إذا كانَت حَياةُ المَرءِ نَوماً

إذا كانَت حَياةُ المَرءِ نَوماً

وَلَيسَ لَهُ سِوى المَوتِ اِنتِباهُ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ سِوى المَوتِ اِنتِباهُ

If a mortal’s life is but a sleep,

If a person's life is sleep,

and he has no awakening save death,

and he has no awakening except death,

فَعَيشُ المَرءِ في الدُنيا خَيالٌ

فَعَيشُ المَرءِ في الدُنيا خَيالٌ

يُخَيُّلُهُ لِناظِرِهِ كَراهُ

يُخَيُّلُهُ لِناظِرِهِ كَراهُ

then his life in this world is a vision

then a person's life in this world is an illusion

his slumber conjures before his gaze.

that his slumber conjures before his eye.