يا مَوتُ ما أَبقَيتَني

يا مَوتُ ما أَبقَيتَني

مِن بَعدِهِ إِلّا لِباسي

مِن بَعدِهِ إِلّا لِباسي

O Death, you have left nothing of me

O Death, after him you left me

O Death, you have left nothing of me

after him but my clothing.

Only my garment remains

After his departure, save for my clothes.

ثَوبُ السُرورِ سَلَبتَني

ثَوبُ السُرورِ سَلَبتَني

وَجَعَلتَ أَحزاني لِباسي

وَجَعَلتَ أَحزاني لِباسي

You stripped me of the robe of joy

You robbed me of the dress of joy

You have stripped me of the robe of joy,

and made my sorrows my clothing.

And made my sorrows my dress

And made my sorrows my attire.

فَسَتَرتُها لكِن بَدَت

فَسَتَرتُها لكِن بَدَت

فَأَنا بِها عارٍ وَكاسي

فَأَنا بِها عارٍ وَكاسي

So I concealed them, but they showed:

I tried to hide them but they showed

I concealed them, yet they stood revealed,

in them I am both naked and clothed.

So I stand disgraced and shamed

So that I am, in them, naked yet clad.

نَسي المَنِيَّةِ لاعِبٌ

نَسي المَنِيَّةِ لاعِبٌ

يَغدو إِلى عارٍ وَكاسِ

يَغدو إِلى عارٍ وَكاسِ

A player has forgotten death—though the wording here is uncertain—

One who forgets death sports

The heedless player has forgotten death,

and goes to the naked and the clothed.

Towards disgrace and shame

Walking toward shame and the wine-cup.