خليليmy two friends هلis there تحتbeneath السماءthe sky بنيةa structure
خليلي هل تحت السماء بنية
تماثلrivals فيin إتقانهاits perfect workmanship هرميthe two pyramids of مصرEgypt
تماثل في إتقانها هرمي مصر
My two friends, is there beneath the sky a structure
My friend, is there under the sky a structure
that rivals Egypt’s two pyramids in the perfection of its workmanship?
That equals in its perfection the pyramids of Egypt?
بناءa building يخافis afraid الدهرTime منهof it وكلand all ماthat
بناء يخاف الدهر منه وكل ما
علىupon ظاهرthe surface of الدنياthe world يخافis afraid منof الدهرTime
على ظاهر الدنيا يخاف من الدهر
A building that Time fears, while all that
A building that time fears, and all that
is upon the face of the world fears Time.
Is on the face of the earth fears time.
تنزهtook delight طرفيmy gaze فيin بديعthe wonder of بنائهاits construction
تنزه طرفي في بديع بنائها
ولمand did not يتنزهtake delight فيin المرادthe intended purpose بهاby it فكريmy mind
ولم يتنزه في المراد بها فكري
My gaze delighted in the wonder of its construction,
My eyes delight in its wonderful architecture,
but my mind found no delight in the purpose behind it.
Yet my mind does not delight in what it symbolizes.