نَغَّصَ المَوتُ كُلَّ لَذَّةِ عَيشٍ

نَغَّصَ المَوتُ كُلَّ لَذَّةِ عَيشٍ

يا لِقَومي لِلمَوتِ ما أَوحاهُ

يا لِقَومي لِلمَوتِ ما أَوحاهُ

Death has spoiled every pleasure of life.

Death has embittered every sweet life

O my people, alas for death—how swift it is!

Oh my people, what death has revealed!

عَجَباً إِنَّهُ إِذا ماتَ مَيتٌ

عَجَباً إِنَّهُ إِذا ماتَ مَيتٌ

صَدَّ عَنهُ حَبيبُهُ وَجَفاهُ

صَدَّ عَنهُ حَبيبُهُ وَجَفاهُ

How strange it is that, when someone dies,

How strange, when someone dies

his beloved turns away from him and forsakes him.

His loved ones shun and forget him

حَيثُما وَجَّهَ اِمرُؤٌ لِيَفوتَ ال

حَيثُما وَجَّهَ اِمرُؤٌ لِيَفوتَ ال

مَوتَ فَالمَوتُ واقِفٌ بِحِذاهُ

مَوتَ فَالمَوتُ واقِفٌ بِحِذاهُ

Wherever a man turns to escape

Wherever a man turns to evade

death, death stands beside him.

Death stands close beside him

إِنَّما الشَيبُ لِاِبنِ آدَمَ ناعٍ

إِنَّما الشَيبُ لِاِبنِ آدَمَ ناعٍ

قامَ في عارِضَيهِ ثُمَّ نَعاهُ

قامَ في عارِضَيهِ ثُمَّ نَعاهُ

Gray hair is but a herald of death for the son of Adam;

Gray hair on a man's temple

it rises on both sides of his face, then announces his death.

Stands up then laments him

مَن تَمَنّى المُنى فَأَغرَقَ فيها

مَن تَمَنّى المُنى فَأَغرَقَ فيها

ماتَ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَنالَ مُناهُ

ماتَ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَنالَ مُناهُ

Whoever cherishes hopes and plunges deep into them

He who desires wishes excessively

dies before attaining his hopes.

Dies before attaining his wish

ما أَذَلَّ المُقِلَّ في أَعيُنِ النا

ما أَذَلَّ المُقِلَّ في أَعيُنِ النا

سِ لِإِقلالِهِ وَما أَقماهُ

سِ لِإِقلالِهِ وَما أَقماهُ

How abject the poor man is in people's eyes

How humiliated are the downcast in people's eyes

because of his poverty, and how despised he is!

For their lowliness and weakness

إِنَّما تَنظُرُ العُيونُ مِنَ النا

إِنَّما تَنظُرُ العُيونُ مِنَ النا

سِ إِلى مَن تَرجوهُ أَو تَخشاهُ

سِ إِلى مَن تَرجوهُ أَو تَخشاهُ

People's eyes look only

Eyes of people look upon

toward those they hope in or fear.

Those they hope for or fear