أَيُّها المُغتَرُّ بِالزَمَن

أَيُّها المُغتَرُّ بِالزَمَن

في هَواه خالِعَ الرَسَنِ

في هَواه خالِعَ الرَسَنِ

O you who are beguiled by time,

O you who is deceived by time

O you who are deluded by time, casting off the halter in pursuit of its whims,

casting off the rein in your passion for it,

In its passions, having cast off restraint

Your love for the world and its adornment is a seduction that has engulfed you in trials,

حبُّك الدُنيا وَزينَتها

حبُّك الدُنيا وَزينَتها

فتنَةٌ عَمَّتك بِالفِتَنِ

فتنَةٌ عَمَّتك بِالفِتَنِ

your love of the world and its adornment

Your love of this world and its adornments

You persist—while circumstances bear witness—devoted to its disgraces,

is a temptation that has engulfed you in trials.

Is a sedition that has engulfed you in trials

So abandon it, for truly its decoration is an ornament that disfigures rather than adorns,

ظَلتَ وَالحالاتُ شاهِدة

ظَلتَ وَالحالاتُ شاهِدة

عاكِفاً مِنها عَلى وَشنِ

عاكِفاً مِنها عَلى وَشنِ

You have remained, though circumstances bear witness,

You remained, though circumstances bear witness

It has deceived you, for it is hideous within, despite a fair exterior,

devoted to one of its idols,

Clinging to it insistently

So send forth deeds that will bring you joy, before the onset of prolonged anguish and sorrow,

فَاِهجرنها إِن زينتها

فَاِهجرنها إِن زينتها

زينَةٌ شانَت وَلَم تَزِنِ

زينَةٌ شانَت وَلَم تَزِنِ

so forsake it: indeed, its adornment

So abandon it, for its adornment

As though your Hereafter has always remained, and as though your worldly life never existed.

is adornment that has marred, not adorned.

Is an adornment that has declined and lost value

خَدَعتك إِنَّها قَبُحَت

خَدَعتك إِنَّها قَبُحَت

باطِناً في ظاهِرٍ حَسَنِ

باطِناً في ظاهِرٍ حَسَنِ

It has deceived you: it is ugly

It has deceived you, for it is ugly

within, beneath a fair exterior.

Inwardly, though outwardly beautiful

وَلتُقَدِّم ما تُسَرُّ بِهِ

وَلتُقَدِّم ما تُسَرُّ بِهِ

قَبلَ طُول البَثّ وَالحَزنِ

قَبلَ طُول البَثّ وَالحَزنِ

And send ahead what will gladden you,

And put forth what you find joy in

before prolonged anguish and grief.

Before the prolonged affliction and sorrow

فَكَأن أُخراك ما بَرِحَت

فَكَأن أُخراك ما بَرِحَت

وَكَأن دُنياك لَم تَكُنِ

وَكَأن دُنياك لَم تَكُنِ

For it is as though your hereafter had never ceased to be,

It is as if your delay never ceased

and as though your worldly life had never been.

And as if your world never was