تَؤمِّلُ في الدُنيا طَويلاً وَلا تَدري

تَؤمِّلُ في الدُنيا طَويلاً وَلا تَدري

إِذا جَنَّ لَيلٌ هَل تَعيشُ إِلى الفَجرِ

إِذا جَنَّ لَيلٌ هَل تَعيشُ إِلى الفَجرِ

You hope to live long in this world, yet you do not know

You ponder upon this life for so long, not knowing

You harbor long hopes for this world, yet you do not know,

Whether, when night falls, you will live until dawn.

If night comes, will you live to see the dawn

When night descends, if you shall live to see the dawn.

فَكَم مِن صَحيحٍ ماتَ مِن غَيرِ عَلَّةٍ

فَكَم مِن صَحيحٍ ماتَ مِن غَيرِ عَلَّةٍ

وَكَم مِن عَليلٍ عاشَ دَهراً إِلى دَهرِ

وَكَم مِن عَليلٍ عاشَ دَهراً إِلى دَهرِ

For how many a healthy person has died without an ailment,

So many a healthy man has died for no reason

For how many of sound body have died without an ailment,

And how many an ailing person has lived from age to age.

And many a sick man has lived an age, then another

And how many of the sick have lived on from age to age.

وَكَم مِن فَتىً يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ آمِناً

وَكَم مِن فَتىً يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ آمِناً

وَقَد نُسِجَت أَكفانُهُ وَهوَ لا يَدري

وَقَد نُسِجَت أَكفانُهُ وَهوَ لا يَدري

And how many a young man passes evening and morning feeling safe,

Many a lad will retire and wake safe

How many a youth passes his evening and morning in safety,

While his shrouds have already been woven, and he does not know.

With his shroud already woven, unbeknownst to him

While his shrouds have already been woven, and he is unaware.