Sol 5.6

  1. By my life, you have indeed been called—if only you would listen.

    Have you not seen that death is something none can repel?

  2. Have you not seen that people, in their heedlessness,

    while dooms clatter among them?

  3. Have you not seen the pleasures of all things new pass into decay?

    Have you not seen the bonds of affairs being severed?

  4. Have you not seen that poverty is succeeded by wealth,

    and that hardship may open into ease?

  5. Have you not seen death brandish its sword,

    and death's spears leveled toward you?

  6. Have you not seen that time, in every hour,

    has a gathering cloud in which death flashes?

  7. Have you not seen that a man's belly may be filled,

    while his gaze, as you see, is never satisfied?

  8. O builder of this world, you build for another;

    O gatherer of this world, you gather for another.

  9. Have you not seen that a man hoards his wealth,

    while tomorrow his heir enjoys it?

  10. It is as though the caring guardians anxious for you have already

    borne you away at dawn or departed with you at evening—and hurried on.

  11. It is only the bier—if they should call for it:

    you are carried, laid upon it, and then raised aloft.

  12. It is nothing but one event after another

    befalling you—so which of these events alarms you?

  13. It is only death, coming

    at its appointed time; what means have you to ward it off?

  14. Know this: when you are bidden farewell as one already lost,

    your final day is the day on which they bid you farewell.

  15. Know that, just as you once escorted funeral processions,

    you too will be escorted, just as you escorted them.

  16. I see you in this world placing your trust in it,

    though in this world you are the very one who lives in dread.

  17. You have described piety as though you were a man of piety,

    yet the stench of sins rises from your clothes.

  18. You have not concerned yourself with the thing certain to occur,

    though everyone concerns himself with what he expects.

  19. Surely you are deficient in every state,

    and all the children of this world are fashioned in imperfection.

  20. If a saying does not weigh heavily upon you, then speak it;

    but if speech constricts you, silence is more spacious.

  21. Do not despise a thing because you deem its worth too small;

    for a lowly thing may do harm and may do good.

  22. You have turned about in this world as its people turn,

    and the wealthy man is followed wherever he inclines.

  23. Each day I still am struck by some admonishing lesson

    that could almost split the mountains' deaf rocks.

  24. Why, then, does my eye not pour forth its water?

    And why does my heart not soften and humble itself?

  25. Blessed is He besides whom no one possesses sovereignty.

    When will the needs of one who is never content come to an end?

  26. What man reaches any goal without his soul

    aspiring beyond it toward another goal?

  27. Some of this world's people serve as means for others,

    yet each enjoys so little through every other.

  28. The fortunate man loves justice when presenting his case;

    the wretched man seeks oppression, but oppression strikes him down.

  29. The virtuous man is not shaken when wealth stirs him

    toward pride, nor does he abase himself when time bites him.

  30. I have seen nothing like truth—so mighty an argument:

    the hand of truth strikes between knowledge and ignorance.

Sol 5.6