1. يا ساكِنَ القَبرِ عَن قَليلِ

    ماذا تَزَوَّدتَ لِلرَحيلِ

    O you who will dwell in the grave before long,

    what provisions have you laid up for departure?

  2. الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ذي المَعالي

    وَالحَولِ وَالقُوَّةِ الجَليلِ

    Praise be to God, possessor of sublime attributes,

    and of might and strength—the Majestic.

  3. إِنّا لَمُستَوطِنونَ داراً

    نَحنُ بِها عابِرو سَبيلِ

    We have indeed made our home in a dwelling

    where we are but wayfarers.

  4. دارٌ أَذىً لَم يَزَل عَليلٌ

    يَشكو أَذاها إِلى عَليلِ

    A dwelling of pain, where one sufferer never ceases

    complaining of its harm to another sufferer.

  5. كَم شاهِدٍ أَنَّها سَتَفنى

    مِن مَنزِلٍ مُقفِرِ مُحيلِ

    How many witnesses to its coming end:

    deserted, long-abandoned dwellings!

  6. كَم مُستَظِلٍّ بِظِلِّ مُلكٍ

    أُخرِجَ مِن ظِلِّهِ الظَليلِ

    How many who sheltered in the shade of royal power

    were driven from its deep shade!

  7. لا بُدَّ لِلمُلكِ مِن زَوالٍ

    عَن مُستَدالٍ إِلى مُديلِ

    Royal power must inevitably pass

    from the vanquished to the victor.

  8. كَم تَرَكَ الدَهرُ مِن أُناسٍ

    يَدعونَ بِالوَيلِ وَالعَويلِ

    How many people Time has left

    crying out in woe and lamentation!

  9. كَم نَغَّصَ الدَهرُ مِن مَبيتِ

    عَلى سَريرٍ وَمِن مَقيلِ

    How many a night's rest has Time embittered,

    upon a bed—and many a midday rest!

  10. كَم قَتَلَ الدَهرُ مِن أُناسٍ

    مَضَوا وَكَم غالَ مِن قَبيلِ

    How many people Time has slain,

    now departed—and how many a tribe it has carried off!

  11. هَيهاتَ لِلأَرضِ مِن عَزيزٍ

    يَبقى عَلَيها وَلا ذَليلِ

    Never shall the earth have a mighty one

    who endures upon it, nor a lowly one!

  12. يا عَجَباً مِن جُمودِ عَينٍ

    لَم تَعرَ مِن حادِثٍ جَليلِ

    How strange, the dryness of an eye

    that has never been free of grave calamity!

  13. كَأَنَّني لَم أُصَب بِإِلفٍ

    وَلا قَرينٍ وَلا دَخيلِ

    As though I had never been bereaved of a loved one,

    nor a close companion, nor a confidant,

  14. وَلا رَفيقٍ وَلا صَديقٍ

    وَلا شَفيقٍ وَلا عَديلِ

    nor a companion, nor a friend,

    nor a caring friend, nor a peer.