تَفَكَّر قَبلَ أَن تَندَم

تَفَكَّر قَبلَ أَن تَندَم

فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ فَاعلَم

فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ فَاعلَم

Reflect before you regret.

Think before you regret,

For you will die, so know this.

For you are mortal, know this.

وَلا تَغتَرَّ بِالدُنيا

وَلا تَغتَرَّ بِالدُنيا

فَإِنَّ صَحيحَها يَسقَم

فَإِنَّ صَحيحَها يَسقَم

And do not be deceived by this world,

Do not be deceived by this world,

For its healthy fall ill,

For even its health becomes ill.

وَإِنَّ جَديدَها يَبلى

وَإِنَّ جَديدَها يَبلى

وَإِنَّ شَبابَها يَهرَم

وَإِنَّ شَبابَها يَهرَم

And its new things wear out,

Its newness becomes worn,

And its youth grows old,

Its youth becomes old.

وَإِنَّ نَعيمَها يَفنى

وَإِنَّ نَعيمَها يَفنى

فَتَركُ نَعيمِها أَحزَم

فَتَركُ نَعيمِها أَحزَم

And its bliss passes away,

Its bliss fades away,

So forsaking its bliss is more prudent.

So leaving its bliss is wisest.

وَمَن هَذا الَّذي يَبقى

وَمَن هَذا الَّذي يَبقى

عَلى الحَدَثانِ أَو يَسلَم

عَلى الحَدَثانِ أَو يَسلَم

And who is there who endures

And who is it that remains

Through time’s vicissitudes, or escapes unharmed?

Safe from disasters or secure?

رَأَيتُ الناسَ أَتباعاً

رَأَيتُ الناسَ أَتباعاً

لِذي الدينارِ وَالدِرهَم

لِذي الدينارِ وَالدِرهَم

I have seen people as followers

I have seen people become followers

Of the possessor of the dinar and dirham.

Of those with money and coins.

وَما لِلمَرءِ إِلّا ما

وَما لِلمَرءِ إِلّا ما

نَوى في الخَيرِ أَو قَدَّم

نَوى في الخَيرِ أَو قَدَّم

And a person has only what

And a person has only what

He intended in goodness or sent ahead.

He intended in good, or put forth.