إِذاif ماever (emphatic) عَضَّكَbites you الدَهرُTime
إِذا ما عَضَّكَ الدَهرُ
فَلاthen do not تَجنَحyou turn إِلىto خَلقِany creature
فَلا تَجنَح إِلى خَلقِ
If ever Time bites you,
then do not turn to any creature.
وَلاand do not تَسأَلyou ask سِوىanyone but اللَهِGod
وَلا تَسأَل سِوى اللَهِ
تَعالىexalted is He قاسِمapportioner of الرِزقِsustenance
تَعالى قاسِم الرِزقِ
And ask none but God,
exalted is He, the apportioner of sustenance.
فَلَوfor if عِشتَyou lived وَطَوَّفتَand you roamed
فَلَو عِشتَ وَطَوَّفتَ
مِنَfrom الغَربِthe west إِلىto الشَرقِthe east
مِنَ الغَربِ إِلى الشَرقِ
For if you lived and roamed
from west to east,
لَماwould not صادَفتَyou encountered مَنanyone who يَقدِis able (continued)
لَما صادَفتَ مَن يَقدِ
ر(completes 'is able') أَنto يسعدmake happy أَوor يشقيmake miserable
ر أَن يسعد أَو يشقي
you would encounter no one able
to bring happiness or misery.