ماnot غابَwas hidden اِسحاقُannihilation (a pun on Isaac) البَراياof mortals عَنهُمُfrom them
ما غابَ اِسحاقُ البَرايا عَنهُمُ
فَاِسأَلso ask بَنيthe sons of يَعقوبَJacob عَنabout اِسحاقاIsaac
فَاِسأَل بَني يَعقوبَ عَن اِسحاقا
The annihilation of mortals is no secret to them;
Isaac did not stray from the righteous path
so ask the sons of Jacob about Isaac.
Ask the Israelites about Isaac
ماnot فيamong جَميعِall الناسِpeople إِلّاexcept خاسِرٌa loser
ما في جَميعِ الناسِ إِلّا خاسِرٌ
فَإِلَيهِمُso to them رَجَعَreturned القَبيحُevil وَحاقاand engulfed
فَإِلَيهِمُ رَجَعَ القَبيحُ وَحاقا
Among all people there is none but a loser;
There is no one among people except the lost
so evil has returned to them and engulfed them.
To them returns disgrace and perdition
لاnot نَعلَمُwe know المَوتىthe dead تَهُمُّthink بِكَرَّةٍof returning
لا نَعلَمُ المَوتى تَهُمُّ بِكَرَّةٍ
لَكِنَّbut أَحياءًliving people تَرومُseek لَحاقاto catch up
لَكِنَّ أَحياءً تَرومُ لَحاقا
We do not know the dead to think of returning,
We do not presume the dead will rise early
but the living seek to join them.
But the living strive to survive
لَوif صَحَّit were true أَنَّthat البَدرَthe full moon لَيسَis not بِعاقِلٍendowed with reason
لَو صَحَّ أَنَّ البَدرَ لَيسَ بِعاقِلٍ
هَنَّأتُهُI would congratulate it أَلّاthat it should not يُحِسَّfeel مُحاقاwaning into darkness
هَنَّأتُهُ أَلّا يُحِسَّ مُحاقا
If it were true that the full moon lacked reason,
If it were true the moon lacks reason
I would congratulate it on not feeling its waning into darkness.
I would congratulate it on escaping folly