ماnot المناياdeaths إلاَّexcept المَطَاياthe mounts وماand not فَرَّbeginning of فَرَّقَ: separated
ما المنايا إلاَّ المَطَايا وما فَرَّ
قَcompletion of فَرَّقَ: separated شَيءٌanything تفريقهاtheir separating الأَحْباباthe loved ones
قَ شَيءٌ تفريقها الأَحْبابا
Death is nothing but the mounts, and never has
Death is but a passing
anything parted loved ones as they have.
Nothing parts those who love
ظلَّkept حاديهُمُtheir camel driver يَسُوقُdriving بِقَلْبيwith my heart
ظلَّ حاديهُمُ يَسُوقُ بِقَلْبي
ويُرِيand makes it seem أَنّهُthat he يَسُوقُis driving الرِّكاباthe riding camels
ويُرِي أَنّهُ يَسُوقُ الرِّكابا
Their camel driver kept driving my heart along,
But the madness within guides my heart
while making it seem that he was driving the camels.
And imagines it leads a caravan