ثلاثthree سنينyears أمor ثلاثthree ليالnights
ثلاث سنين أم ثلاث ليال
هيthey البرقlightning أمor مرَّتthey passed كلمحlike a glimpse of خيالa vision
هي البرق أم مرَّت كلمح خيال
Three years—or three nights?
Three years, or three nights?
Was it lightning, or did it pass like a vision’s flash?
Were they lightning, or did they pass like a fleeting vision?
وماand not كانwas هذاthis العمرُlife إلاexcept صحائفاًpages
وما كان هذا العمرُ إلا صحائفاً
تلاشتvanished ظلالاًas shadows رُحنthey departed إثرin the wake of ظلالshadows
تلاشت ظلالاً رُحن إثر ظلال
This lifetime was nothing but pages
And this life was nothing but pages
That vanished as shadows, one following another.
That vanished as shadows, departing in the wake of shadows.
وماand not كانwas إلاexcept أمسyesterday لقياكmeeting you إنهindeed, it
وما كان إلا أمس لقياك إنه
لأثبتsurely the most enduring ماwhat خطّinscribed الزمانُtime بباليin my mind
لأثبت ما خطّ الزمانُ ببالي
It was only yesterday that I met you; indeed, it is
And it was only yesterday I met you; indeed, it
The most enduring thing time has etched upon my mind.
Is the most enduring thing time has inscribed in my mind.
وماand not العمرlife إلاexcept أنتyou والحبand love والمنىand hopes
وما العمر إلا أنت والحب والمنى
وماand not كانwas باقيthe rest of العمرlife غيرَother than ضلالdelusion
وما كان باقي العمر غيرَ ضلال
Life is nothing but you, and love, and hopes;
And life is nothing but you, love, and hopes,
And all the rest of life was nothing but wandering.
And the rest of life was nothing but delusion.
