لَعَمري لَقَد نوديتَ لَو كُنتَ تَسمَعُ

لَعَمري لَقَد نوديتَ لَو كُنتَ تَسمَعُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَوتَ ما لَيسَ يُدفَعُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَوتَ ما لَيسَ يُدفَعُ

By my life, you have indeed been called—if only you would listen.

By my life, you have indeed been called—if only you would listen.

Have you not seen that death is something none can repel?

Have you not seen that death is what cannot be repelled?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الناسَ في غَفَلاتِهِم

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الناسَ في غَفَلاتِهِم

وَأَنَّ المَنايا بَينَهُم تَتَقَعقَعُ

وَأَنَّ المَنايا بَينَهُم تَتَقَعقَعُ

Have you not seen that people, in their heedlessness,

Have you not seen that people remain in their heedlessness,

while dooms clatter among them?

And that deadly fates rattle in their midst?

أَلَم تَرَ لَذّاتِ الجَديدِ إِلى البِلى

أَلَم تَرَ لَذّاتِ الجَديدِ إِلى البِلى

أَلَم تَرَ أَسبابَ الأُمورِ تَقَطَّعُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَسبابَ الأُمورِ تَقَطَّعُ

Have you not seen the pleasures of all things new pass into decay?

Have you not seen the pleasures of what is new give way to decay?

Have you not seen the bonds of affairs being severed?

Have you not seen the threads of affairs break apart?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الفَقرَ يَعقِبُهُ الغِنى

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الفَقرَ يَعقِبُهُ الغِنى

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الضيقَ قَد يَتَوَسَّعُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الضيقَ قَد يَتَوَسَّعُ

Have you not seen that poverty is succeeded by wealth,

Have you not seen that poverty is followed by wealth?

and that hardship may open into ease?

Have you not seen that hardship may open into ease?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَوتَ يَهتَزُّ سَيفُهُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَوتَ يَهتَزُّ سَيفُهُ

وَأَنَّ رِماحَ المَوتِ نَحوَكَ تُشرَعُ

وَأَنَّ رِماحَ المَوتِ نَحوَكَ تُشرَعُ

Have you not seen death brandish its sword,

Have you not seen that death's sword quivers,

and death's spears leveled toward you?

And that death's spears are leveled at you?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ في كُلِّ ساعَةٍ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ في كُلِّ ساعَةٍ

لَهُ عارِضٌ فيهِ المَنِيَّةُ تَلمَعُ

لَهُ عارِضٌ فيهِ المَنِيَّةُ تَلمَعُ

Have you not seen that time, in every hour,

Have you not seen that time, at every hour,

has a gathering cloud in which death flashes?

Has a passing cloud in which death flashes?

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يَشبَعُ بَطنُهُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يَشبَعُ بَطنُهُ

وَناظِرُهُ فيما تَرى لَيسَ يَشبَعُ

وَناظِرُهُ فيما تَرى لَيسَ يَشبَعُ

Have you not seen that a man's belly may be filled,

Have you not seen that a man's belly grows full,

while his gaze, as you see, is never satisfied?

While his eye, as you see, is never satisfied?

أَيا بانِيَ الدُنيا لِغَيرِكَ تَبتَني

أَيا بانِيَ الدُنيا لِغَيرِكَ تَبتَني

وَيا جامِعَ الدُنيا لِغَيرِكَ تَجمَعُ

وَيا جامِعَ الدُنيا لِغَيرِكَ تَجمَعُ

O builder of this world, you build for another;

O builder of this world, you build for someone else;

O gatherer of this world, you gather for another.

And O gatherer of this world's riches, you gather for someone else.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يَحبِسُ مالَهُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يَحبِسُ مالَهُ

وَوارِثُهُ فيهِ غَداً يَتَمَتَّعُ

وَوارِثُهُ فيهِ غَداً يَتَمَتَّعُ

Have you not seen that a man hoards his wealth,

Have you not seen that a man hoards his wealth,

while tomorrow his heir enjoys it?

While tomorrow his heir takes pleasure in it?

كَأَنَّ الحُماةَ المُشفِقينَ عَلَيكَ قَد

كَأَنَّ الحُماةَ المُشفِقينَ عَلَيكَ قَد

غَدَوا بِكَ أَو راحوا رَواحاً فَأَسرَعوا

غَدَوا بِكَ أَو راحوا رَواحاً فَأَسرَعوا

It is as though the caring guardians anxious for you have already

It is as though the protectors, concerned for you, have already

borne you away at dawn or departed with you at evening—and hurried on.

Gone forth with you in the morning, or departed in the evening, hastening on.

وَما هُوَ إِلّا النَعشُ لَو قَد دَعَوا بِهِ

وَما هُوَ إِلّا النَعشُ لَو قَد دَعَوا بِهِ

تُقَلُّ فَتُلقى فَوقَهُ ثُمَّ تُرفَعُ

تُقَلُّ فَتُلقى فَوقَهُ ثُمَّ تُرفَعُ

It is only the bier—if they should call for it:

And it is nothing but the bier: should they call for it,

you are carried, laid upon it, and then raised aloft.

