وَفي قَبضِ كَفِ الطّفلِ عِندَ وَلادِهِ

دَليلٌ عَلى الحِرصِ المُرَكَّبِ في الحَيِّ

In the infant's tight-fisted grip at birth

In the clenching of the child's fist at the moment of birth

There's proof of the compound greed in life

Is a sign of the greed compounded in the living soul;

وَفي بَسطِها عِندَ المَماتِ مَواعِظٌ

أَلا فَاِنظِروني قَد خَرَجتُ بِلا شَيِّ

And in its spread hand at death there are lessons

And in its opening at the time of death are lessons:

Look at me, for I have departed with nothing

"Look upon me, for I have departed with nothing."