لمَّاwhen رأيتُI saw الوزيرَthe vizier بالدُّنْيَاwith the world
لمَّا رأيتُ الوزيرَ بالدُّنْيَا
أجْمَعِهاall of it قامstood وهْوwhile he حَاوِيهَاholding it
أجْمَعِها قام وهْو حَاوِيهَا
When I saw the vizier, with the world—
When I saw the minister possessing
all of it—standing with it in his grasp,
All the world's allurements combined,
عَرفتُI knew أنthat الدنياthe world تقومُstands علىupon
عَرفتُ أن الدنيا تقومُ على
قَرْنٍa horn لِثَوْرٍof a bull بإذْنby permission of بَارِيهَاits Creator
قَرْنٍ لِثَوْرٍ بإذْن بَارِيهَا
I knew that the world stands upon
I knew the world was propped
a bull’s horn, by its Creator’s leave.
On a bull's horn, by its Maker's design