رَمواthey hurled بِمَراميwith the missiles of بَغيِهِمtheir aggression فَاِتَّقَيتُهاso I warded them off
رَموا بِمَرامي بَغيِهِم فَاِتَّقَيتُها
وَقُلتُand I said لَهُمto them بَينيbetween me وَبَينَكُمُand between you الدَهرُTime
وَقُلتُ لَهُم بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ الدَهرُ
They hurled the missiles of their aggression, and I warded them off.
They aimed their schemes at me so I was wary,
And I said to them: between me and you is Time.
And said to them, between you and I is time -
كَأَنّيas though I بِكُمwith you لاnot تَستَطيعونَyou can حيلَةًa stratagem
كَأَنّي بِكُم لا تَستَطيعونَ حيلَةً
وَلَيسَand there is no لَكُمfor you نَهيٌa prohibition يُطاعُis obeyed وَلاnor أَمرُa command
وَلَيسَ لَكُم نَهيٌ يُطاعُ وَلا أَمرُ
It is as though I see you, unable to devise a stratagem,
As though with you no stratagem avails me
And you have no prohibition that is obeyed, nor any command.
Nor prohibition heeded nor command obeyed.