1. The young man loves longevity, yet he
Is confident that longevity leads to death.
١. يُحِبُّ الفَتى طولَ البَقاءِ وَإِنَّهُ
عَلى ثِقَةٍ أَنَّ البَقاءَ فَناءُ
2. As his body grows, his life shortens;
No growth comes from life's lessening.
٢. زِيادَتُهُ في الجِسمِ نَقصُ حَياتِهِ
وَلَيسَ عَلى نَقصِ الحَياةِ نَماءُ
3. If he lives through a day, that day takes
A part of his life, even if evening seems eternal.
٣. إذا ما طَوى يَوماً طَوى اليَومُ بَعضَهُ
وَيَطويهِ إِن جَنَّ المَساءُ مَساءُ
4. Both the new day and he will disappear someday,
With no existence after everything else is gone.
٤. جَديدانِ لا يَبقى الجَميعُ عَلَيهِما
وَلا لَهُما بَعدَ الجَميعِ بَقاءُ