لَولاwere it not for الرَدىdeath كانَتِwould be الدُنياthe world لِمَنfor whoever سَبَقاcame before
لَولا الرَدى كانَتِ الدُنيا لِمَن سَبَقا
اللَهُGod يَبقىendures وَيَفنىand perishes كُلُّall ماthat which خَلَقاHe created
اللَهُ يَبقى وَيَفنى كُلُّ ما خَلَقا
Were it not for death, the world would belong to those who came before.
Were it not for death, the world would belong to whoever came before.
God abides, while all that He created perishes.
God endures, and all that He created perishes.
يَهوىloves الحَياةَlife بَنوchildren of الدُنياthe world وَقَدand already علمواthey knew
يَهوى الحَياةَ بَنو الدُنيا وَقَد علموا
أَنَّthat الحَياةَlife عَناءٌtoil دائِمٌunceasing وَشَقاand misery
أَنَّ الحَياةَ عَناءٌ دائِمٌ وَشَقا
The children of this world love life, though they know
The children of the world love life, though they already know
that life is unceasing hardship and woe.
That life is unending toil and misery.
ماwhatever مَرَّhas passed مِنof عُمُرِthe lifespan of الإِنسانِa human being فيin حَزَنٍsorrow
ما مَرَّ مِن عُمُرِ الإِنسانِ في حَزَنٍ
أَوor فيin سُرورٍjoy كَطَيفٍlike a phantom فيin الكَرىslumber طَرَقاvisited by night
أَو في سُرورٍ كَطَيفٍ في الكَرى طَرَقا
Whatever of a human lifetime has passed in sorrow,
Whatever has passed of a person's life, in sorrow
or in joy, is like a phantom that visited in sleep.
Or in joy, is like a phantom that visited in slumber.
