إِنَّ داراً نَحنُ فيها لَدارُ

إِنَّ داراً نَحنُ فيها لَدارُ

لَيسَ فيها لِمُقيمٍ قَرارُ

لَيسَ فيها لِمُقيمٍ قَرارُ

Indeed, the dwelling we inhabit is a dwelling

Indeed it is a house we are in

Where no resident can find lasting rest.

Where there is no permanence for an inhabitant

كَم وَكَم قَد حَلَّها مِن أُناسٍ

كَم وَكَم قَد حَلَّها مِن أُناسٍ

ذَهَبَ اللَيلُ بِهِم وَالنَهارُ

ذَهَبَ اللَيلُ بِهِم وَالنَهارُ

How many, how many people have dwelt in it,

So many people have come and gone from it

Whom night and day have carried away.

The night took them, and the day

فَهُمُ الرَكبُ أَصابوا مُناخاً

فَهُمُ الرَكبُ أَصابوا مُناخاً

فَاستَراحوا ساعَةً ثُمَّ ساروا

فَاستَراحوا ساعَةً ثُمَّ ساروا

For they are the caravan that found a halting place,

They were travelers who found a resting place

So they rested awhile, then journeyed on.

Rested an hour, then traveled on

وَهُمُ الأَحبابُ كانوا وَلَكِن

وَهُمُ الأَحبابُ كانوا وَلَكِن

قَدُمَ العَهدُ وَشَطَّ المَزارُ

قَدُمَ العَهدُ وَشَطَّ المَزارُ

And they were our loved ones, but

They were loved ones, but

Our last meeting is long past, and the place to visit them far away.

Time has passed and the visiting place is far

عَمِيَت أَخبارُهُم مُذ تَوَلَّوا

عَمِيَت أَخبارُهُم مُذ تَوَلَّوا

لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ هُم حَيثُ صاروا

لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ هُم حَيثُ صاروا

News of them has grown obscure since they departed;

News of them was obscured since they left

Would that I knew how they fare where they have gone.

Would that I knew how they are where they went

أَبَتِ الأَجداثُ أَلّا يَزوروا

أَبَتِ الأَجداثُ أَلّا يَزوروا

ما ثَوَوا فيها وَأَن لا يُزاروا

ما ثَوَوا فيها وَأَن لا يُزاروا

The graves refused that they should not visit,

Fate refused that they visit

While they dwelt within, and that they should not be visited.

What they settled in, or that they be visited

وَلَكَم قَد عَطَّلوا مِن عِراصٍ

وَلَكَم قَد عَطَّلوا مِن عِراصٍ

وَدِيارٍ هِيَ مِنهُم قِفارُ

وَدِيارٍ هِيَ مِنهُم قِفارُ

And how many courtyards they have left deserted,

So many abandoned houses they left

And dwellings now desolate without them.

That because of them are empty

وَكَذا الدُنيا عَلى ما رَأَينا

وَكَذا الدُنيا عَلى ما رَأَينا

يَذهَبُ الناسُ وَتَخلو الدِيارُ

يَذهَبُ الناسُ وَتَخلو الدِيارُ

Such is the world, as we have seen:

Thus is the life we see

People depart, and dwellings stand empty.

People depart and houses become vacant

أَيَّ يَومٍ تَأمَنُ الدَهرَ فيهِ

أَيَّ يَومٍ تَأمَنُ الدَهرَ فيهِ

وَلَهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ عِثارُ

وَلَهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ عِثارُ

On what day can you feel safe from time,

What day can you feel safe from fate

When every day it has a stumble in store?

When every day it has mishaps

كَيفَ ما فَرَّ مِنَ المَوتِ حَيٌّ

كَيفَ ما فَرَّ مِنَ المَوتِ حَيٌّ

وَهوَ يُدنيهِ إِلَيهِ الفِرارُ

وَهوَ يُدنيهِ إِلَيهِ الفِرارُ

However a living soul may flee from death,

How can anyone escape death

Yet flight draws him nearer to it.

When it draws him closer through fleeing

إِنَّما الدُنيا بَلاغٌ لِقَومٍ

إِنَّما الدُنيا بَلاغٌ لِقَومٍ

هُوَ في أَيديهِمُ مُستَعارُ

هُوَ في أَيديهِمُ مُستَعارُ

The world is only provision for a people,

The life of this world is but a loan

Held in their hands on loan.

To people, while with them borrowed

فَاِعلَمَن وَاِستَيقِنَن أَنَّهُ لا

فَاِعلَمَن وَاِستَيقِنَن أَنَّهُ لا

بُدَّ يَوماً أَن يُرَدَّ المُعارُ

بُدَّ يَوماً أَن يُرَدَّ المُعارُ

So know well, and be certain, that there is no

Know and be certain that one day

Escape: one day what is borrowed must be returned.

The borrowed must be returned