قالوا أَلا تَستَجِدُّ بَيتاً

قالوا أَلا تَستَجِدُّ بَيتاً

تَعجَبُ مِن حُسنِهِ البُيوت

تَعجَبُ مِن حُسنِهِ البُيوت

They said, “Will you not build yourself a new house

They said, “Will you not build a new house

whose beauty would astonish all other houses?”

at whose beauty houses marvel?”

فَقُلتُ ما ذَلِكُم صَوابٌ

فَقُلتُ ما ذَلِكُم صَوابٌ

حَفشٌ كَثيرٌ لِمَن يَموت

حَفشٌ كَثيرٌ لِمَن يَموت

I said, “That is no sound judgment:

So I said, “That is not right;

even a hovel is too much for one who must die.

a hovel is ample for one who must die.

لَولا شِتاءٌ وَلَفحُ قَيظٍ

لَولا شِتاءٌ وَلَفحُ قَيظٍ

وَخَوفُ لِصٍّ وَحِفظُ قَوت

وَخَوفُ لِصٍّ وَحِفظُ قَوت

Were it not for winter and the scorching blast of summer,

Were it not for winter and summer's scorching heat,

fear of thieves, the need to store provisions,

and fear of a thief, and the safeguarding of food,

وَنِسوَةٌ يَبتَغينَ سِتراً

وَنِسوَةٌ يَبتَغينَ سِتراً

بَنَيتُ بُنيانَ عَنكَبوت

بَنَيتُ بُنيانَ عَنكَبوت

and women seeking shelter,

and women seeking privacy,

I would build no more than a spider’s house.

I would build a spider's dwelling.

وَأَيُّ مَعنى لِحُسنِ مَغنى

وَأَيُّ مَعنى لِحُسنِ مَغنى

لَيسَ لِأَربابِهِ ثُبوت

لَيسَ لِأَربابِهِ ثُبوت

What meaning is there in a dwelling’s beauty

And what use is a dwelling's beauty

when its owners cannot remain?

when its owners cannot remain?

ما أَوعَظَ القَبرَ لَو قَبِلنا

ما أَوعَظَ القَبرَ لَو قَبِلنا

مَوعِظَةَ الناطِقِ الصَموت

مَوعِظَةَ الناطِقِ الصَموت

How eloquent an admonisher the grave would be, if only we heeded

How powerfully the grave admonishes—if only we heeded

the sermon of that silent speaker!

the warning of that silent speaker!

يوحي إِلى مُمتَطي الحَشايا

يوحي إِلى مُمتَطي الحَشايا

مالَكَ مِن مَضجَعي عَميت

مالَكَ مِن مَضجَعي عَميت

It whispers to the one reclining upon soft cushions:

It whispers to the rider of mattresses:

“What ails you—are you blind to my bed?

‘Why have you grown blind to my resting place?

نَسيتَ يَومي وَطولَ نَومي

نَسيتَ يَومي وَطولَ نَومي

وَسَوفَ تُنسى كَما نَسيت

وَسَوفَ تُنسى كَما نَسيت

You have forgotten my day and the length of my sleep,

You forgot my day and the length of my sleep,

but you will be forgotten, just as you forgot.

and you will be forgotten, just as you forgot.

وَشِدتَ يا هادِمي قُصوراً

وَشِدتَ يا هادِمي قُصوراً

نَعِمتَ فيهِنَّ كَيفَ شَيت

نَعِمتَ فيهِنَّ كَيفَ شَيت

You have raised palaces, O you who will break me open,

And you built palaces, O my destroyer,

and lived luxuriously in them however you pleased,

and lived in comfort within them however you wished,

مُعتَنِقاً لِلحِسانِ فيها

مُعتَنِقاً لِلحِسانِ فيها

مُستَنشِقاً مِسكَها الفَتيت

مُستَنشِقاً مِسكَها الفَتيت

embracing beautiful women there

embracing beautiful women within them,

and breathing in their powdered musk,

inhaling their finely powdered musk.

تَسحَبُ ذَيلَ الصَبا وَتَلهو

تَسحَبُ ذَيلَ الصَبا وَتَلهو

بِآنِساتٍ يَقُلنَ هيت

بِآنِساتٍ يَقُلنَ هيت

trailing the train of youth and making merry

You trail youth's hem and dally

with charming women who say, ‘Come!’

with charming women who say, “Come!”

فَاِذكُر مِهادي إِلى التَنادي

فَاِذكُر مِهادي إِلى التَنادي

وَاِمهَد لَهُ قَبلَ أَن يَفوت

وَاِمهَد لَهُ قَبلَ أَن يَفوت

Remember my resting place until the Great Summons,

So remember my bed until the Day of Calling,

and prepare for it before the chance is lost.

and prepare for it before it is too late.

فَعَن قَريبٍ تَكونُ طُعمي

فَعَن قَريبٍ تَكونُ طُعمي

سَخِطتَ يا صاحِ أَم رَضيت

سَخِطتَ يا صاحِ أَم رَضيت

For soon you will become my food,

For soon you will become my food,

whether you resent it, my friend, or accept it.”

whether you are displeased, my friend, or content.’”