يا نَفسُ أَينَ أَبي وَأَينَ أَبو أَبي

يا نَفسُ أَينَ أَبي وَأَينَ أَبو أَبي

وَأَبوهُ عُدّي لا أَبا لَكِ وَاِحسُبي

وَأَبوهُ عُدّي لا أَبا لَكِ وَاِحسُبي

O soul, where is my father, and where is my father's father?

O soul, where is my father and where is my father's father

And his father? Count—may you have no father—and reckon.

And his father, count them - you have no father so count

عُدّي فَإِنّي قَد نَظَرتُ فَلَم أَجِد

عُدّي فَإِنّي قَد نَظَرتُ فَلَم أَجِد

بَيني وَبَينَ أَبيكِ حَيّاً مِن أَبِ

بَيني وَبَينَ أَبيكِ حَيّاً مِن أَبِ

Count, for I have looked and have not found

Count them, for I have looked and found

A single father still alive between me and your father.

No living father between me and your father

أَفَأَنتِ تَرجينَ السَلامَةَ بَعدَهُم

أَفَأَنتِ تَرجينَ السَلامَةَ بَعدَهُم

مَهلاً هُديتِ لِسَمتِ وَجهِ المَطلَبِ

مَهلاً هُديتِ لِسَمتِ وَجهِ المَطلَبِ

Do you then hope to be spared after them?

Do you then hope for safety after them?

Easy now—may you be guided on the course toward your goal.

Wait, you were guided to the path of al-Matlab

قَد ماتَ ما بَينَ الجَنينِ إِلى الرَضيـ

قَد ماتَ ما بَينَ الجَنينِ إِلى الرَضيـ

ـعِ إِلى الفَطيمِ إِلى الكَبيرِ الأَشيَبِ

ـعِ إِلى الفَطيمِ إِلى الكَبيرِ الأَشيَبِ

People have died at every age, from the fetus to the suck-

All have died, from the fetus to the suckling babe

ling, to the weaned child, to the grey-haired elder.

To the weaned child, to the old gray-haired man

فَإِلى مَتى هَذا أَراني لاعِباً

فَإِلى مَتى هَذا أَراني لاعِباً

وَأَرى المَنونَ إِذا أَتَت لَم تَلعَبِ

وَأَرى المَنونَ إِذا أَتَت لَم تَلعَبِ

Then how long shall I see myself playing like this,

How long will I remain playing

While I see that Death, when it comes, does not play?

While death, when it comes, does not play?