كَأَن قَد عَجَّلَ الأَقوامُ غَسلَك

وَقامَ الناسُ يَبتَدِرونَ حَملَك

It seems the people hastened your burial

And the folks rushed to carry your bier

وَنُجِّدَ بِالثَرى لَكَ بَيتُ هَجرٍ

وَأَسرَعَتِ الأَكُفُّ إِلَيهِ نَقلَك

A house of estrangement was built with soil

And palms rushed to transport you there

وَأَسلَمَكَ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ فيهِ فَرداً

وَأَرسَلَ مِن يَدَيهِ أَخوكَ حَبلَك

Your cousin surrendered you to it alone

While your brother sent ahead of him your rope

وَحاوَلَتِ القُلوبُ سِواكَ ذِكراً

أَنِسنَ بِوَصلِهِ وَنَسينَ وَصلَك

And hearts tried to recall others besides you

Befriending his union, forgetting your bond

وَصارَ الوارِثونَ وَأَنتَ صِفرٌ

مِنَ الدُنيا لِمالِكَ مِنكَ أَملَك

And the heirs reaped while you were made barren

Of the world belonging to you that they seized

إِذا لَم تَتَّخِذ لِلمَوتِ زاداً

وَلَم تَجعَل بِذِكرِ المَوتِ شُغلَك

If you do not prepare provisions for death

Or make remembering death your preoccupation

فَقَد ضَيَّعتَ حَظَّكَ يَومَ تُدعى

وَأَصلَكَ حينَ تَنسُبُهُ وَفَضلَك

Then you have squandered your share when called

And origin when it enumerates your nobility

أَراكَ تَغُرُّكَ الشَهَواتُ قِدماً

وَكَم قَد غَرَّتِ الشَهَواتِ مِثلَك

I see desires delude you forward

And how many desires have deluded the likes of you

أَما وَلَتَذهَبَنَّ بِكَ المَنايا

كَما ذَهَبَت بِمَن قَد كانَ قَبلَك

But death will surely take you away

As it took those who were before you

بَخِلتُ بِما مَلَكتَ فَقِف رُوَيداً

كَأَنَّكَ قَد وَهَبتَ فَلَم يَجُز لَك

You were stingy with what you possessed so stand still

As if you had given it away and it was not yours

كَأَنَّكَ عَن قَريبٍ بِالمَنايا

وَقَد شَتَّتنَ بَعدَ الجَمعِ شَملَك

As if you will soon meet your death

After it disperses those gathered around you

أَلا لِلَّهِ أَنتَ مَحَلُّ عِلمٍ

رَأَيتَ العِلمَ لَيسَ يَكُفُّ جَهلَك

By God, you are a source of knowledge

You saw knowledge does not suffice your ignorance

أَلا لِلَّهِ أَنتَ حَسَبتَ فِعلي

عَلَيَّ فَعِبتَهُ وَنَسيتَ فِعلَك

By God, you thought me at fault

And took me to task while forgetting your own acts

أَلا لِلَّهِ أَنتَ دَعِ التَمَنّي

وَلا تَأمَن عَواقِبَهُ فَتَهلَك

By God, leave off wishing

And do not feel safe from its consequences or you will perish

وَخُذ في عَذلِ نَفسِكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ

لَعَلَّ النَفسَ تَقبَلُ مِنكَ عَذلَك

And blame yourself each day

Perhaps the soul will accept your blame

أَلَم تَرَ جِدَّةَ الأَيّامِ تَبلى

وَأَنَّ الحادِثاتِ يُرِدنَ قَتلَك

Have you not seen the new days grow old

And calamities intend to kill you

أَلا فَاِخرُج مِنَ الدُنيا مُخِفّاً

وَقَدِّم عَنكَ بَينَ يَدَيكَ ثِقلَك

Come out from the world lightly burdened

And send forth ahead of you your heavy load

رَأَيتُ المَوتَ مَسلَكَ كُلِّ حَيٍّ

وَلَم أَرَ دونَهُ لِلحَيِّ مَسلَك

I saw death the path of all the living

And I did not see for the living a path other than it