قَد سَمِعنا الوَعظَ لَويَنفَعُنا

قَد سَمِعنا الوَعظَ لَويَنفَعُنا

وَقَرَأنا جُلَّ آياتِ الكُتُب

وَقَرَأنا جُلَّ آياتِ الكُتُب

We have heard admonition—if only it would benefit us.

We've heard the sermons, if only they'd help us,

And we have read most of the verses of the scriptures.

And we've read so many verses in books.

كُلُّ نَفسٍ سَتُوَفّى سَعيَها

كُلُّ نَفسٍ سَتُوَفّى سَعيَها

وَلَها ميقاتُ يَومٍ قَد وَجَب

وَلَها ميقاتُ يَومٍ قَد وَجَب

Every soul will be fully repaid for its striving,

Every soul will reap what it has sown,

and it has an appointed day already fixed.

And for it a fixed day is prescribed.

جَفَّتِ الأَقلامُ مِن قَبلُ بِما

جَفَّتِ الأَقلامُ مِن قَبلُ بِما

خَتَمَ اللَهُ عَلَينا وَكَتَب

خَتَمَ اللَهُ عَلَينا وَكَتَب

The pens dried long ago upon what

The pens have dried from recording

God has sealed for us and written.

What God sealed for us and ordained.

كَم رَأَينا مِن مُلوكٍ سادَةٍ

كَم رَأَينا مِن مُلوكٍ سادَةٍ

رَجَعَ الدَهرُ عَلَيهِم فَاِنقَلَب

رَجَعَ الدَهرُ عَلَيهِم فَاِنقَلَب

How many kings, lords all, have we seen,

How many eminent kings we've seen

against whom time turned and reversed its course;

Whose rule time reversed and changed.

وَعَبيدٍ خُوِّلوا ساداتِهِم

وَعَبيدٍ خُوِّلوا ساداتِهِم

فَاِستَقَرَّ المُلكُ فيهِم وَرَسَب

فَاِستَقَرَّ المُلكُ فيهِم وَرَسَب

and slaves granted possession of their masters,

And slaves who assumed their masters' thrones,

so sovereignty settled among them and sank deep.

So kingship settled and remained with them.

لا تَقولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ قَد مَضى

لا تَقولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ قَد مَضى

لَيتَهُ لَم يَكُ بِالأَمسِ ذَهَب

لَيتَهُ لَم يَكُ بِالأَمسِ ذَهَب

Never say of something that has passed:

Say not of what's past, "If only

“If only it had not gone yesterday.”

It had not been yesterday."

وَاِسعَ لِليَومِ وَدَع هَمَّ غَدٍ

وَاِسعَ لِليَومِ وَدَع هَمَّ غَدٍ

كُلُّ يَومٍ لَكَ فيهِ مُضطَرَب

كُلُّ يَومٍ لَكَ فيهِ مُضطَرَب

And strive for today, and leave tomorrow's worry;

Make room for today, leave tomorrow's worries,

each day has room for your endeavor.

For each day brings you trouble enough.

يَهرُبُ المَرءُ مِنَ المَوتِ وَهَل

يَهرُبُ المَرءُ مِنَ المَوتِ وَهَل

يَنفَعُ المَرءَ مِنَ المَوتِ الهَرَب

يَنفَعُ المَرءَ مِنَ المَوتِ الهَرَب

A person flees from death—but does

One flees from death yet can one

flight save a person from death?

Flee from death by fleeing?

كُلُّ نَفسٍ سَتُقاسي مَرَّةً

كُلُّ نَفسٍ سَتُقاسي مَرَّةً

كُرَبَ المَوتِ فَلِلمَوتِ كُرَب

كُرَبَ المَوتِ فَلِلمَوتِ كُرَب

Every soul will once endure

Every soul will taste death once;

death's agonies—for death has agonies.

For death there is no cure.

أَيُّها الناسِ ما حَلَّ بِكُم

أَيُّها الناسِ ما حَلَّ بِكُم

عَجَباً مِن سَهوِكُم كُلَّ العَجَب

عَجَباً مِن سَهوِكُم كُلَّ العَجَب

O people, what has befallen you?

O people, how strange is your heedlessness!

How astonishing your heedlessness—utterly astonishing!

What astonishment at your neglect!

أَسَقامٌ ثُمَّ مَوتٌ نازِلٌ

أَسَقامٌ ثُمَّ مَوتٌ نازِلٌ

ثُمَّ قَبرٌ وَنُشورٌ وَجَلَب

ثُمَّ قَبرٌ وَنُشورٌ وَجَلَب

Illnesses, then death descending,

Ailments, then death descending,

then a grave, and resurrection, and tumult,

Then grave, resurrection, and reckoning.

وَحِسابٌ وَكِتابٌ حافِظٌ

وَحِسابٌ وَكِتابٌ حافِظٌ

وَمَوازينُ وَنارٌ تَلتَهِب

وَمَوازينُ وَنارٌ تَلتَهِب

and a reckoning, and a book that keeps record,

Reckoning, recording book,

and scales, and a fire that blazes,

Scales and fire aflame.

وَصِراطٌ مَن يَزُل عَن حَدِّهِ

وَصِراطٌ مَن يَزُل عَن حَدِّهِ

فَإِلى خِزيٍ طَويلٍ وَنَصَب

فَإِلى خِزيٍ طَويلٍ وَنَصَب

and a path—whoever slips off its edge

A path - he who veers off it

is bound for lasting disgrace and suffering.

Will suffer prolonged disgrace and toil.

حَسبِيَ اللَهُ إِلَهاً واحِداً

حَسبِيَ اللَهُ إِلَهاً واحِداً

لا لَعَمرُ اللَهِ ما ذا بِلَعِب

لا لَعَمرُ اللَهِ ما ذا بِلَعِب

God is enough for me, one God alone.

God alone suffices me as God,

No, by God's life, this is no game.

No, by God's life, this is no game.