ما رَأَيتُ العَيشَ يَصفو لِأَحَد

ما رَأَيتُ العَيشَ يَصفو لِأَحَد

دونَ كَدٍّ وَعَناءٍ وَنَكَد

دونَ كَدٍّ وَعَناءٍ وَنَكَد

I have never seen life run clear for anyone,

I have not seen life being easy for anyone

Without toil, hardship, and distress.

Without toil, hardship and sadness

كُن لِما قَدَّمتَهُ مُغتَنِماً

كُن لِما قَدَّمتَهُ مُغتَنِماً

لاتُؤَخِّر عَمَلَ اليَومِ لِغَد

لاتُؤَخِّر عَمَلَ اليَومِ لِغَد

Count what you have sent ahead as gain;

Be appreciative of what you have been given

Do not put off today's work until tomorrow.

Do not delay today’s work until tomorrow

إِنَّ لِلمَوتِ لَسَهماً قاتِلاً

إِنَّ لِلمَوتِ لَسَهماً قاتِلاً

لَيسَ يَفدي أَحَداً مِنهُ أَحَد

لَيسَ يَفدي أَحَداً مِنهُ أَحَد

Death surely has a lethal arrow;

Death certainly has a killing arrow

No one can ransom anyone from it.

No one can save anyone from it

قَد أَرى أَن لَستُ في الدُنيا وَلَو

قَد أَرى أَن لَستُ في الدُنيا وَلَو

بَقِيَت لَي دائِماً طولَ الأَبَد

بَقِيَت لَي دائِماً طولَ الأَبَد

I see that I shall not remain in this world, even if

I see that I will not stay in this world forever

It endured for me forever, through all eternity.

Even if I lived eternally

إِنَّني مِنها غَداً مُرتَحِلٌ

إِنَّني مِنها غَداً مُرتَحِلٌ

أَو أَراني راحِلاً مِن بَعدِ غَد

أَو أَراني راحِلاً مِن بَعدِ غَد

Tomorrow I shall surely depart from it,

I will leave it tomorrow

Or I see myself leaving the day after tomorrow.

Or you see me leaving the day after tomorrow

أَجمَعُ المالَ لِغَيري دائِباً

أَجمَعُ المالَ لِغَيري دائِباً

وَأُقاسي العَيشَ مِنهُ في كَبَد

وَأُقاسي العَيشَ مِنهُ في كَبَد

I tirelessly gather wealth for others,

I gather money for others steadily

And struggle to live on it in hardship.

And suffer making a living

لِمَنِ المالُ الَّذي أَجمَعُهُ

لِمَنِ المالُ الَّذي أَجمَعُهُ

أَلِنَفسي أَم لِأَهلي وَالوَلَد

أَلِنَفسي أَم لِأَهلي وَالوَلَد

For whom is the wealth I gather?

Who is this money for that I gather?

For myself, or for my family and children?

Is it for myself or my family and children?

ما يُبالي وَلَدي بَعدي إِذا

ما يُبالي وَلَدي بَعدي إِذا

غَيَّبوا والِدَهُم تَحتَ اللِبَد

غَيَّبوا والِدَهُم تَحتَ اللِبَد

My children will not care after I am gone, once

My children will not care about me when

They have hidden their father beneath the felt mats

They bury their father under the gravel

وَأَصابوا ما لَهُ مِن بَعدِهِ

وَأَصابوا ما لَهُ مِن بَعدِهِ

أَلِغَيٍّ قَد مَضى أَم لِرَشَد

أَلِغَيٍّ قَد مَضى أَم لِرَشَد

And acquired what was his after his death,

And get what he left behind, be it

Whether he passed on in error or in right guidance.

Of a foolish past or sensible present

إِنَّما دُنياكَ يَومٌ واحِدٌ

إِنَّما دُنياكَ يَومٌ واحِدٌ

فَإِذا يَومُكَ وَلّى لَم يَعُد

فَإِذا يَومُكَ وَلّى لَم يَعُد

Your worldly life is but a single day;

Your world is just one day

And when your day has passed, it will not return.

So when your day turns away, it will not come back

يَفعَلُ اللَهُ إِلَهي ما يَشا

يَفعَلُ اللَهُ إِلَهي ما يَشا

ما لِأَمرِ اللَهِ فينا مِن مَرَد

ما لِأَمرِ اللَهِ فينا مِن مَرَد

God, my God, does whatever He wills;

O my God, You do whatever You wish

There is no reversing God's decree concerning us.

Nothing can stop what God has willed

يَرزُقُ الأَحمَقَ رِزقاً واسِعاً

يَرزُقُ الأَحمَقَ رِزقاً واسِعاً

وَتَرى ذا اللُبِّ مَحروماً نَكِد

وَتَرى ذا اللُبِّ مَحروماً نَكِد

He grants the fool abundant sustenance,

He grants the fool a lot of sustenance

Yet you see the man of understanding deprived and wretched.

And you see the wise deprived and sad