أَلا أَينَ الأُلى سَلَفوا
دُعوا لِلمَوتِ وَاختُطِفوا
Where are the friends of old
Who were beckoned to death and seized
فَوافَوا حينَ لا تُحَفٌ
وَلا طُرَفٌ وَلا لُطَفُ
They met it when no covers were laid
No pillows, no comfort was eased
تُرَصُّ عَلَيهِمُ حُفَرٌ
وَتُبنى ثُمَّ تَنخَسِفُ
Graves gape to engulf them now
Then close tightened as if squeezed
لَهُم مِن تُربِها فُرُشٌ
وَمِن رَضراضِها لُحُفُ
In soil they find their bedding strewn
In earth's rubble their couch is leased
تَقَطَّعَ مِنهُمُ سَبَبَ الرَ
جاءِ فَضُيِّعوا وَجُفوا
Lost generations, their links in life's chain broken, forlorn
Scattered, forsaken, forgotten, outworn
تَمُرُّ بِعَسكَرِ المَوتى
وَقَلبُكَ مِنهُ لا يَجِفُ
Past the encampments of the dead you pass
Without a tear your stony heart to soften
كَأَنَّ مُشَيِّعيكَ وَقَد
رَمَوا بِكَ ثَمَّ وَانصَرَفوا
As mourners who just bore you here
Then left you and walked on
فُنونُ رَداكِ يا دُنيا
لَعَمري فَوقَ ما أَصِفُ
Oh two faced world, your guiles surpass
All powers of speech however eloquent
فَأَنتِ الدارُ فيكِ الظُل
مُ وَالعُدوانُ وَالسَرَفُ
Yours is the house of injustice and deceit
And aggression and waste run riot
وَأَنتِ الدارُ فيكِ البَغ
يُ وَالبَغضاءُ وَالشَنَفُ
And bigotry and bitterness seethe
Yours is the house of sorrow and grief
وَأَنتِ الدارُ فيكِ الهَم
مُ وَالأَحزانُ وَالأَسَفُ
Of backbiting, cheat and strained belief
Of tension unending and cause to weep
وَأَنتِ الدارُ فيكِ الغَد
رُ وَالتَنغيصُ وَالكُلَفُ
Misfortune visits your tenants
Mishaps make all hopes forfeit
وَفيكِ الحَبلُ مُضطَرِبٌ
وَفيكِ البالُ مُنكَسِفُ
Your kingdom's days are marked by shifts
In fortune's turns and destiny's drift
وَفيكِ لِساكِنيكَ الحَي
نُ وَالآفاتُ وَالتَلَفُ
Like a ball are your creatures tossed
Then somehow strangely lifted
وَمُلكُكِ فيهِمُ دُوَلٌ
بِها الأَقدارُ تَختَلِفُ
Days look on blind, hours never halt
Of all who tread the good green earth
كَأَنَّكِ بَينَهُم كُرَةٌ
تَرامى ثُمَّ تُلتَقَفُ
Glory and fame afford no shelter
Thoughtless mortal, his days are as wafted
تَرى الأَيّامَ لا يُنظِر
نَ وَالساعاتِ لاتَقِفُ
What man but confess death's right to rule him
Mankind's purpose obscured in confusion
وَلَن يَبقى لِأَهلِ الأَر
ضِ لا عِزٌّ وَلا شَرَفُ
Yet ceaseless their struggle for illusory gain
Naught lasting is your realm yet soon
وَكُلٌّ دائِمُ الغَفَلا
تِ وَالأَنفاسُ تُختَطَفُ
Shall all be taken and you remain
God's word is final and true
وَأَيُّ الناسِ إِلّا مو
قِنٌ بِالمَوتِ مُعتَرِفُ
His promise time will never cleave
وَخَلقُ اللَهِ مُشتَبِهٌ
وَسَعيُ الناسُ مُختَلِفُ
وَما الدُنيا بِباقِيَةٍ
سَتُنزَحُ ثُمَّ تُنتَسَفُ
وَقَولُ اللَهِ ذاكَ لَنا
وَلَيسَ لِقَولِهِ خَلَفُ
