1. أَتَطمَعُ أَن تُخَلِّدَ لا أَبا لَك

    أَمِنتَ مِنَ المَنِيَّةِ أَن تَبالَك

    Do you hope to live forever? May you be fatherless!

    Do you feel safe from death overtaking you?

  2. أَما وَاللَهِ إِنَّ لَها رَسولاً

    وَأُقسِمُ لَو أَتاكَ لَما أَقالَك

    Indeed, by God, death has a messenger,

    and I swear, if he came to you, he would grant you no reprieve.

  3. تَنَظَّر حَيثُ كُنتَ قُدومَ مَوتٍ

    يُشَتِّتُ بَعدَ جَمعِهِمُ عِيالَك

    Wherever you are, await the coming of death,

    which scatters your family after they were gathered together.

  4. كَأَنّي بِالتُرابِ عَلَيكَ رَدماً

    وَبِالباكينَ يَقتَسِمونَ مالَك

    I can almost see the earth heaped over you,

    and the mourners dividing up your wealth.

  5. أَلا فَاِخرُج مِنَ الدُنيا جَميعاً

    وَزَجِّ مِنَ المَعاشِ بِما زَجا لَك

    So renounce this world entirely,

    and make do with whatever livelihood comes your way.

  6. فَلَستَ مُخَلِّفاً في الناسِ شَيئاً

    وَلا مُتَزَوِّداً إِلّا فِعالَك

    For you will leave nothing behind among people,

    nor take any provision with you, except your deeds.