وكنتَand you used to be إذاwhen عَرَاكbefell you عضالُintractable داءillness
وكنتَ إذا عَرَاك عضالُ داء
وأنتwhile you were فَتىa young man، وَثقْتَyou were confident منof الشفاءrecovery
وأنت فَتى، وَثقْتَ من الشفاء
And whenever an incurable illness assailed you,
And whenever an intractable illness befell you,
while you were young, I was confident of recovery.
While still a young man, you were confident of recovery.
فماso what لكwith you كلَّماwhenever غشِيَتْكovertook you عدوَىcontagion
فما لك كلَّما غشِيَتْك عدوَى
ركامa heap رُحْتyou began تُوقِنُto be certain بالفناءof death؟
ركام رُحْت تُوقِنُ بالفناء؟
What is wrong with you, whenever you are engulfed by the contagion of
Why, then, whenever you are overtaken by the contagion
a piled-up mass, that you become certain of annihilation?
Of a heap [as written], do you become certain of death?
دواءtreatment الشَّيْخthe old man يُعْيِيbaffles كلَّevery طِبٍّmedical art
دواء الشَّيْخ يُعْيِي كلَّ طِبٍّ
وماand how أغنىfree from need الشبابَyouth عنof الدَّواءmedicine!
وما أغنى الشبابَ عن الدَّواء!
The old man’s remedy baffles every art of medicine,
Treatment for an old man baffles every medical art,
and how youth makes medicine unnecessary!
And how little youth needs medicine!
