دُنياكَ دارُشُرورٍ لا سُرورَ بِها

دُنياكَ دارُشُرورٍ لا سُرورَ بِها

وَلَيسَ يَدري أَخوها كَيفَ يَحتَرِسُ

وَلَيسَ يَدري أَخوها كَيفَ يَحتَرِسُ

Your world is an abode of evils, with no joy in it.

This world of yours is an abode of evil, no joy in it

And its dweller does not know how to guard himself.

And its fellow knows not how he may protect himself

بَينا اِمرُؤٌ يَتَوَقّى الذِئبَ عَن عُرُضٍ

بَينا اِمرُؤٌ يَتَوَقّى الذِئبَ عَن عُرُضٍ

أَتاهُ لَيثٌ عَلى العِلّاتِ يَفتَرِسُ

أَتاهُ لَيثٌ عَلى العِلّاتِ يَفتَرِسُ

While a man guards against a wolf from one side,

While a man guards against the wolf for his flock

A lion comes upon him nonetheless, to devour him.

A lion comes upon him in the highlands lying in wait

أَلا تَرى هَرَمَي مِصرٍ وَإِن شَمَخا

أَلا تَرى هَرَمَي مِصرٍ وَإِن شَمَخا

كِلاهُما بِيَقينٍ سَوفَ يَندَرِسُ

كِلاهُما بِيَقينٍ سَوفَ يَندَرِسُ

Do you not see Egypt’s two pyramids? Though they tower high,

See you not the pyramids of Egypt, and though lofty

Both will assuredly be effaced.

Both shall surely crumble into ruin

وَلَو أَطاعَ أَميرَ العَقلِ صاحِبُهُ

وَلَو أَطاعَ أَميرَ العَقلِ صاحِبُهُ

لَكانَ آثَرَ مِن أَن يَنطِقَ الخَرَسُ

لَكانَ آثَرَ مِن أَن يَنطِقَ الخَرَسُ

And had reason’s possessor obeyed its sovereign,

Had its ruler but obeyed the counsels of reason

Muteness would have been preferable to his speaking.

It were better than for the mute to speak

مَعَ الأَنامِ أَحاديثٌ مُوَلَّدَةٌ

مَعَ الأَنامِ أَحاديثٌ مُوَلَّدَةٌ

لِلإِنسِ تُزرَعُ كَي تَبقى وَتُغتَرَسُ

لِلإِنسِ تُزرَعُ كَي تَبقى وَتُغتَرَسُ

Among mankind are invented tales,

Among the people are fabricated tales

Sown for humankind, that they may endure and be planted.

Planted in men that they may remain and take root

لَم تُخلَقِ الخَيلُ مِن عُرٍّ وَمَصمَتَةٍ

لَم تُخلَقِ الخَيلُ مِن عُرٍّ وَمَصمَتَةٍ

إِلّا لِيُركَضَ في حاجاتِهِ الفَرَسُ

إِلّا لِيُركَضَ في حاجاتِهِ الفَرَسُ

Horses, whether mangy or solid-colored, were not created

Horses were not created from plank and nail

Except for the steed to be spurred on to serve his needs.

Except to race in fulfilling their master's needs

أَوانُ قُرٍّ يُوافي بَعدَهُ وَمَدٌ

أَوانُ قُرٍّ يُوافي بَعدَهُ وَمَدٌ

مِنَ الزَمانِ وَحَرٌّ بَعدَهُ قَرَسُ

مِنَ الزَمانِ وَحَرٌّ بَعدَهُ قَرَسُ

A season of cold is followed by sultry heat,

The time of coolness ends, followed by a stretch

In the course of time; and heat is followed by biting cold.

Of time, then heat, followed by winter

خُذ يا أَخا الحَربِ رَو ضَع لِأَمَةً وُضِنَت

خُذ يا أَخا الحَربِ رَو ضَع لِأَمَةً وُضِنَت

فَما يُوَقّيكَ لا دِرعٌ وَلا تُرُسُ

فَما يُوَقّيكَ لا دِرعٌ وَلا تُرُسُ

Take up, O brother of war, [or?] lay down a closely woven suit of armor;

Take, O brother of war, repose, and make for a nation a cradle

For neither mail nor shields protect you.

For neither coat of mail nor shield shall protect you

وَلَم يُبَل رَبُّ مِسحاةٍ يُقَلِّبُها

وَلَم يُبَل رَبُّ مِسحاةٍ يُقَلِّبُها

وَلا حَليفُ قَناةٍ رُمحُهُ وَرِسُ

وَلا حَليفُ قَناةٍ رُمحُهُ وَرِسُ

Nor was heed paid to the wielder of a hoe as he worked it,

Nor has the Lord ever favoured a ladle that turns it

Nor to the spear’s companion, whose lance is yellowed.

Nor treaty of a spear its point and butt

قَد يُخطِئُ المَوتُ مُلقىً في تَنوفَتِهِ

قَد يُخطِئُ المَوتُ مُلقىً في تَنوفَتِهِ

وَيَهلِكُ المَرءُ في قَصرٍ لَهُ حَرَسُ

وَيَهلِكُ المَرءُ في قَصرٍ لَهُ حَرَسُ

Death may miss one cast down in his wilderness,

Death may miss one thrown in his death throes

And a man perishes in a palace that has guards.

And a man perish in a palace that guards him

وَما حَمى عَن صَليلِ السَيفِ هامَتَهُ

وَما حَمى عَن صَليلِ السَيفِ هامَتَهُ

إِن باتَ يَصدَحُ في أَيديهِم الجَرَسُ

إِن باتَ يَصدَحُ في أَيديهِم الجَرَسُ

And his head was not shielded from the sword’s clang,

Nor did the zeal of his pride guard him against the slashing of swords

Even if the bell rang all night in their hands.

If he spent the night clashing his bells

مَدَّ النَهارُ حِبالَ الشَمسِ كافِلَةً

مَدَّ النَهارُ حِبالَ الشَمسِ كافِلَةً

بِأَن سَيُقضَبُ مِن عَيشِ الفَتى مَرَسُ

بِأَن سَيُقضَبُ مِن عَيشِ الفَتى مَرَسُ

Day has stretched out the sun’s cords, guaranteeing

The day has cast the ropes of the sun to set

That cords will be severed from the young man’s life.

So that the youth's life may be cut short

ظَنَّ الحَياةَ عَروساً خَلقُها حَسَنُ

ظَنَّ الحَياةَ عَروساً خَلقُها حَسَنُ

وَإِنَّما هِيَ غولٌ خُلقُها شَرِسُ

وَإِنَّما هِيَ غولٌ خُلقُها شَرِسُ

He thought life a bride whose form was beautiful,

Creation deemed life a bride, beautiful its making

But she is nothing but a ghoul whose nature is savage.

But rather it is a ghoul, evil its temper

وَنَحنُ في غَيرِ شَيءٍ وَالبَقاءُ جَرى

وَنَحنُ في غَيرِ شَيءٍ وَالبَقاءُ جَرى

مَجرى الرَدى وَنَظيرُ المَأتَمِ العُرُسُ

مَجرى الرَدى وَنَظيرُ المَأتَمِ العُرُسُ

And we are engaged in futility, and continued life has run

While we are nothing and destruction has taken

The course of death; a wedding is a funeral’s counterpart.

The course of loss and the likeness of mourning the wedding