You are lifted, then laid upon it, then borne aloft.

وَما هُوَ إِلّا حادِثٌ بَعدَ حادِثٍ

وَما هُوَ إِلّا حادِثٌ بَعدَ حادِثٍ

عَلَيكَ فَمِن أَيِّ الحَوادِثِ تَجزَعُ

عَلَيكَ فَمِن أَيِّ الحَوادِثِ تَجزَعُ

It is nothing but one event after another

And it is nothing but one calamity after another

befalling you—so which of these events alarms you?

Upon you—so at which calamity do you lose heart?

وَما هُوَ إِلّا المَوتُ يَأتي لِوَقتِهِ

وَما هُوَ إِلّا المَوتُ يَأتي لِوَقتِهِ

فَما لَكَ في تَأخيرِهِ عَنكَ مَدفَعُ

فَما لَكَ في تَأخيرِهِ عَنكَ مَدفَعُ

It is only death, coming

And it is nothing but death, coming at its appointed time;

at its appointed time; what means have you to ward it off?

So you have no defense that can delay its reaching you.

أَلا وَإِذا وُدِّعتَ تَوديعَ هالِكٍ

أَلا وَإِذا وُدِّعتَ تَوديعَ هالِكٍ

فَآخِرُ يَومٍ مِنكَ يَومُ تُوَدَّعُ

فَآخِرُ يَومٍ مِنكَ يَومُ تُوَدَّعُ

Know this: when you are bidden farewell as one already lost,

Take heed: when you are bid farewell as one who has died,

your final day is the day on which they bid you farewell.

Then your last day is the day you are bid farewell.

أَلا وَكَما شَيَّعتَ يَوماً جَنائِزاً

أَلا وَكَما شَيَّعتَ يَوماً جَنائِزاً

فَأَنتَ كَما شَيَّعتَهُم سَتُشَيَّعُ

فَأَنتَ كَما شَيَّعتَهُم سَتُشَيَّعُ

Know that, just as you once escorted funeral processions,

Take heed: just as you once escorted funeral biers,

you too will be escorted, just as you escorted them.

So you will be escorted, just as you escorted them.

رَأَيتُكَ في الدُنيا عَلى ثِقَةٍ بِها

رَأَيتُكَ في الدُنيا عَلى ثِقَةٍ بِها

وَإِنَّكَ في الدُنيا لَأَنتَ المُرَوَّعُ

وَإِنَّكَ في الدُنيا لَأَنتَ المُرَوَّعُ

I see you in this world placing your trust in it,

I saw you in this world, placing your trust in it;

though in this world you are the very one who lives in dread.

Yet in this world you are indeed terror-stricken.

وَصَفتَ التُقى وَصفاً كَأَنَّكَ ذو تُقاً

وَصَفتَ التُقى وَصفاً كَأَنَّكَ ذو تُقاً

وَريحُ الخَطايا مِن ثِيابِكَ تَسطَعُ

وَريحُ الخَطايا مِن ثِيابِكَ تَسطَعُ

You have described piety as though you were a man of piety,

You described piety as though you were a man of piety,

yet the stench of sins rises from your clothes.

While the stench of sins emanates from your garments.

وَلَم تُعنَ بِالأَمرِ الَّذي هُوَ واقِعٌ

وَلَم تُعنَ بِالأَمرِ الَّذي هُوَ واقِعٌ

وَكُلُّ امرِئٍ يُعنى بِما يَتَوَقَّعُ

وَكُلُّ امرِئٍ يُعنى بِما يَتَوَقَّعُ

You have not concerned yourself with the thing certain to occur,

And you have not concerned yourself with what is certain to occur,

though everyone concerns himself with what he expects.

Though everyone concerns himself with what he expects.

وَإِنَّكَ لَلمَنقوصُ في كُلِّ حالَةٍ

وَإِنَّكَ لَلمَنقوصُ في كُلِّ حالَةٍ

وَكُلُّ بَني الدُنيا عَلى النَقصِ يُطبَعُ

وَكُلُّ بَني الدُنيا عَلى النَقصِ يُطبَعُ

Surely you are deficient in every state,

And surely you are deficient in every condition,

and all the children of this world are fashioned in imperfection.

And all the children of this world are stamped with imperfection.

إِذا لَم يَضِق قَولٌ عَلَيكَ فَقُل بِهِ

إِذا لَم يَضِق قَولٌ عَلَيكَ فَقُل بِهِ

وَإِن ضاقَ عَنكَ القَولُ فَالصَمتُ أَوسَعُ

وَإِن ضاقَ عَنكَ القَولُ فَالصَمتُ أَوسَعُ

If a saying does not weigh heavily upon you, then speak it;

If speech does not hem you in, speak it;

but if speech constricts you, silence is more spacious.

But if speech is too narrow for you, silence is more spacious.

