يا مُنفِقَ العُمرِ في لَغْوٍ وفي عَبَثِ

يا مُنفِقَ العُمرِ في لَغْوٍ وفي عَبَثِ

أشفِقْ على زَمَنٍ إن مّرَّ لم يَعُدِ

أشفِقْ على زَمَنٍ إن مّرَّ لم يَعُدِ

O you who spend your life in idle talk and frivolity,

O you who spend a lifetime frivolously and vainly,

Be mindful of time: if it passes, it does not return.

Have pity on time, if it passes, it will not return.

وجُدْ بِما ملَكَتْ كَفّاكَ مِنْ نَشَبٍ

وجُدْ بِما ملَكَتْ كَفّاكَ مِنْ نَشَبٍ

تَسُدْ وتُسْعَدْ وبِالأيّامِ لا تَجُدِ

تَسُدْ وتُسْعَدْ وبِالأيّامِ لا تَجُدِ

And be generous with the wealth your hands possess;

Make good use of what your hands possess of vigor,

You will gain eminence and find happiness—but do not be generous with your days.

To attain happiness, before the days are gone for good.