فُزwin بِالنَّعيمِbliss فَإِنَّfor indeed عُمرَكَyour life يَنفذruns out
فُز بِالنَّعيمِ فَإِنَّ عُمرَكَ يَنفذ
وَتَغنَّمand make the most of الدُّنياthis world فَلَيسَfor there is no مُخَلّدُimmortal one
وَتَغنَّم الدُّنيا فَلَيسَ مُخَلّدُ
Seize delight, for your life is slipping away.
Win bliss, for your life is running out.
Make the most of this world, for no one lives forever.
And make the most of this world, for no one lives forever.
وَإِذاand when ظَفرتyou attain بِلذّةa pleasure فَاِنهَضthen rise بِهاwith it
وَإِذا ظَفرت بِلذّة فَاِنهَض بِها
لاlet not يَمنَعنّكkeep you back عَنfrom هَواكَyour desire مَفنّدُa faultfinder
لا يَمنَعنّك عَن هَواكَ مَفنّدُ
Whenever you come upon a pleasure, rise and embrace it;
And when you attain a pleasure, take it up.
let no censor keep you from your heart’s desire.
Let no faultfinder keep you from your desire.
وَصَلand join الصّبوحthe morning draught مَعwith الغَبوقthe evening draught فَإِنَّماfor … is only
وَصَل الصّبوح مَع الغَبوق فَإِنَّما
دُنياكَyour world يَومa day واحدsingle يَتَرَدّدُrepeating itself
دُنياكَ يَوم واحد يَتَرَدّدُ
Join the morning draught to the evening cup, for
And join the morning draught with the evening draught, for
this worldly life of yours is but one day repeating itself.
Your world is only a single day repeating itself.
وَعَدُوكَthey promised you تَشربyou would drink فيin الجِنانِParadise’s gardens مَدامةًwine
وَعَدُوكَ تَشرب في الجِنانِ مَدامةً
وَلتندَمَنَّand you will surely regret إِذاwhen أَتاكَcomes to you المَوعدُthe appointed time
وَلتندَمَنَّ إِذا أَتاكَ المَوعدُ
They promised you wine to drink in the gardens of Paradise,
They promised you would drink wine in Paradise’s gardens;
yet you will surely regret it when the appointed hour arrives.
And you will surely regret it when the appointed time comes.
كَمhow many أُمّةa nation هَلَكَتperished وَدارٌand a dwelling عطّلتwas left deserted
كَم أُمّة هَلَكَت وَدارٌ عطّلت
وَمَساجدand mosques خربَتfell into ruin وَعمّرَand was built up مَعهدُa sanctuary
وَمَساجد خربَت وَعمّرَ مَعهدُ
How many a nation has perished, how many a dwelling lies deserted;
How many a nation has perished, and a dwelling lain deserted,
how many mosques have fallen to ruin while a temple was restored.
And mosques fallen into ruin, and a sanctuary been built!
وَلَكمand indeed how many نَبيّa prophet قَدindeed أَتىcame بِشريعةٍwith a religious law
وَلَكم نَبيّ قَد أَتى بِشريعةٍ
قدماًlong ago وَكَمand how many صَلّواprayed لَهاaccording to it وَتَعَبّدواand worshipped
قدماً وَكَم صَلّوا لَها وَتَعَبّدوا
And how many a prophet came bearing a sacred law
And how many a prophet brought a religious law
in ancient times—and how many observed its prayers and worshiped.
Long ago—and how many prayed and worshipped according to it!
