عِندَ البِلى هَجَرَ الضَجيعَ ضَجيعُهُ

عِندَ البِلى هَجَرَ الضَجيعَ ضَجيعُهُ

وَجَفاهُ مُلطِفُهُ وَشَتَّ جَميعُهُ

وَجَفاهُ مُلطِفُهُ وَشَتَّ جَميعُهُ

When decay comes, the bedfellow is forsaken by his bedfellow.

When misfortune strikes, the sleeper is forsaken by his companion

And the one who cherished him shuns him, and his company scatters.

His comforter abandons him, and all turn away

وَكَذاكَ كُلُّ مُفارِقِ لا يَرتَجي

وَكَذاكَ كُلُّ مُفارِقِ لا يَرتَجي

مَن كانَ يَحفَظُهُ فَسَوفَ يُضيعُهُ

مَن كانَ يَحفَظُهُ فَسَوفَ يُضيعُهُ

So too, every departing one can no longer count on

And so it is with anyone who parts, he will not hope

the one who guarded him, for he will soon neglect him.

For one who would protect him, he will ultimately let him down

مَن ماتَ فاتَ وَفي المَقابِرِ يَستَوي

مَن ماتَ فاتَ وَفي المَقابِرِ يَستَوي

تَحتَ التُرابِ رَفيعُهُ وَوَضيعُهُ

تَحتَ التُرابِ رَفيعُهُ وَوَضيعُهُ

Whoever dies is gone; in the graves, all are equal—

He who dies, dies, and in the graves all are equal

beneath the earth, the exalted and the lowly.

Beneath the soil, eminent and lowly alike

لَو كُنتَ تُبصِرُ يَومَ يَطلُعُ طالِعٌ

لَو كُنتَ تُبصِرُ يَومَ يَطلُعُ طالِعٌ

يَنعاكَ لا يُبقي عَلَيكَ طُلوعُهُ

يَنعاكَ لا يُبقي عَلَيكَ طُلوعُهُ

If you could see the day a herald appears,

If only you could see the day when a new dawn rises

announcing your death, its coming showing you no mercy—

That prevents you, its rising will not leave you intact

لَرَأَيتَ أَنفَسَ مَن يَليكَ أَكُفُّهُ

لَرَأَيتَ أَنفَسَ مَن يَليكَ أَكُفُّهُ

بِنَواكَ أَحسَنُ ما يَكونُ صَنيعُهُ

بِنَواكَ أَحسَنُ ما يَكونُ صَنيعُهُ

you would see the dearest of those whose hands tend you,

You would find those close to you covering their noses

rendering his finest service in sending you away.

Though tending you is the best they can possibly do

وَأَشَدَّ أَهلِكَ مِنكَ ثُمَّ تَبَرُّماً

وَأَشَدَّ أَهلِكَ مِنكَ ثُمَّ تَبَرُّماً

مَن كُنتَ تَقبَلُ نُصحَهُ وَتُطيعُهُ

مَن كُنتَ تَقبَلُ نُصحَهُ وَتُطيعُهُ

And the one most vexed with you among your family then

And most annoyed with you are those whose advice

would be the one whose counsel you accepted and whom you obeyed.

You used to accept and obey in what they put you through

وَأَجَلَّ زادِكَ مِن تُراثِكَ رَيطَةٌ

وَأَجَلَّ زادِكَ مِن تُراثِكَ رَيطَةٌ

وَأَسَرَّ سَيرِكَ لِلحَبيبِ سَريعُهُ

وَأَسَرَّ سَيرِكَ لِلحَبيبِ سَريعُهُ

And your finest provision from your estate is a sheet of cloth;

The most valuable provision on your journey are scraps

and your swift departure is what most delights the beloved.

And the swiftest transportation to your beloved, his sandals

إِن كانَ مَن يَبكيكَ بَعدَكَ صادِقاً

إِن كانَ مَن يَبكيكَ بَعدَكَ صادِقاً

فيما يَقولُ فَلَن تَجِفَّ دُموعُهُ

فيما يَقولُ فَلَن تَجِفَّ دُموعُهُ

If the one who weeps for you after you are gone is sincere

If those who weep for you after you are truly sincere

in what he says, then his tears will never dry.

In their words, their tears will not dry out

هَيهاتَ كَلّا إِنَّ أَكثَرَ هَمِّهِ

هَيهاتَ كَلّا إِنَّ أَكثَرَ هَمِّهِ

فيما جَمَعتَ يَشيدُهُ وَيَبيعُهُ

فيما جَمَعتَ يَشيدُهُ وَيَبيعُهُ

Far from it! No indeed! His chief concern

Alas no! Most are preoccupied with what you collected

is with what you amassed: he builds it up and sells it.

Elevating it and selling it off to the highest bidder