المَرءُ يَطلُبُ وَالمَنِيَّةُ تَطلُبُه

المَرءُ يَطلُبُ وَالمَنِيَّةُ تَطلُبُه

وَيَدُ الزَمانِ تُديرُهُ وَتُقَلِّبُه

وَيَدُ الزَمانِ تُديرُهُ وَتُقَلِّبُه

Man seeks, while death seeks him.

Man seeks while death seeks him,

And the hand of time turns him round and turns him over.

And the hand of time turns him and changes him.

لَيسَ الحَريصُ بِزائِدٍ في رِزقِهِ

لَيسَ الحَريصُ بِزائِدٍ في رِزقِهِ

اللَهُ يَقسِمُهُ لَهُ وَيُسَبِّبُه

اللَهُ يَقسِمُهُ لَهُ وَيُسَبِّبُه

The covetous man adds nothing to his provision;

The greedy is not increased in his provision,

God apportions it to him and brings it about.

God apportions it to him and provides for him.

لا تَغضَبَنَّ عَلى الزَمانِ فَإِنَّ مَن

لا تَغضَبَنَّ عَلى الزَمانِ فَإِنَّ مَن

يُرضي الزَمانُ أَقَلُّ مِمَّن يُغضِبُه

يُرضي الزَمانُ أَقَلُّ مِمَّن يُغضِبُه

Do not be angry with time, for those whom

Do not be angry at fate, for whoever

time pleases are fewer than those it angers.

Pleases fate is less than one who angers it.

أَيُّ اِمرِئٍ إِلّا عَلَيهِ مِنَ البِلى

أَيُّ اِمرِئٍ إِلّا عَلَيهِ مِنَ البِلى

في كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ رَقيبٌ يَرقَبُه

في كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ رَقيبٌ يَرقَبُه

What man has not, from decay,

What man except that decay lies in wait for him

a sentinel watching him on every side?

In every place a guardian to watch him?

المَوتُ حَوضٌ لا مَحالَةَ دونَهُ

المَوتُ حَوضٌ لا مَحالَةَ دونَهُ

مُرٌّ مَذاقَتُهُ كَريهٌ مَشرَبُه

مُرٌّ مَذاقَتُهُ كَريهٌ مَشرَبُه

Death is a pool that lies inevitably before him;

Death is a basin none can avoid,

its taste is bitter, its draught repugnant.

Bitter its taste, disgusting its drink.

وَتَرى الفَتى سَلِسَ الحَديثِ بِذِكرِهِ

وَتَرى الفَتى سَلِسَ الحَديثِ بِذِكرِهِ

وَسطَ النَدِيِّ كَأَنَّهُ لا يَرهَبُه

وَسطَ النَدِيِّ كَأَنَّهُ لا يَرهَبُه

And you see the young man speaking glibly of it

You see the spirited youth speak of it

amid the assembly, as though he did not fear it.

Amidst pleasure as if he does not fear it.

وَأَسَرُّ ما يُلقى الفَتى في نَفسِهِ

وَأَسَرُّ ما يُلقى الفَتى في نَفسِهِ

يَبتَزُّهُ نابُ الزَمانِ وَمَخلَبُه

يَبتَزُّهُ نابُ الزَمانِ وَمَخلَبُه

And just when the young man is happiest at heart,

And most hidden is what the youth encounters in himself

time's fang and claw snatch him away.

Age's fangs tear it asunder and its claws.

وَلَرُبُّ مُلهِيَةٍ لِصاحِبِ لَذَّةٍ

وَلَرُبُّ مُلهِيَةٍ لِصاحِبِ لَذَّةٍ

أَلفَيتُها تَبكي عَلَيهِ وَتَندُبُه

أَلفَيتُها تَبكي عَلَيهِ وَتَندُبُه

And many a woman who entertained a pleasure-seeker

And how often a diversion for one feeling pleasure

I have found weeping over him and lamenting him.

I found it weeping over him and mourning him.

مَن كانَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ كبَرِ هَمِّهِ

مَن كانَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ كبَرِ هَمِّهِ

نَصَبَت لَهُ مِن حُبِّها ما يُتعِبُه

نَصَبَت لَهُ مِن حُبِّها ما يُتعِبُه

Whoever counts this world among his chief concerns—

Whoever made the world his biggest concern

it sets before him, through his love for it, what wearies him.

It burdened him with toil for loving it.

فَاِصبِر عَلى الدُنيا وَطولِ غُمومِها

فَاِصبِر عَلى الدُنيا وَطولِ غُمومِها

ما كُلُّ مَن فيها يَرى ما يُعجِبُه

ما كُلُّ مَن فيها يَرى ما يُعجِبُه

So be patient with this world and its long-lasting sorrows;

So be patient with the world and length of its sorrows

not everyone in it sees what pleases him.

Not all who are in it see what pleases them.

ما زالَتِ الأَيّامُ تَلعَبُ بِالفَتى

ما زالَتِ الأَيّامُ تَلعَبُ بِالفَتى

طَوراً تُخَوِّلُهُ وَطَوراً تَسلُبُه

طَوراً تُخَوِّلُهُ وَطَوراً تَسلُبُه

The days have never ceased to toy with the young man,

The days have not ceased to play with the youth-

now enriching him, now robbing him.

One time enabling him and another stealing him away.

مَن لَم يَزَل مُتَعَجِّباً مِن كُلِّ ما

مَن لَم يَزَل مُتَعَجِّباً مِن كُلِّ ما

تَأتي بِهِ الأَيّامُ طالَ تَعَجُّبُه

تَأتي بِهِ الأَيّامُ طالَ تَعَجُّبُه

Whoever keeps marveling at all that

Whoever continues to wonder at all

the days bring will marvel long.

The days bring- his wonderment lasts long.