أَتَبكي لِهَذا المَوتِ أَم أَنتَ عارِفُ

أَتَبكي لِهَذا المَوتِ أَم أَنتَ عارِفُ

بِمَنزِلَةٍ تَبقى وَفيها المَتالِفُ

بِمَنزِلَةٍ تَبقى وَفيها المَتالِفُ

Do you weep for this death, or do you know

Do you cry for this death or do you know

Of an abode that endures, though deadly perils lie within it?

Of a station that remains and in it the congenial one

كَأَنَّكَ قَد غُيِّبتَ في اللَحدِ وَالثَرى

كَأَنَّكَ قَد غُيِّبتَ في اللَحدِ وَالثَرى

فَتَلقى كَما لاقى وَفيها السَوالِفُ

فَتَلقى كَما لاقى وَفيها السَوالِفُ

As though you had already been hidden in the grave and earth,

It is as if you were buried in the grave and soil

So you meet what he met; within it lie those gone before.

Thus you meet what he met and in it the storytellers

أَرى المَوتَ قَد أَفنى القُرونَ الَّتي مَضَت

أَرى المَوتَ قَد أَفنى القُرونَ الَّتي مَضَت

فَلَم يَبقَ ذو إِلفٍ وَلَم يَبقَ آلِفُ

فَلَم يَبقَ ذو إِلفٍ وَلَم يَبقَ آلِفُ

I see that death has destroyed the generations that passed,

I see that death has destroyed the centuries that passed

So none with a beloved remains, nor any loving companion.

So neither an intimate remained, nor did a dear one remain

كَأَنَّ الفَتى لَم يَغنَ في الناصِ ساعَةً

كَأَنَّ الفَتى لَم يَغنَ في الناصِ ساعَةً

إِذا عُصِبَت يَوماً عَلَيهِ اللَفائِفُ

إِذا عُصِبَت يَوماً عَلَيهِ اللَفائِفُ

As though the young man had not dwelt among people for an hour,

It is as if the youth had not sung in the melody for an hour

When one day the shrouds are wound around him,

When one day shrouds were wrapped around him

وَقامَت عَلَيهِ عُضبَةٌ يَندُبونَهُ

وَقامَت عَلَيهِ عُضبَةٌ يَندُبونَهُ

فَمُستَعبِرٌ يَبكي وَآخَرُ هاتِفُ

فَمُستَعبِرٌ يَبكي وَآخَرُ هاتِفُ

And a group stands over him, lamenting him:

And a group stood over him wailing him

One, moved to tears, weeps, and another cries aloud.

One bidding farewell crying and another calling

وَغودِرَ في لَحدٍ كَريهٍ حُلولُهُ

وَغودِرَ في لَحدٍ كَريهٍ حُلولُهُ

وَتُعقَدُ مِن لِبنٍ عَلَيهِ السَقائِفُ

وَتُعقَدُ مِن لِبنٍ عَلَيهِ السَقائِفُ

And he is left in a grave, dreadful to dwell in,

And he was dumped in a hated grave, his settlement

And roofing slabs of unbaked brick are fitted over him.

And curdled milk containers are tied upon it

لَقَلَّ الغِنى عَن صاحِبِ اللَحدِ وَالثَرى

لَقَلَّ الغِنى عَن صاحِبِ اللَحدِ وَالثَرى

بِما ذَرَفَت فيهِ العُيونُ الذَوارِفُ

بِما ذَرَفَت فيهِ العُيونُ الذَوارِفُ

Little indeed is the help for the dweller in the grave and earth

The wealth missed the owner of the grave and soil

From the tears that weeping eyes have shed over him.

With what the glances dripping upon it, have shed

وَما مَن يَخافُ البَعثَ وَالنارَ آمِنٌ

وَما مَن يَخافُ البَعثَ وَالنارَ آمِنٌ

وَلَكِن حَزينٌ موجَعُ القَلبِ خائِفُ

وَلَكِن حَزينٌ موجَعُ القَلبِ خائِفُ

And whoever fears resurrection and the Fire is not secure,

And none who fears the resurrection and hell is safe

But sorrowful, wounded at heart, afraid.

But saddened, anguished at heart, apprehensive

إِذا عَنَّ ذِكرُ المَوتِ أَوجَعَ قَلبَهُ

إِذا عَنَّ ذِكرُ المَوتِ أَوجَعَ قَلبَهُ

وَهَيَّجَ أَحزاناً ذَنوبٌ سَوالِفُ

وَهَيَّجَ أَحزاناً ذَنوبٌ سَوالِفُ

Whenever the thought of death arises, it pains his heart,

When the mention of death agonizes his heart

And sins long past stir up sorrows.

And provokes sorrows, sins, storytellers

وَأَعلَمُ غَيرَ الظَنِّ أَن لَيسَ بالِغاً

وَأَعلَمُ غَيرَ الظَنِّ أَن لَيسَ بالِغاً

أَعاجيبَ ما يَلقى مِنَ الناسِ واصِفُ

أَعاجيبَ ما يَلقى مِنَ الناسِ واصِفُ

And I know, beyond conjecture, that none can encompass

And I know beyond guessing that none can convey

The marvels of what one encounters—no describer among humankind.

The wonders that he meets from people, the describer