وَلا تَحتَقِر شَيئاً تَصاغَرتَ قَدرَهُ

وَلا تَحتَقِر شَيئاً تَصاغَرتَ قَدرَهُ

فَإِنَّ حَقيراً قَد يَضُرُّ وَيَنفَعُ

فَإِنَّ حَقيراً قَد يَضُرُّ وَيَنفَعُ

Do not despise a thing because you deem its worth too small;

And do not scorn anything whose worth you deem slight,

for a lowly thing may do harm and may do good.

For a trifling thing may harm and help.

تَقَلَّبتَ في الدُنيا تَقَلُّبَ أَهلِها

تَقَلَّبتَ في الدُنيا تَقَلُّبَ أَهلِها

وَذو المالِ فيها حَيثُما مالَ يُتبَعُ

وَذو المالِ فيها حَيثُما مالَ يُتبَعُ

You have turned about in this world as its people turn,

You have moved about in this world as its people do,

and the wealthy man is followed wherever he inclines.

And in it the man of wealth is followed wherever he turns.

وَما زِلتُ أُرمى كُلَّ يَومٍ بِعِبرَةٍ

وَما زِلتُ أُرمى كُلَّ يَومٍ بِعِبرَةٍ

تَكادُ لَهَ صُمُّ الجِبالِ تَصَدَّعُ

تَكادُ لَهَ صُمُّ الجِبالِ تَصَدَّعُ

Each day I still am struck by some admonishing lesson

And I keep being struck, each day, by a warning

that could almost split the mountains' deaf rocks.

At which the solid mountains almost split apart.

فَما بالُ عَيني لا تَجودُ بِمائِها

فَما بالُ عَيني لا تَجودُ بِمائِها

وَما بالُ قَلبي لا يَرِقُّ وَيَخشَعُ

وَما بالُ قَلبي لا يَرِقُّ وَيَخشَعُ

Why, then, does my eye not pour forth its water?

Why, then, does my eye not pour forth its water,

And why does my heart not soften and humble itself?

And why does my heart not soften and grow humble?

تَبارَكَ مَن لا يَملِكُ المُلكَ غَيرُهُ

تَبارَكَ مَن لا يَملِكُ المُلكَ غَيرُهُ

مَتى تَنقَضي حاجاتُ مَن لَيسَ يَقنَعُ

مَتى تَنقَضي حاجاتُ مَن لَيسَ يَقنَعُ

Blessed is He besides whom no one possesses sovereignty.

Blessed is He: none but He possesses dominion.

When will the needs of one who is never content come to an end?

When will the needs of one who is not content come to an end?

وَأَيُّ امرِئٍ في غايَةٍ لَيسَ نَفسُهُ

وَأَيُّ امرِئٍ في غايَةٍ لَيسَ نَفسُهُ

إِلى غايَةٍ أُخرى سِواها تَطَلَّعُ

إِلى غايَةٍ أُخرى سِواها تَطَلَّعُ

What man reaches any goal without his soul

And what person, at one goal, has a soul that does not

aspiring beyond it toward another goal?

Aspire to another goal besides it?

وَبَعضُ بَني الدُنيا لِبَعضٍ ذَريعَةٌ

وَبَعضُ بَني الدُنيا لِبَعضٍ ذَريعَةٌ

وَكُلُّ بِكُلِّ قَلَّ ما يَتَمَتَّعُ

وَكُلُّ بِكُلِّ قَلَّ ما يَتَمَتَّعُ

Some of this world's people serve as means for others,

And some of this world's children are a means for others,

yet each enjoys so little through every other.

And each gains little enjoyment from the others.

يُحِبُّ السَعيدُ العَدلَ عِندَ احتِجاجِهِ

يُحِبُّ السَعيدُ العَدلَ عِندَ احتِجاجِهِ

وَيَبغي الشَقِيُّ البَغيَ وَالبَغيُ يَصرَعُ

وَيَبغي الشَقِيُّ البَغيَ وَالبَغيُ يَصرَعُ

The fortunate man loves justice when presenting his case;

The fortunate man loves justice when he argues his case;

the wretched man seeks oppression, but oppression strikes him down.

And the wretched man seeks oppression—and oppression strikes him down.

وَذو الفَضلِ لا يَهتَزُّ إِن هَزَّهُ الغِنى

وَذو الفَضلِ لا يَهتَزُّ إِن هَزَّهُ الغِنى

لِفَخرِ وَلا إِن عَضَّهُ الدَهرُ يَضرَعُ

لِفَخرِ وَلا إِن عَضَّهُ الدَهرُ يَضرَعُ

The virtuous man is not shaken when wealth stirs him

And the man of virtue, if wealth stirs him, is not moved

toward pride, nor does he abase himself when time bites him.

To pride; nor, if time bites him, does he cower.

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ الحَقِّ أَقوى لِحُجَّةٍ

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ الحَقِّ أَقوى لِحُجَّةٍ

يَدُ الحَقِّ بَينَ العِلمِ وَالجَهلِ تَقرَعُ

يَدُ الحَقِّ بَينَ العِلمِ وَالجَهلِ تَقرَعُ

I have seen nothing like truth—so mighty an argument:

And I have seen nothing stronger than truth in argument;

the hand of truth strikes between knowledge and ignorance.

The hand of truth strikes between knowledge and ignorance.