وَللمَوتِ سَوراتٌ بِها تَنقَضُ القُوى

وَللمَوتِ سَوراتٌ بِها تَنقَضُ القُوى

وَتَسلو عَن المالِ النُفوسُ الشَحائِحُ

وَتَسلو عَن المالِ النُفوسُ الشَحائِحُ

And death has onslaughts by which strength is broken,

Death has ramparts, with which all strength is shattered,

And miserly souls cease to care for wealth.

And miserly souls are weaned from hoarded gold,

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَنفعكَ حَيّاً فَنَفعُهُ

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَنفعكَ حَيّاً فَنَفعُهُ

أَقَلُّ إِذا رُصَّت عَلَيهِ الصَفائحُ

أَقَلُّ إِذا رُصَّت عَلَيهِ الصَفائحُ

If a man does you no good while alive, his usefulness

Of what avail is a man alive who will not help you,

Is less when stone slabs are fitted tightly over him.

When to your grave the mourners' feet are rolled?

لأيِّ زَمانٍ يَخبأُ المَرءُ نَفعَهُ

لأيِّ زَمانٍ يَخبأُ المَرءُ نَفعَهُ

غَداً بَل غَداً لِلمَوتِ غادٍ وَرائِحُ

غَداً بَل غَداً لِلمَوتِ غادٍ وَرائِحُ

For what time does a man save the good he can do?

For what day does a man put by his profit?

Tomorrow? Yet tomorrow, some go to death in the morning, some in the evening.

Nay, but tomorrow Death stands at your side!