لِلرِزقِ أَسبابٌ تَسَبَّب

وَالعَيشُ مَأمولٌ مَحَبَّب

The means of sustenance are preordained

And livelihood is hoped for and loved

وَصَبابَةُ الإِنسانِ بِالدُن

يا أَرَتكَ دَماً تَصَبَّب

Yet man's youth with worldly pleasures

Oh, how it has shed blood profusely!

شَرِبَ اِمرُؤٌ مِن قَهوَةٍ

شامِيَّةٍ حَتّى تَحَبَّب

A man drank coffee till he was delighted

While his brother loathed pure gold adorned

وَأَخوهُ يَكرَهُ نُغبَةً

في الرَفدِ مِن ذَهَبٍ يُضَبَّب

And death is good though the wise may dislike it

Even if he takes preventative measures

وَالمَوتُ طِبٌّ لَيسَ يُب

رِئُهُ الحَكيمُ وَإِن تَطَبَّب

Oh eye, if the eyelid has closed

And your eyelash has touched what is buried

يا طِرفُ إِن بِتَّ الأَقَ

بَّ وَصَمَّ حافِرُكَ المُقَبَّب

You rolled about in empty imaginings

While you were clear-sighted and of sound judgement

وَجَبَبتَ في الجَري الخُيو

لَ وَكُنتَ مِن وَضحٍ مُجَبَّب

So may you be afflicted time and again

With what has afflicted the patched-up water skin

فَليُدرِكَنَّكَ مَرَّةً

ما أَدرَكَ الخَرِقُ المُرَبَّب

Silence befits the youth

After singing and growing up

وَالصَمتُ يَلزَمُهُ الفَتى

مِن بَعدِ ما غَنّى وَشَبَّب