رَأَيتُ الشَيبَ يَعدوكا

رَأَيتُ الشَيبَ يَعدوكا

بِأَنَّ المَوتَ يَنحوكا

بِأَنَّ المَوتَ يَنحوكا

I saw gray hair overtaking you,

I saw old age rushing at you

for death is heading toward you.

As if death is beckoning you

فَخُذ حِذرَكَ يا هَذا

فَخُذ حِذرَكَ يا هَذا

فَإِنّي لَستُ آلوكا

فَإِنّي لَستُ آلوكا

So be on your guard, you there,

So beware, o you

for I spare no effort to counsel you.

I will not follow suit

وَلا تَزدَد مِنَ الدُنيا

وَلا تَزدَد مِنَ الدُنيا

فَتَزدادَن بِها نوكا

فَتَزدادَن بِها نوكا

And do not seek more of this world,

And do not indulge further in this life

lest through it you grow more foolish.

Lest you increase your suffering

فَتَقوى اللَهِ تُغنيكا

فَتَقوى اللَهِ تُغنيكا

وَإِن سُمّيتَ صُعلوكا

وَإِن سُمّيتَ صُعلوكا

For reverence for God will enrich you,

Piety suffices you

even if you are called a pauper.

Even if you are called wretched

تَناوَمتَ عَنِ المَوتِ

تَناوَمتَ عَنِ المَوتِ

وَداعي المَوتِ يَدعوكا

وَداعي المَوتِ يَدعوكا

You feigned sleep, heedless of death,

You turned away from death

while death’s summoner calls you.

While death's caller calls you

وَحاديهِ وَإِن نِمتَ

وَحاديهِ وَإِن نِمتَ

حَثيثُ السَيرِ يَحدوكا

حَثيثُ السَيرِ يَحدوكا

And its camel-driver, though you sleep,

And its guide, even if you sleep

swift in his course, urges you onward with song.

Moves hastily towards you

فَلا يَومُكَ يَنساكَ

فَلا يَومُكَ يَنساكَ

وَلا رِزقُكَ يَعدوكا

وَلا رِزقُكَ يَعدوكا

So your day will not forget you,

So neither your day forgets you

nor will your sustenance pass you by.

Nor does your provision evade you

مَتى تَرغَب إِلى الناسِ

مَتى تَرغَب إِلى الناسِ

تَكُن لِلناسِ مَملوكا

تَكُن لِلناسِ مَملوكا

Whenever you turn to people in hope,

Whenever you seek people

you become a slave to people.

You become enslaved by them

إِذا ما أَنتَ خَفَّفتَ

إِذا ما أَنتَ خَفَّفتَ

عَنِ الناسِ أَحَبّوكا

عَنِ الناسِ أَحَبّوكا

If you lighten the burden

If you lighten up

on people, they will love you.

On people, they will love you

وَإِن ثَقُلتَ مَلّوكا

وَإِن ثَقُلتَ مَلّوكا

وَعابوكَ وَسَبّوكا

وَعابوكَ وَسَبّوكا

And if you become burdensome, they will tire of you,

But if you burden them

and find fault with you and insult you.

They will denounce and insult you

إِذا ما شِئتَ أَن تُعصى

إِذا ما شِئتَ أَن تُعصى

فَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَرجوكا

فَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَرجوكا

If ever you wish to be disobeyed,

If you want to be disobeyed

then command someone who expects nothing from you,

Then command one who does not hope in you

وَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَخشاكا

وَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَخشاكا

فَيَدمى عِندَها فوكا

فَيَدمى عِندَها فوكا

and command someone who does not fear you;

And command one who does not fear you

then your mouth will bleed.

For he will bleed because of it