إذاwhen ما(emphasis) عَراbefalls خطبٌa calamity منfrom الدَّهرِtime فاصطَبرْthen endure patiently
إذا ما عَرا خطبٌ من الدَّهرِ فاصطَبرْ
فإنَّfor indeed اللّيالِيthe nights بالخطوبِwith calamities حَوامِلُpregnant
فإنَّ اللّيالِي بالخطوبِ حَوامِلُ
Whenever a calamity from time befalls you, endure patiently,
If adversity befalls you from fate, then be patient
for the nights are pregnant with calamities.
For nights are pregnant with changing fortunes
فكلُّfor all الذيthat which يأتيcomes بِهwith it الدَّهرُtime زائلٌpassing away
فكلُّ الذي يأتي بِه الدَّهرُ زائلٌ
سرَيعاswiftly فلاso do not تَجزَعْbe distraught لماover what هوit زَائلُpassing away
سرَيعا فلا تَجزَعْ لما هو زَائلُ
For everything that time brings passes away
All that comes from fate passes quickly
swiftly; so do not be distraught over what will pass.
So do not despair over what is fleeting
كُلُّevery شِيءٍthing تَراهُyou see it فيin هَذهِthis الدُّنthe world (first part)
كُلُّ شِيءٍ تَراهُ في هَذهِ الدُّن
يَا(completion of 'the world') خَيالٌa phantom إِذاwhen اُنتَبَهْتَyou awaken يَزولُvanishes
يَا خَيالٌ إِذا اُنتَبَهْتَ يَزولُ
Everything you see in this world
Everything you see in this world, my friend
is a phantom that vanishes when you awaken.
Is an illusion that fades when you awake
ماnot يدُومُendures النّعيمُbliss فيهاin it ولاnor البُؤْmisery (first part)
ما يدُومُ النّعيمُ فيها ولا البُؤْ
سُ(completion of 'misery') متاعُenjoyment الدّنياthe world متاعٌan enjoyment قَليلُlittle
سُ متاعُ الدّنيا متاعٌ قَليلُ
Neither bliss nor misery endures in it;
Neither pleasure nor sorrow in it endure
the enjoyment of this world is but little.
The goods of this world are paltry and few
والذيand that which يَصرِفُdispels الهمومَworries إذاwhen ما(emphasis)
والذي يَصرِفُ الهمومَ إذا ما
ضِقتَyou are constrained ذَرعاًin endurance بِهنَّby them صَبرٌpatience جميلُbeautiful
ضِقتَ ذَرعاً بِهنَّ صَبرٌ جميلُ
And what dispels worries, when
And what dispels cares when you are
you can bear them no longer, is beautiful patience.
Oppressed is beautiful patience