سهوناwe were heedless عنof مساورَةِassault المناياfated deaths
سهونا عن مساورَةِ المنايا
فياso, O للّهto God منwhat (exclamatory) سهوheedlessness العبادGod's servants
فيا للّه من سهو العباد
We were heedless of death's assault.
So, O God, how heedless Your servants are!
وغرّتناand deceived us مساعدةassistance الأمانيhopes
وغرّتنا مساعدة الأماني
فلمso did not نحزنwe grieve علىover العمرthe lifetime المبادwasted away
فلم نحزن على العمر المباد
And the favor of our hopes deceived us,
So we did not grieve over our wasted lifetime.
وكمand how often نادتcalled out فأسمعتand so made themselves heard اللياليthe nights
وكم نادت فأسمعت الليالي
ولكنand yet لاno مصيخlistener إلاexcept منادa caller
ولكن لا مصيخ إلا مناد
And how often the nights called out and made themselves heard,
Yet there is no listener, only a caller.
مجاهرَةٌan open display بنكرٍof evil دونrather than عرفٍgoodness
مجاهرَةٌ بنكرٍ دون عرفٍ
وتنديدand denunciation يعادis repeated بكلّin every نادgathering
وتنديد يعاد بكلّ ناد
An open display of evil rather than good,
And denunciation repeated in every gathering.
يطولُlasts long تعجّبيmy wonder مناat us حللناwe have camped
يطولُ تعجّبي منا حللنا
ولمand did not نخفwe fear السيولthe floods ببطنin the bed of وادa valley
ولم نخف السيول ببطن واد
My wonder at us goes on: we have camped
In a valley's bed, yet have not feared the floods.
ولمand did not أرI see مثلناlike us سفراtravelers تبارواthey raced one another
ولم أر مثلنا سفرا تباروا
إلىtoward الغاياتthe destinations سيراtraveling دونwithout زادprovisions
إلى الغايات سيرا دون زاد
And I have seen no travelers like us, who raced
Toward their destinations, traveling without provisions.