LessonsṬarafah: Three Pleasures of Life and the Certainty of Death (Verses 55–67)Quiz

أَلَا أَيُّهَذَا اللَّائِمِي أَحْضُرَ الْوَغَى
وَأَنْ أَشْهَدَ اللَّذَّاتِ هَلْ أَنْتَ مُخْلِدِي
Meaning: Listen, you who rebuke me for attending battle and taking part in pleasures—can you make me live forever?

Al-lāʾimī is the reprover; al-waghā means warfare; and mukhlidī refers to one who would grant permanence of life. The closing question is rhetorical rather than a request for information. The speaker exposes the critic’s inability to prevent death and uses that inability to argue against the critic’s control over his way of life.

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Verse 55: challenging the critic

Ṭarafah: Three Pleasures of Life and the Certainty of Death (Verses 55–67)

أَلَا أَيُّهَذَا اللَّائِمِي أَحْضُرَ الْوَغَى
وَأَنْ أَشْهَدَ اللَّذَّاتِ هَلْ أَنْتَ مُخْلِدِي
Meaning: Listen, you who rebuke me for attending battle and taking part in pleasures—can you make me live forever?

Al-lāʾimī is the reprover; al-waghā means warfare; and mukhlidī refers to one who would grant permanence of life. The closing question is rhetorical rather than a request for information. The speaker exposes the critic’s inability to prevent death and uses that inability to argue against the critic’s control over his way of life.