كَأَنَّ المَوتَ قَد نَزَلا

كَأَنَّ المَوتَ قَد نَزَلا

فَفَرَّقَ بَينَنا عَجِلا

فَفَرَّقَ بَينَنا عَجِلا

It is as though death has descended,

It is as if death has come down

and hastily parted us.

And separated us hastily

كَفى بِالمَوتِ مَوعِظَةً

كَفى بِالمَوتِ مَوعِظَةً

وَمُعتَبَراً لِمَن عَقَلا

وَمُعتَبَراً لِمَن عَقَلا

Death is admonition enough,

Death is enough of an admonition

and a lesson for those who understand.

And a lesson for whoever is reasonable

أَلا يا ذاكِرَ الأَمَلِ ال

أَلا يا ذاكِرَ الأَمَلِ ال

لَذي لا يَذكُرُ الأَجَلا

لَذي لا يَذكُرُ الأَجَلا

Take heed, O you who remember hope,

Oh you who remember hope

yet do not remember the appointed end!

That does not recall the appointed time

وَما تَنَفَكُّ مِن مَثَلٍ

وَما تَنَفَكُّ مِن مَثَلٍ

لِسَمعِكَ ضارِبٍ مَثَلا

لِسَمعِكَ ضارِبٍ مَثَلا

And you are never without an example,

You do not cease from an example

setting forth a lesson for your ear.

That strikes your hearing as an example

وَحيلَتُكَ الَّتي لِلمَو

وَحيلَتُكَ الَّتي لِلمَو

تِ في أَن تُحسِنَ العَمَلا

تِ في أَن تُحسِنَ العَمَلا

And your recourse against death

And your scheme against death

lies in doing good deeds.

Is to excel in deed