قَبيحٌ أَن يُحَسَّ نَحيبُ باكٍ

قَبيحٌ أَن يُحَسَّ نَحيبُ باكٍ

إِذا حانَ الرَدىفَقَضَيتُ نَحبي

إِذا حانَ الرَدىفَقَضَيتُ نَحبي

It is unseemly for a mourner's sobbing to be heard

It's ugly when the sob of a mourner is heard

When death's hour comes and I meet my end.

As fate draws near, and I meet my end

وَلَم أَرِدِ المَنِيَّةَ بِاِختِياري

وَلَم أَرِدِ المَنِيَّةَ بِاِختِياري

وَلَكِن أَوشَكَ الفَتَيانَ سَحبي

وَلَكِن أَوشَكَ الفَتَيانَ سَحبي

And I did not desire death of my own free will,

Not that I chose death willingly

But the two youths—night and day—hastened to drag me away.

But soon the youths will pull me to my grave

وَلَو خُيِّرتُ لَم أَترُك مَحَلّي

وَلَو خُيِّرتُ لَم أَترُك مَحَلّي

فَأَسكُنَ في مَضيقٍ بَعدَ رَحبِ

فَأَسكُنَ في مَضيقٍ بَعدَ رَحبِ

Had I been given the choice, I would not have left my abode,

If given a choice I'd not leave my place

To dwell in a cramped place after spaciousness.

To live in a narrow valley after wide plains

وَجَدتُ المَوتَ يَنتَظِمُ البَرايا

وَجَدتُ المَوتَ يَنتَظِمُ البَرايا

بِشَجبٍ مِنهُ في أَعقابِ شَجبِ

بِشَجبٍ مِنهُ في أَعقابِ شَجبِ

I have found death encompassing all creatures,

I found death stealing lives everywhere

Bringing one calamity in the wake of another.

With tragedy lurking behind every dune

فَأُوصيكُم بِدُنيانا هَواناً

فَأُوصيكُم بِدُنيانا هَواناً

فَإِنّي تابِعٌ آثارَ صَحبي

فَإِنّي تابِعٌ آثارَ صَحبي

So I counsel you to hold our world in contempt,

So I advise you, think little of this world

For I am following in my companions' footsteps.

For I follow in the steps of my people