خَلَتْ منك أَيّام الشَّبيبَةِ فَاعْمُرْهَا

خَلَتْ منك أَيّام الشَّبيبَةِ فَاعْمُرْهَا

وماتَتْ لياليها من العُمْرِ فانْشُرْهَا

وماتَتْ لياليها من العُمْرِ فانْشُرْهَا

The days of youth lie empty of you—so inhabit them.

The days of youth have passed you by, so make use of them,

And their nights have died out of your life—so resurrect them.

And their nights have died in life, so spread them out.

وهذا لَعَمْري كلّهُ غيرُ كائنٍ

وهذا لَعَمْري كلّهُ غيرُ كائنٍ

فأخْرَاكَ وَاصِلهْا ودنياكَ فاهجرها

فأخْرَاكَ وَاصِلهْا ودنياكَ فاهجرها

And all this, by my life, can never be.

By my life, all this will not happen again,

So cleave to your hereafter, and forsake your worldly life.

So be aware and join them, and abandon this world.

أرى لك نفساً في هواكَ مقيمةً

أرى لك نفساً في هواكَ مقيمةً

وقد طالَ ذا منها لكَ الويلُ فاقْصرها

وقد طالَ ذا منها لكَ الويلُ فاقْصرها

I see your soul dwelling in your desire.

I see you have a soul staying in your love,

And long has this been its way—woe to you!—so restrain it.

And that has brought you much woe, so shorten it.

وكم سيّئاتٍ أُحْصِيَتْ فنسيتَها

وكم سيّئاتٍ أُحْصِيَتْ فنسيتَها

وأنتَ متى تقرأ كتابَكَ تذْكرْها

وأنتَ متى تقرأ كتابَكَ تذْكرْها

And how many misdeeds have been recorded, yet you have forgotten them!

And how many evils were counted but forgotten?

And whenever you read your book, you will remember them.

When will you read your book and remember them?

فيا ربِّ إنِّي في الخضوع لقائلٌ

فيا ربِّ إنِّي في الخضوع لقائلٌ

ذنوبي عُيوبي يوْم ألقاك فاسترها

ذنوبي عُيوبي يوْم ألقاك فاسترها

So, O my Lord, in humility I indeed say:

Oh Lord, I am a sinner meeting You in humility.

My sins are my faults—so conceal them on the day I meet You.

My sins, my flaws—the day I meet You, veil them.