أَلَم نَرَ يا دُنيا تَصَرُّفَ حالِكِ

أَلَم نَرَ يا دُنيا تَصَرُّفَ حالِكِ

وَغَدرَكِ يا دُنيا بِنا وَانتِقالِكِ

وَغَدرَكِ يا دُنيا بِنا وَانتِقالِكِ

Have we not seen, O world, the changes in your state,

Have we not seen, O world, your fickleness

And your treachery toward us, O world, and your changes?

And your betrayal, O world, of us and your transience

فَلَستِ بِدارٍ يَستَتِمُّ بِكِ الرِضا

فَلَستِ بِدارٍ يَستَتِمُّ بِكِ الرِضا

وَلَو كُنتِ في كَفِّ امرِئٍ بِكَمَلِكِ

وَلَو كُنتِ في كَفِّ امرِئٍ بِكَمَلِكِ

For you are no abode where contentment is complete,

So you are not a home where contentment can be perfected

Even if you were wholly in a man's palm.

Even if you were in the grip of a man of power and kingdom

حَرامُكِ يا دُنيا يَعودُ إِلى الضَنا

حَرامُكِ يا دُنيا يَعودُ إِلى الضَنا

وَذو اللُبِّ فينا مُشفِقٌ مِن حَلالِكِ

وَذو اللُبِّ فينا مُشفِقٌ مِن حَلالِكِ

Your unlawful gains, O world, lead to wasting sickness,

Your unlawful gains, O world, return to misery

And the wise among us are wary of your lawful gains.

And the wise among us are concerned about your lawful gains

أَليفُكِ يا دُنيا كَثيرٌ غُمومُهُ

أَليفُكِ يا دُنيا كَثيرٌ غُمومُهُ

فَلَيسَ النَجاةُ مِنكِ غَيرَ اعتِزالِكِ

فَلَيسَ النَجاةُ مِنكِ غَيرَ اعتِزالِكِ

Your companion, O world, has many sorrows,

Your companionship, O world, has much sorrow

For there is no escape from you but withdrawal from you.

So there is no salvation from you except by abandoning you

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَستَوطِني دارَ قُلعَةٍ

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَستَوطِني دارَ قُلعَةٍ

وَلَكِن خُذي في الزادِ قَبلَ ارتِحالِكِ

وَلَكِن خُذي في الزادِ قَبلَ ارتِحالِكِ

O soul, do not settle in a transient abode,

O soul, do not settle in an abode of castles

But begin gathering provisions before your departure.

But take provision for the journey before your departure

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَنسي كِتابَكِ وَاذكُري

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَنسي كِتابَكِ وَاذكُري

لَكِ الوَيلُ إِن أُعطيتِهِ بِشِمالِكِ

لَكِ الوَيلُ إِن أُعطيتِهِ بِشِمالِكِ

O soul, do not forget your book of deeds, and remember:

O soul, do not forget your book and remember

Woe to you if it is given to you in your left hand.

Woe to you if you give it with your left hand

أَيا نَفسُ إِنَّ اليَومَ يَومُ تَفَرُّغٍ

أَيا نَفسُ إِنَّ اليَومَ يَومُ تَفَرُّغٍ

فَدونَكِهِ مِن قَبلِ يَومِ اشتِغالِكِ

فَدونَكِهِ مِن قَبلِ يَومِ اشتِغالِكِ

O soul, today is indeed a day of leisure,

O soul, today is a day of disengagement

So seize it before the day of your preoccupation.

So devote it, before the day of your preoccupation

وَمَسؤولَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَيَسِّري

وَمَسؤولَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَيَسِّري

جَواباً لِيَومِ الحَشرِ قَبلَ سُؤالِكِ

جَواباً لِيَومِ الحَشرِ قَبلَ سُؤالِكِ

And you, O soul, will be questioned, so prepare

And, O soul, you are accountable so make easy

An answer for the Day of Gathering before you are questioned.

An answer for the Day of Assembly before being questioned

وَمِسكينَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَقيرَةٌ

وَمِسكينَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَقيرَةٌ

إِلى خَيرِ ما قَدَّمتِهِ مِن فِعالِكِ

إِلى خَيرِ ما قَدَّمتِهِ مِن فِعالِكِ

And you, O soul, are destitute, in need

And, O soul, you are poor so need

Of the good in the deeds you have sent ahead.

The good of what you have sent forth in your deeds

هُوَ المَوتُ فَاحتاطي لَهُ وَابشِري إِذا

هُوَ المَوتُ فَاحتاطي لَهُ وَابشِري إِذا

نَجَوتِ كَفافاً لا عَلَيكِ وَلا لَكِ

نَجَوتِ كَفافاً لا عَلَيكِ وَلا لَكِ

It is death—so prepare for it, and rejoice if

It is death, so be wary of it and rejoice when

You escape breaking even, with nothing against you and nothing to your credit.

You are spared, neither against you nor for you