الدَهرُ لا تَصفو لَهُ صافِيَةٌ

الدَهرُ لا تَصفو لَهُ صافِيَةٌ

وَالمَرءُ مَحسودٌ عَلى العافِيَةِ

وَالمَرءُ مَحسودٌ عَلى العافِيَةِ

With time, nothing serene remains unclouded.

Time's vicissitudes know no calm,

And a man is envied for his well-being.

And people envy soundness.

وَقُل مَن حازَ لَها آمِناً

وَقُل مَن حازَ لَها آمِناً

مِن غَيرَ تَكديرٍ وَلا عادِيَةِ

مِن غَيرَ تَكديرٍ وَلا عادِيَةِ

And say: who has attained it in safety,

Say, who can gain security

without disturbance or calamity?

Safe from harm or enmity,

إِن لَم يَكُن فيهِ فَفي غَيرِهِ

إِن لَم يَكُن فيهِ فَفي غَيرِهِ

مِن آلِهِ وَالصَحبِ وَالحاشِيَةِ

مِن آلِهِ وَالصَحبِ وَالحاشِيَةِ

If affliction is not in him, then it is in someone else,

If not himself, some loved one -

among his family, companions, and attendants.

Kin, companions, courtiers - be

ذي سَنَةِ الخَلاقِ في خَلقِهِ

ذي سَنَةِ الخَلاقِ في خَلقِهِ

كانَت بِها أَحكامِهِ قاضِيَةِ

كانَت بِها أَحكامِهِ قاضِيَةِ

This is the Creator's way with His creation;

Subject to the Judge's decree

His decrees have ordained it so.

Ordained for him eternally?

فَنَغَصَّةُ العَيشِ لَنا قِسمَةً

فَنَغَصَّةُ العَيشِ لَنا قِسمَةً

وَسَكرَةً المَوتُ لَنا كافِيَةِ

وَسَكرَةً المَوتُ لَنا كافِيَةِ

So life's bitterness is our allotted share,

Life's bitterness is our due;

and death's stupor is enough for us.

Death intoxicates us fully.

فَيا مِنّي مَن عاشَ في وِحدَةٍ

فَيا مِنّي مَن عاشَ في وِحدَةٍ

لَيسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلا جارِيَةِ

لَيسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلا جارِيَةِ

So, O one who lived in solitude [unclear phrase: 'from me'],

You who live in solitude

having neither a child nor a maidservant,

Without child or concubine,

يَكفيهِ ما يَلقاهُ في نَفسِهِ

يَكفيهِ ما يَلقاهُ في نَفسِهِ

وَلَم يَجرَع غُصَّةً ثانِيَةِ

وَلَم يَجرَع غُصَّةً ثانِيَةِ

what he suffers in his own person suffices him,

Need but what your soul can find;

and he has not swallowed a second choking sorrow.

Sorrow visits not twice.

وَيا هَنا مَن اِنقَضى عُمرُهُ

وَيا هَنا مَن اِنقَضى عُمرُهُ

في عيشَةٍ لِرَبِّهِ راضِيَةِ

في عيشَةٍ لِرَبِّهِ راضِيَةِ

And how happy the one whose lifetime ended

And you whose life is behind,

in a life pleasing to his Lord.

Content with your Lord's design,

يَقبَلُهُ اللَهُ وَمَن فَضلُهُ

يَقبَلُهُ اللَهُ وَمَن فَضلُهُ

يَحسَبُهُ في الفِرقَةِ الناجِيَةِ

يَحسَبُهُ في الفِرقَةِ الناجِيَةِ

God accepts him and, through His bounty,

God accepts you; His grace assigns

counts him among the company of the saved.

Your place among the saved line.