise of اللَهِGod مَسروحاset free
لَتُصبِحَنَّ بِحَمدِ اللَهِ مَسروحا
O my soul, O bird in its master's prison,
you shall surely be set free, praise be to God.