لا أَسأَلُ المَرءَ قَرضاً مِن شَهادَتِهِ

لا أَسأَلُ المَرءَ قَرضاً مِن شَهادَتِهِ

وَلا أَروحُ عَلى شَيبي بِمِقراضِ

وَلا أَروحُ عَلى شَيبي بِمِقراضِ

I ask no man for a loan of his testimony,

I do not ask a person for a loan from his testimony,

Nor do I take shears to my gray hair.

Nor do I pay off my old age with a loan.

إِذا غَدَوتُ بِبَطنِ الأَرضِ مُضطَجِعاً

إِذا غَدَوتُ بِبَطنِ الأَرضِ مُضطَجِعاً

فَثَمَّ أَفقِدُ أَوصابي وَأَمراضي

فَثَمَّ أَفقِدُ أَوصابي وَأَمراضي

When I come to lie in the belly of the earth,

When I lie in the belly of the earth asleep,

There, then, I shall lose my afflictions and diseases.

Then I will miss my companions and my pains.

تَيَمَّموا بِتُرابي عَلَّ فِعلَكُمُ

تَيَمَّموا بِتُرابي عَلَّ فِعلَكُمُ

بَعدَ الهُمودِ يُوافيني بِأَغراضي

بَعدَ الهُمودِ يُوافيني بِأَغراضي

Perform dry ablution with my dust; perhaps your act

Sprinkle my dust for your actions,

Will, after I have fallen still, bring me what I desire.

After being still it will bring me my purposes.

وَإِن جُعِلتُ بِحُكمِ اللَهِ في خَزَفٍ

وَإِن جُعِلتُ بِحُكمِ اللَهِ في خَزَفٍ

يَقضي الطُهورَ فَإِنّي شاكِرٌ راضِ

يَقضي الطُهورَ فَإِنّي شاكِرٌ راضِ

And if, by God's decree, I am made into earthenware

And if I am made by God's judgement into pottery,

That serves for purification, then I am grateful and content.

That fulfils purity, then I am grateful and content.

جَواهِرٌ أَلَّفَتها قُدرَةٌ عَجَبٌ

جَواهِرٌ أَلَّفَتها قُدرَةٌ عَجَبٌ

وَزايَلتُها فَصارَت مِثلَ أَعراضِ

وَزايَلتُها فَصارَت مِثلَ أَعراضِ

Substances assembled by a wondrous power—

Jewels assembled by amazing power,

And I parted from them, so they became like accidental qualities.

I outlived them so they became like meaningless things.