1. اِقتَرَبَ الوَعدُ وَالقُلوبُ إِلى

    اللَهوِ وَحُبِ الحَياةِ سائِقُها

    The promise has drawn near, while hearts incline toward

    diversion, driven onward by love of life.

  2. باتَت هُمومي تَسري طَوارقُها

    اَكُفَ عَيني وَالدَمعُ سابِقُها

    My cares passed the night, their nocturnal visitations coursing through;

    I hold back my eye, yet tears outstrip it,

  3. لَما أَتاها مِنَ اليَقينَ وَلَم

    تَكُن تَراهُ يَلُمُّ طارِقُها

    because of the certainty that came upon it, though it had not

    thought its night visitor would descend upon it.

  4. ما رَغبَةُ النَفسِ في الحَياةِ وَإِن

    عاشَت طَويلاً فَالمَوتُ لاحِقُها

    What desire can the soul have for life, even if

    it lives long? Death will overtake it.

  5. قَد أُنبئَت أَنَهّا تَعودُ كَما

    كانَت بَدِيّاً بِالأَمسِ خاَلِقُها

    It has been told that it shall return just as

    its Creator first fashioned it yesterday.

  6. وَأَنَّ ما جَمَّعَت وَأَعجَبَها

    مِن عَيشِها مَرَّةً مُفارِقُها

    And everything it gathered and delighted in

    during its life will one day part from it.

  7. تَعاهَدَت هَذِهِ القُلوبُ إِذا

    هَمَّت بِخَيرٍ عاقَت عَوائِقُها

    These hearts renew their resolve whenever

    they intend some good, but their impediments hinder them.

  8. وَصَدَّها لِلشَقاءِ عَن طَلَبِ

    الجَنَّةِ دُنيا الآِلَهُ ما حِقُها

    This world warned them, in view of the Judgment, against seeking

    the Garden—God is the one who will efface this world.

  9. عَبدٌ دَعا نَفسَهُ فَعاتَبَها

    يَعلَمُ أَنَ الصَبرَ رامِقُها

    A servant called his soul to account and rebuked it,

    knowing that patience keeps watch over it.

  10. مَن لَم يَمُت عَبطَةً يَمُت هَرِماً

    لَلمَوتُ كَأسٌ وَالمَرءُ ذائِقُها

    Whoever does not die in youthful vigor will die decrepit;

    death has a cup, and every person will taste it.

  11. يوشِكُ مَن فَرَّ مِن مَنيَتِهِ

    في بَعضِ غِرّاتِهِ يواقِفُها

    Whoever flees his appointed death will soon

    encounter it in some unguarded moment.

  12. لا يَستَوي المَنزِلانِ ثُمَّ وَلا

    الأَعمالُ لا تَستَوي طَرائِقُها

    The two abodes are not equal; nor, indeed,

    are deeds equal—their paths are not the same.

  13. أَمَن تَلَظَّى عَلَيهِ واقِدَةُ النارِ

    مُحيطٌ بِهِم سُرادِقُها

    Is it for one over whom the kindled Fire blazes,

    its enclosing pavilion surrounding him,

  14. أَم مَسكَنُ الجَنَةِ الَّتي

    وُعِدَ الأَبرارُ مَصفوفَةٌ نَمارِقُها

    or is it the dwelling of the Garden which

    the righteous were promised, its cushions ranged in rows?

  15. هُما فَريقانِ فِرقَةٌ تَدخُلُ

    الجَنَةَ حُفَّت بِهِم حَدائِقُها

    They are two companies: one company enters

    the Garden, its gardens encircling them;

  16. وَفِرقَةٌ مِنهُم وَقَد أُدخِلَت

    النارَ فَساءَتهُم مَرافِقُها

    and another company among them has been made to enter

    the Fire—how wretched its quarters are for them.