بَليتَ وَما تَبلى ثِيابُ صِباكا

بَليتَ وَما تَبلى ثِيابُ صِباكا

كَفاكَ مِنَ اللَهوِ المُضِرِّ كَفاكا

كَفاكَ مِنَ اللَهوِ المُضِرِّ كَفاكا

You have worn out, yet the garments of your youth do not wear out.

You are worn out, yet the clothes of your youth show no wear.

Enough of harmful amusement—enough!

Enough of harmful amusements! You've had enough.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الشَيبَ قَد قامَ ناعِياً

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الشَيبَ قَد قامَ ناعِياً

مَقامَ الشَبابِ الغَضِّ ثُمَّ نَعاكا

مَقامَ الشَبابِ الغَضِّ ثُمَّ نَعاكا

Have you not seen that gray hair has risen as a herald of death,

Don't you see grey hairs announcing,

in tender youth's place, then announced your death?

in place of tender youth, the call to your grave?

تَسَمَّع وَدَع مَن أَغلَقَ الغَيُّ سَمعَهُ

تَسَمَّع وَدَع مَن أَغلَقَ الغَيُّ سَمعَهُ

كَأَنّي بِداعٍ قَد أَتى فَدَعاكا

كَأَنّي بِداعٍ قَد أَتى فَدَعاكا

Listen closely, and leave the one whose hearing has been sealed by error.

Listen, and leave those whose hearing is shut to advice,

It is as though I see a caller who has come and summoned you.

as though a caller had come to summon you away.

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ أَنتَ إِذا القُوى

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ أَنتَ إِذا القُوى

وَهَت وَإِذا الكَربُ الشَديدُ عَلاكا

وَهَت وَإِذا الكَربُ الشَديدُ عَلاكا

Ah, would that I knew how you will be when your strength

Oh, if only I knew how you will be when strength decays,

fails, and when severe anguish overwhelms you.

and when the sorrows of age afflict you!

تَموتُ كَما ماتَ الَّذينَ نَسيتَهُم

تَموتُ كَما ماتَ الَّذينَ نَسيتَهُم

وَتُنسى وَتَهوى العِرسُ بَعدُ سِواكا

وَتُنسى وَتَهوى العِرسُ بَعدُ سِواكا

You will die as those you have forgotten died,

You will die as those before you died, and be forgotten,

and you will be forgotten, and afterward your wife will love another.

while the bridal train will dance on, without you.

تَمَنَّيتَ حَتّى نِلتَ ثُمَّ تَرَكتَها

تَمَنَّيتَ حَتّى نِلتَ ثُمَّ تَرَكتَها

تَنَقَّلُ بَينَ الوارِثينَ مُناكا

تَنَقَّلُ بَينَ الوارِثينَ مُناكا

You wished until you gained what you sought, then left it behind;

You coveted till you got what you wanted, then left it behind,

your wishes pass among the heirs.

to be inherited by others when you are gone.

إِذا لَم تَكُن في مَتجَرِ البِرِّ وَالتِقى

إِذا لَم تَكُن في مَتجَرِ البِرِّ وَالتِقى

خَسِرتَ نَجاةً وَاكتَسَبتَ هَلاكا

خَسِرتَ نَجاةً وَاكتَسَبتَ هَلاكا

If you are not in the marketplace of righteousness and piety,

If you are not trading in righteousness and piety,

you will lose salvation and gain destruction.

you lose salvation, but earn perdition.

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَعزِم عَلى الصَبرِ لِلأَذى

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَعزِم عَلى الصَبرِ لِلأَذى

رَمَيتَ الَّذي مِنهُ الأَذى وَرَماكا

رَمَيتَ الَّذي مِنهُ الأَذى وَرَماكا

If you do not resolve to endure harm patiently,

If you do not resolve to endure harm patiently,

you will assail the one from whom harm comes, and he will assail you.

you launch against the source of harm missiles that hit you back.

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي البِرَّ فَاكفُف عَنِ الأَذى

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي البِرَّ فَاكفُف عَنِ الأَذى

وَما البِرُّ إِلّا أَن تَكُفَّ أَذاكا

وَما البِرُّ إِلّا أَن تَكُفَّ أَذاكا

If you seek righteousness, then refrain from causing harm;

If you seek righteousness, refrain from causing harm,

and righteousness is nothing but restraining the harm you cause.

for righteousness lies only in holding back harm.

أَخوكَ الَّذي مِن نَفسِهِ لَكَ مُنصِفٌ

أَخوكَ الَّذي مِن نَفسِهِ لَكَ مُنصِفٌ

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يُنصِفكَ لَيسَ أَخاكا

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يُنصِفكَ لَيسَ أَخاكا

Your brother is the one who does you justice, even against himself;

The brother who does not treat you justly is still your brother.

if a man does not treat you fairly, he is not your brother.

When a man does not treat you justly, he is not your brother.