Claude 2

  1. العُمرُ قَصرٌ نَحنُ بَينَ رِحابِهِ

    وَالمَوتُ مُنتَصِبٌ عَلى أَبوابِهِ

    Life is short and we are in its expanse

    While death stands guard at its doors

  2. وَالمَرءُ إِن يَفخَر بِأَنسابٍ لَهُ

    فَالتُرقُ وَالديدانُ من أَنسابِهِ

    If one boasts of his lineage

    Worms and decay are of his lineage

  3. ما الجِسمُ في هذا الوُجودِ سِوى بَلىً

    تَمشي العُصورُ عَلى أَديمِ تُرابِهِ

    This body in existence is but ruin

    Eras march on its dust

  4. مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ وَالضَريحُ مهيّأ

    وَجَميعُ هذا الخَلقِ رَهنُ طِلابِهِ

    Since the time of Adam the grave was prepared

    And all of creation is hostage to its request

  5. كُلٌّ يُغَيبهُ الزَمانُ إِلى الهبا

    وَكَذا الزَمانُ يَحينُ يَومُ غِيابِهِ

    Everyone is made absent by time to the tomb

    And so shall time itself meet its absence

  6. وَالكائِناتُ لَدى الرَدى أُلعوبَةٌ

    حَتّى الخُلودُ يَصيرُ من أَلعابِهِ

    All things to oblivion are but playthings

    Even eternity becomes of its games

  7. ما مُذهبُ الدَهرِيُّ ذا لكنَّما

    هو مذهب العَقلِ الحَكيمِ النابِهِ

    Not so the creed of the sage aware

    It is the creed of reason clear and keen

  8. كَم مِن عُصورٍ قَبلَ آدم أَدبَرَت

    وَمَضى بِها النِسيانُ عِندَ إِيابِهِ

    How many eras before Adam passed

    Which time made vanish upon its return

  9. وَعَقيدَةُ الإِنسانِ راسِخَةٌ بِهِ

    حَتّى يُحجّبَه الرَدى بِحِجابِهِ

    And man's faith is firm in it

    Until oblivion veils him with its screen

  10. لَو كانَ يَقرَأُ في الأَثيرِ كِتابَه

    لَرَأى الحَقيقَةَ في سُطورِ كِتابِهِ

    If he would read in the ether the book

    He would see the truth in lines of its script

  11. كَم من دِياناتٍ تَمَشَّت في الوَرى

    ذَهبَ الزَمانُ بِها قُبَيلَ ذَهابِهِ

    How many religions marched in the land

    Time took them away before its departure

  12. وَلَسَوفَ أَديانٌ تَخَرَّب دينَنا

    وَتَقومُ لِلأَيّامِ فَوقَ خَرابِهِ

    And religions yet shall our faith corrupt

    And rise above its wreckage for days to come

  13. ما هذِه الدُنيا سِوى بَحر طَمى

    صدفُ الحَياةِ تَعوم فَوقَ عبابِهِ

    This world is but a tumultuous sea

    The shells of life floating atop its swell

  14. هذا يحفُّ بِهِ الغِنى في راحَةٍ

    وَيَعُمُّ ذا فَقرٌ جزا أَتعابِهِ

    This one riches cover in comfort

    While that in poverty, reward for his toil

  15. إِن كانَ جَبّارُ الطَبيعَةِ عادِلاً

    أَينَ المُساواةُ الَّتي بِحِسابِهِ

    If the tyrant of nature is just

    Where is the equality of his calculation?

  16. أَتَراهُ قَد خَلَقَ العَوالِمَ وَاِكتَفى

    بِصَنيعِهِ فَاِرتاحَ فَوقَ وِثابِهِ

    Does he create the worlds then rest

    Content with his making atop his throne?