تَزَوَّدْ مِنَ التَّقْوَى

تَزَوَّدْ مِنَ التَّقْوَى فَإِنَّكَ لا تَدْرِي *** إِذَا جَنَّ لَيْلٌ هَلْ تَعِيْشُ إلى الفَجْـرِ

Take taqwa as your provision, for you do not know

When the night darkens, will you live until fajr?

فَكَـمْ مَنْ فَتىً أَمْسَى وأصْبَحَ ضَاحِكاً *** وقَدْ نُسِجَتْ أَكَفَانُهُ وهُوَ لا يَـدْرِي

For how many of a youth laughs by morning and evening
And his shrouds (kain kafan) have been weaved, and he does not know.

وكَمْ مِنْ صِغَارٍ يَرْتَجِى لَهُمْ طُولَ العُمْر *** وقَدْ أُدْخِلَتْ أَجْسَادُهُمْ ظُلْمَةَ القَبْـرِ

And how many of young ones are expected to live long

When their bodies have actually entered the darkness of of the grave

وكَـمْ مِن عَرُوسٍ زَيَّنُوهَا لِعرسِـهَا *** وقد قُبِضَتْ أرْوَاحُهُم لَيْلَـةَ القَـدْرِ

And how many of a bride have they adorned for her groom
And their souls have been seized on the night of decree.

وكَـمْ مِن صَحِيحٍ مَاتَ مِن غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ *** وكَمْ مِنْ سَقِيمٍ عَاشَ حِيناً مِنَ الدَّهْرِ

And how many of a healthy one dies without an illness
And how many of an ill one has lived for a good time

فَـمَنْ عَـاشَ ألفَـاً وَألْفَيْـنِ إنَّـهُ *** لابُـدَّ مِنْ يَـومٍ يَسِـيرُ إلى القَبْرِ

So whoever lives for a thousand years or two
He must one day, make his way to his grave