يا واعِظَ الناسِ عَمّا أَنتَ فاعِلُهُ

يا واعِظَ الناسِ عَمّا أَنتَ فاعِلُهُ

يا مَن يُعَدُّ عَلَيهِ العُمرُ بِالنَفَسِ

يا مَن يُعَدُّ عَلَيهِ العُمرُ بِالنَفَسِ

O you who admonish people against what you yourself do,

O preacher of men for what you yourself do

O you whose lifespan is counted against you breath by breath,

O you upon whom life is counted by breaths

اِحفَظ لِشَيبِكَ مِن عَيبٍ يُدَنِّسُهُ

اِحفَظ لِشَيبِكَ مِن عَيبٍ يُدَنِّسُهُ

إِنَّ البَياضَ قَليلُ الحَملِ لِلدَنَسِ

إِنَّ البَياضَ قَليلُ الحَملِ لِلدَنَسِ

Protect your gray hair from a fault that defiles it;

Protect your old age from disgrace that soils it

Indeed, whiteness has little tolerance for filth.

Whiteness bears little dirt and filth

كَحامِلٍ لِثِيابِ الناسِ يَغسِلُها

كَحامِلٍ لِثِيابِ الناسِ يَغسِلُها

وَثَوبُهُ غارِقٌ في الرِجسِ وَالنَجَسِ

وَثَوبُهُ غارِقٌ في الرِجسِ وَالنَجَسِ

Like one carrying people's clothes, washing them,

Like one who washes people's clothes

while his own garment is steeped in filth and impurity.

While his own clothes are sunk in filth and impurity

تَبغي النَجاةَ وَلَم تَسلُك طَريقَتَها

تَبغي النَجاةَ وَلَم تَسلُك طَريقَتَها

إِنَّ السَفينَةَ لا تَجري عَلى اليَبَسِ

إِنَّ السَفينَةَ لا تَجري عَلى اليَبَسِ

You seek salvation, yet have not followed its path;

You seek salvation but do not walk its path

Indeed, a ship does not sail on dry land.

A ship does not sail on dry land

رُكوبُكَ النَعشَ يُنسيكَ الرُكوبَ عَلى

رُكوبُكَ النَعشَ يُنسيكَ الرُكوبَ عَلى

ما كُنتَ تَركَبُ مِن بَغلٍ وَمِن فَرَسِ

ما كُنتَ تَركَبُ مِن بَغلٍ وَمِن فَرَسِ

Your ride on the bier will make you forget riding upon

Riding the bier makes you forget riding

whatever you used to ride—mule and horse.

What you used to ride of mule and horse

يَومَ القِيامَةِ لا مالٌ وَلا وَلَدٌ

يَومَ القِيامَةِ لا مالٌ وَلا وَلَدٌ

وَضَمَّةُ القَبرِ تُنسي لَيلَةَ العُرسِ

وَضَمَّةُ القَبرِ تُنسي لَيلَةَ العُرسِ

On the Day of Resurrection, neither wealth nor child avails;

On the Day of Resurrection there is no money or child

and the grave's tight embrace makes you forget the wedding night.

And the narrowness of the grave makes you forget the wedding night