لِعَظيمٍ مِنَ الأُمورِ خُلِقنا

غَيرَ أَنّا مَعَ الشَقاءِ نِيامُ

We were created for a grand purpose

Yet we sleep in misery

كُلَّ يَومٍ يَحُطُّ آجالَنا الدَه

رُ وَيَدنو إِلى النُفوسِ الحِمامُ

Each day the inevitable draws nearer

And death creeps closer to our souls

لا نُبالي وَلا نَراهُ غَراماً

ذا لَعَمري لَوِ اِتَّعَظنا الغَرامُ

We care not, nor see it as distressing

If only we had learned from distress

مَن رَجَونا لَدَيهِ دُنيا وَصَلنا

هُ وَقُلنا لَهُ عَلَيكَ السَلامُ

We hoped in him for worldly gain

And said to him "peace be upon you"

ما نُبالي أَمِن حَلالٍ جَمَعنا

أَم حَرامٍ وَلا يَحِلُّ الحَرامُ

We care not if we gathered it lawfully

Or unlawfully, for the unlawful is not made lawful

هَمُّنا اللَهوُ وَالتَكاثُرُ في الما

لِ وَهَذا البِناءُ وَالخُدّامُ

Our concern is frivolity and multiplying wealth

And this building and servants

كَيفَ نَبتاعُ فانِيَ العَيشِ بِالدا

ئِمِ أَينَ العُقولُ وَالرَحلامُ

How can we buy the fleeting life with lasting

Where is reason and inspiration?

لَو جَهِلنا فَنائَها وَقَعَ العُذ

رُ وَلَكِنَّ كُلَّنا عَلّامُ

Had we been ignorant, it would be an excuse

But we are all knowing