إِنَّما الدُنيا كَظِلٍ زائِلٍ

إِنَّما الدُنيا كَظِلٍ زائِلٍ

او كَضَيفٍ باتَ لَيلاً فَاِرتَحَل

او كَضَيفٍ باتَ لَيلاً فَاِرتَحَل

This world is but a fleeting shadow,

The world is but a fading shadow

The world is but a fleeting shadow,

or a guest who stayed a night, then departed,

Or a guest that stayed the night then departed at dawn

Or like a guest who stayed the night, then departed,

أَو كَطيفٍ قَد يَراهُ نائِمٌ

أَو كَطيفٍ قَد يَراهُ نائِمٌ

اَو كَبَرقٍ لاحَ في أُفْقِ الأَمَل

اَو كَبَرقٍ لاحَ في أُفْقِ الأَمَل

or a vision that a sleeper may see,

Or an apparition seen in a dream

Or like a phantom vision seen by a sleeper,

or lightning that flashed on the horizon of hope.

Or a lightning flash on the horizon of hope

Or like lightning flashing on the horizon of hope.