لا تلبس الدهر على غِرَّةٍ

لا تلبس الدهر على غِرَّةٍ

فما لموْتِ الحَيِّ مِنْ بُدِّ

فما لموْتِ الحَيِّ مِنْ بُدِّ

Do not clothe yourself in time heedlessly;

Do not wear life's robe carelessly,

for there is no escaping the death of the living.

For what escape has living from death?

ولا يُخادِعْكَ طويلُ البَقا

ولا يُخادِعْكَ طويلُ البَقا

فتَحْسبِ الطُّولَ مِنَ الخُلْدِ

فتَحْسبِ الطُّولَ مِنَ الخُلْدِ

And do not let long life deceive you,

And let not long life deceive you

lest you mistake longevity for immortality.

To think length is immortality.

ينْفَذُ ما كان لهُ آخِرٌ

ينْفَذُ ما كان لهُ آخِرٌ

ما أقْربَ المَهْدَ مِنَ اللَّحْدِ

ما أقْربَ المَهْدَ مِنَ اللَّحْدِ

Whatever has an end passes away;

Whatever has an end will vanish.

how close the cradle is to the grave!

How near the cradle lies to the bier!