يا نَفسُ أَينَ أَبي وَأَينَ أَبو أَبي

وَأَبوهُ عُدّي لا أَبا لَكِ وَاِحسُبي

O soul, where is my father and where is my father's father

And his father, count them - you have no father so count

عُدّي فَإِنّي قَد نَظَرتُ فَلَم أَجِد

بَيني وَبَينَ أَبيكِ حَيّاً مِن أَبِ

Count them, for I have looked and found

No living father between me and your father

أَفَأَنتِ تَرجينَ السَلامَةَ بَعدَهُم

مَهلاً هُديتِ لِسَمتِ وَجهِ المَطلَبِ

Do you then hope for safety after them?

Wait, you were guided to the path of al-Matlab

قَد ماتَ ما بَينَ الجَنينِ إِلى الرَضيـ

ـعِ إِلى الفَطيمِ إِلى الكَبيرِ الأَشيَبِ

All have died, from the fetus to the suckling babe

To the weaned child, to the old gray-haired man

فَإِلى مَتى هَذا أَراني لاعِباً

وَأَرى المَنونَ إِذا أَتَت لَم تَلعَبِ

How long will I remain playing

While death, when it comes, does not play?