إِنَّما المَرءُ نُطفَةٌ وَمَداهُ

خَطفَةٌ لَيسَ عَطفَةٌ حينَ يَمضي

Man is but a single sperm, his life-span but a moment

A brief breath, not a perpetual gift when he passes on

وَكَأَنَّ الأَنامَ سَرحُ حُسامٍ

يَتَسَلّى بِخُلَّةٍ بَعدَ حَمضِ

And people seem like mounted knights

Sporting with a tattered shroud after it frays

صاحِ إِن جالَ في الحَوادِثِ فِكري

صاحَ يا لَلأَسى يُنَفِّرُ غَمضي

Cry out, if thoughts of calamities cross my mind

Cry out, oh what sorrow startles my sleep

إِن تُراعوا مِنَ المُراعاةِ رَبّاً

لا تُراعوا بِالرَوعِ مِنَ ذاتِ رَمضِ

If you heed some of the needs of the Lord

Do not heed, with dread, one who dwells in the grave