وكم مِن صَحِيحٍ بات للموتِ آمنا

وكم مِن صَحِيحٍ بات للموتِ آمنا

أتتهُ المَنَايا بَغتةً بعدما هَجَع

أتتهُ المَنَايا بَغتةً بعدما هَجَع

And how many a healthy man went to bed feeling safe from death,

Only for death to come upon him suddenly after he fell asleep.

فلم يستطع إذ جاءه الموتُ بَغتَةً

فلم يستطع إذ جاءه الموتُ بَغتَةً

فِراراً ولا مِنهُ بِقُوَّتِه امتَنَع

فِراراً ولا مِنهُ بِقُوَّتِه امتَنَع

So when death came upon him suddenly, he could not

Flee, nor shield himself from it by his strength.

فأصبح تَبكِيهِ النِّساءُ مُقَنَّعا

فأصبح تَبكِيهِ النِّساءُ مُقَنَّعا

ولا يَسمَعُ الدَّاعِي وإن صوتُه رَفَع

ولا يَسمَعُ الدَّاعِي وإن صوتُه رَفَع

By morning he lay with his head covered, the women weeping over him,

Nor did he hear the caller, even if the caller raised his voice.

وقُرِّب من لَحدٍ فَصَارَ مَقِيلَه

وقُرِّب من لَحدٍ فَصَارَ مَقِيلَه

وفارق ما قَد كان بالأَمس قد جَمَع

وفارق ما قَد كان بالأَمس قد جَمَع

And he was brought close to a grave's niche, which became his resting place,

And he left behind what he had amassed yesterday.

فلا يَترُكُ الموتُ الغَنِيَّ لِمَالِه

فلا يَترُكُ الموتُ الغَنِيَّ لِمَالِه

ولا مُعدِما في المال ذا حاجةٍ يَدَع

ولا مُعدِما في المال ذا حاجةٍ يَدَع

So death does not spare the rich man for his wealth,

Nor does it spare a destitute man in need of money.