المَرءُ بَعدَ المَوتِ أُحدوثَةٌ

المَرءُ بَعدَ المَوتِ أُحدوثَةٌ

يَفنى وَتَبقى مِنهُ آثارُهُ

يَفنى وَتَبقى مِنهُ آثارُهُ

After death, a man is a tale told;

Man after death is news

He perishes, yet his traces remain.

He perishes, but traces of him remain

يَطويهِ مِن أَيّامِهِ ما طَوى

يَطويهِ مِن أَيّامِهِ ما طَوى

لَكِنَّهُ تُنشَرُ أَسرارُهُ

لَكِنَّهُ تُنشَرُ أَسرارُهُ

The days he has folded away fold him away,

Time folds up many of his days

Yet his secrets are laid open.

Yet his secrets are spread about

فَأَحسَنُ الحالاتِ حالُ اِمرِئٍ

فَأَحسَنُ الحالاتِ حالُ اِمرِئٍ

تَطيبُ بَعدَ المَوتِ أَخبارُهُ

تَطيبُ بَعدَ المَوتِ أَخبارُهُ

So the best state is that of a man

So the best condition is that of a man

Of whom good things are said after death.

Whose reputation is sweet after death

يَفنى وَيَبقى ذِكرُهُ بَعده

يَفنى وَيَبقى ذِكرُهُ بَعده

إِذا خَلَت مِن شَخصِهِ دارُهُ

إِذا خَلَت مِن شَخصِهِ دارُهُ

He perishes, yet his memory remains after him,

His mention remains after him

When his house is empty of his presence.

When his home is empty of his person