مسافةdistance الشمسthe sun دونless than أقربهhis nearest point
مسافة الشمس دون أقربه
وإنand if دعوناwe called أعارناhe lent us أذنهhis ear
وإن دعونا أعارنا أذنه
The sun is closer than he is at his nearest.
The sun is distant, without its nearest
And if we call, he lends us his ear.
And if they call us, we lend them our ear
القلبthe heart قبرٌa grave وأنتand you ساكنهits dweller
القلب قبرٌ وأنت ساكنه
لاnot يبرحleaves القبرthe grave ميتٌa dead person سكنهhe dwelt in it
لا يبرح القبر ميتٌ سكنه
The heart is a grave, and you are its dweller;
The heart is a grave, and you are its dweller
no dead man who has dwelt there leaves the grave.
The dead do not leave their grave dwellings
ماnot مرpassed يومٌa day بماwith whatever يصرفهturns it about
ما مر يومٌ بما يصرفه
إلّاexcept that جعلناكwe made you فيهin it ممتحنهits examiner
إلّا جعلناك فيه ممتحنه
No day has passed, whatever its vicissitudes,
No day has passed with something to divert it
but we made you its examiner that day.
Except we made you therein a tester
أوor راقناpleased us ثوبهits robe ونضرتهand its freshness
أو راقنا ثوبه ونضرته
ألاlo! رأيناwe saw فيin ثوبهits robe كفنهits shroud
ألا رأينا في ثوبه كفنه
Or, if its robe and freshness charmed us,
Or we cast off its clothes and splendor
lo, we saw its shroud within its robe.
Unless we saw in its clothes its shroud
آليتI vowed لاnot يستخفنيcarries me away أملٌa hope
آليت لا يستخفني أملٌ
فيin الغدtomorrow أوor تستغرنيbeguile me حسنهits charms
في الغد أو تستغرني حسنه
I have sworn that no hope will carry me away
I have resolved no hope can hide from me
for tomorrow, nor will its charms beguile me.
Of tomorrow or charm me with its beauty
الدهرtime لولاwere it not for الآمالhopes مشتبهٌall alike
الدهر لولا الآمال مشتبهٌ
والمرءand a man فيin نسفهhis destruction يرىsees زمنهhis time
والمرء في نسفه يرى زمنه
Time, but for hopes, would be all alike;
Time but for hopes would be ambiguous
and a man sees his time in his destruction.
And man in his end sees his time