ولمَّا رأَيْتُ العَيْشَ وَلَّى برأسِهِ

وأَيقَنْتُ أَن المَوْتَ لا شَكَّ لاحِقِي

When I saw that life had turned away

And I knew surely that death would overtake me

تمنَّيْتُ أَنِّي ساكِنٌ في غَيابة

بأَعْلَى مَهَبِّ الرِّيحِ في رأَسِ شاهِقِ

I wished I dwelt in a far lonely place

At the highest ridge, chilled by the winds

أُدَرُّ سقيط الحَبِّ في فَضْلِ عِيشةٍ

وحيداً وحِسْيُ الماءِ ثِنيُ المَفالقِ

Casting down acorns to live by their surplus

Alone, while the waters murmur at the canyon's cleft

خَلِيليَّ مَن ذاقَ المَنِيَّةَ مَرَّةً

فَقد ذُقْتُها خَمْسِينَ قَوْلةَ صادق

My friends, whoever has tasted death once

Then I have tasted it fifty honest times

كأَني وَقد حانَ ارْتِحالِيَ لم أَفُزْ

قَدِيماً مِن الدُّنيا بلَمحةِ بارقِ

As my time to depart draws near, from this life

I have gained no flashes of lightening

فمَن مُبْلِغٌ عَني ابْنَ حَزْمٍ وكانَ لي

يَداً في مُلِمَّاتِي وعِنْدَ مَضَايقِي

Who can inform the son of Hazm, who offered

Me assistance in my disasters and adversities?

عَلَيْكَ سَلامُ اللَّهِ إِني مُفارِقٌ

وحَسْبُكَ زاداً مِن حَبيبٍ مُفَارِقِ

Upon you is the peace of God. I take my leave

And my love for you shall suffice as provisions for one departing

فلا تَنْسَ تَأْبِينِي إِذا ما فقدتَني

وتَذْكارَ أَيَّامِي وفَضْلَ خلائِقِي

So do not forget to eulogize me when I am gone

And recall my days and my excellent traits

وحَرِّكْ به باللَّهِ مِن أَهْلِ فَنِّنا

إِذا غَيَّبُوني كُلَّ شَهْم غُرانِق

And for God's sake, from the people of our art

Stir them to lament me, every stalwart hero

عَسَى هامَتي في القَبْرِ تَسْمَعُ بَعْضُه

بتَرْجِيعِ سارٍ أَوْ بتَطرْيبِ طارِقِ

That my soul in the grave might hear something

Of a secret whispered, or a knock tapped

فلي في ادِّكارِي بَعْدَ مَوْتي راحةٌ

فلا تمنَعُونيها عُلالَة زاهِقِ

For in remembering me after death is a solace

So do not forbid it from me, useless fading wretch

وإِني لأَرجُو اللَّهَ فيما تَقَدَّمَتْ

ذُنُوبي به ممّا دَرى مِن حَقائِقي

And I hope in God for the sins accrued in the past

That which He knows of my inner truths