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

وَلَوْلَا ثَلَاثٌ هُنَّ مِنْ عِيشَةِ الْفَتَى
وَجَدِّكَ لَمْ أَحْفِلْ مَتَى قَامَ عُوَّدِي
Meaning: Were it not for three things in a young man’s life, by your fortune, I would not care when those visiting me in illness got up to leave.

Lawlā thalāth introduces the three pursuits developed in the following verses; wa-jaddika strengthens the claim with an oath. ʿUwwādī are visitors to a sick person, so their departure evokes sickness and the nearness of death. The counting structure makes the following three examples a single argument rather than disconnected anecdotes.

Opening interactive controls...

Verse 57: introducing three pursuits

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

وَلَوْلَا ثَلَاثٌ هُنَّ مِنْ عِيشَةِ الْفَتَى
وَجَدِّكَ لَمْ أَحْفِلْ مَتَى قَامَ عُوَّدِي
Meaning: Were it not for three things in a young man’s life, by your fortune, I would not care when those visiting me in illness got up to leave.

Lawlā thalāth introduces the three pursuits developed in the following verses; wa-jaddika strengthens the claim with an oath. ʿUwwādī are visitors to a sick person, so their departure evokes sickness and the nearness of death. The counting structure makes the following three examples a single argument rather than disconnected anecdotes.