أَبا صالحٍ جاءَتْ على الناسِ غَفلةٌ

أَبا صالحٍ جاءَتْ على الناسِ غَفلةٌ

على غفلةٍ بانَتْ بكلِّ كريمِ

على غفلةٍ بانَتْ بكلِّ كريمِ

O Abu Salih, heedlessness came upon the people;

O Abu Salih, negligence has overcome the people

Unawares, it carried off every noble soul.

With negligence manifest in every noble one

فليتَ الأُلى باتُوا يُفادونَ بالأُلى

فليتَ الأُلى باتُوا يُفادونَ بالأُلى

أقامُوا فيُفدَى ظاعِنٌ بمُقيمِ

أقامُوا فيُفدَى ظاعِنٌ بمُقيمِ

So would that those who spent the night were ransomed with those

If only the afflicted were ransomed with the afflicted

Who remained, so one departing might be ransomed with one staying.

They stayed so the lost one would be ransomed with one who stayed

ويا ليْتَها الكُبرى فُتطوى سَماؤُنَا

ويا ليْتَها الكُبرى فُتطوى سَماؤُنَا

لها وتُمدُّ الأَرضُ مدَّ أَديمِ

لها وتُمدُّ الأَرضُ مدَّ أَديمِ

And oh, would that it were the greatest calamity, so our sky were folded up

Oh, if only it were the greatest one, so our sky would be folded

For it, and the earth stretched out as a hide is stretched.

For it and the earth would stretch with the stretch of leather

فما الموتُ إلا عيشُ كل مُبخَّلٍ

فما الموتُ إلا عيشُ كل مُبخَّلٍ

وما العَيشُ إلا موتُ كلِّ ذَميمِ

وما العَيشُ إلا موتُ كلِّ ذَميمِ

For death is but the life of every man deemed miserly,

For death is but the life of every miser

And life is but the death of every blameworthy man.

And life is but the death of every despicable one