إِذا ما اِستَمَرَّ عَلى هَجرِهِ

إِذا ما اِستَمَرَّ عَلى هَجرِهِ

فَخَلِّ التَفَكُّرَ في أَمرِهِ

فَخَلِّ التَفَكُّرَ في أَمرِهِ

If he persists in his estrangement,

If he persists in his estrangement,

then cease brooding over his affair.

Then cease pondering his affairs.

هَبِ المَوتَ عاجَلَهُ بَغتَةً

هَبِ المَوتَ عاجَلَهُ بَغتَةً

وَغَيَّبَهُ القَبرُ في قَعرِهِ

وَغَيَّبَهُ القَبرُ في قَعرِهِ

Suppose death were suddenly to overtake him,

Suppose death overtook him suddenly,

and the grave conceal him in its depths:

And the grave concealed him in its depths.

فَسِيّانِ مَن غابَ عَن أَهلِهِ

فَسِيّانِ مَن غابَ عَن أَهلِهِ

وَمَن سَكَنَ التُربَ في قَبرِهِ

وَمَن سَكَنَ التُربَ في قَبرِهِ

then equal is he who is absent from his family

For alike are one absent from his family

and he who dwells in the earth within his grave.

And one who dwells in the dust within his grave.

سَبيلُ الجَميعِ إِلى فُرقَةٍ

سَبيلُ الجَميعِ إِلى فُرقَةٍ

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تَدرِهِ فَاِدرِهِ

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تَدرِهِ فَاِدرِهِ

Everyone’s path leads to a parting;

The path of all leads to separation;

if you do not know this, then know it.

So if you did not know it, then know it.

وَحُلوُ الحَياةِ إِلى مُرِّها

وَحُلوُ الحَياةِ إِلى مُرِّها

وَصَفوُ المَعاشِ إِلى كَدرِهِ

وَصَفوُ المَعاشِ إِلى كَدرِهِ

Life’s sweetness tends toward its bitterness,

And life's sweetness turns to its bitterness,

and the serenity of living toward its murk.

And the clarity of living turns to its murkiness.