1. قِيامَةُ مَن ماتَ في مَوتِهِ

    وَإِخمالُ ما شاعَ مِن صَوتِه

    For whoever dies, resurrection comes at his death,

    And his once far-reaching voice sinks into obscurity.

  2. تَرى المَرءَ يجزَعُ مِن فَوتِ ما

    لَعَلَّ السَلامَةَ في فَوتِه

    You see a man distressed at losing something

    In whose loss his safety may lie.

  3. وَيَفنى وَلَم تفنَ آمالُهُ

    وَإِعمالُ سَوفَ إِلى لَيتِه

    And he perishes while his hopes have not yet perished,

    And using 'I shall' leads to his 'if only.'

  4. وَكَم أَزعَجَ الحِرصُ مِن راغِبٍ

    إِلى الصينِ وَالرِزقُ في بَيتِه

    And how many a seeker has greed driven

    To China, while his sustenance is in his home.