يا لِلمَنايا وَيا لِلبَينِ وَالحَينِ

كُلُّ اِجتِماعٍ مِنَ الدُنيا إِلى بَينِ

O death, O separation, O the present moment!

Every gathering in this world leads to parting.

يُبلي الزَمانُ حَديثاً بَعدَ بَهجَتِهِ

وَالدَهرُ يَقطَعُ ما بَينَ القَريبَينِ

Time makes new tales fade after their joy,

And fate severs what is between the near ones.

لَقَد رَأَيتَ يَدَ الدُنيا مُفَرَّقَةً

لا تَأمَنَنَّ يَدَ الدُنيا عَلى اِثنَينِ

You have seen the hand of life dispersed,

Do not trust the hand of life over two.

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ حَمداً دائِماً أَبَداً

لَقَد تَزَيَّنَ أَهلُ الحِرصِ بِالشينِ

Praise be to Allah, praise everlasting forever,

Those obsessed with greed are adorned with disgrace.

لا زَينَ إِلّا لِراضٍ عَن تَقَلُّلِهِ

إِنَّ القُنوعَ لَثَوبُ العِزِّ وَالزَينِ

There is no ornament but for one content with his humility,

Indeed, contentment is the garb of honor and beauty.

الدارُ لَو كُنتَ تَدري يا أَخا مَرَحٍ

دارٌ أَمامَكَ فيها قُرَّةُ العَينِ

If you but knew, O carefree brother, of the abode before you

An abode in which is the delight of the eye.

حَتّى مَتى نَحنُ في الأَيّامِ نَحسُبُها

وَإِنَّما نَحنُ فيها بَينَ يَومَينِ

How long do we count the days while in them,

When we are only between two days?

يَومٌ تَوَلّى وَيَومٌ نَحنُ نَأمَلُهُ

لَعَلَّهُ أَجلَبُ اليَومَينِ لِلحَينِ

One day has passed and one day we hope for,

Perhaps it will bring the two closer to the present.