أَلاَ وَإِنَّ الدُّنْيَا قَدْ تَصَرَّمَتْ،
Beware, the world is wrapping itself up
وَآذَنَتْ بِانْقِضَاء،
and has announced its departure.
وَتَنَكَّرَ مَعْرُوفُها،
Its known things have become strangers
وَأَدْبَرَتْ حَذَّاءَ،
and it is speedily moving backward.
فَهِيَ تَحْفِزُ بِالْفَنَاءِ سُكَّانَهَا،
It is advancing its inhabitants towards destruction
وَتَحْدُو بِالْمَوْتِ جِيرَانَهَا،
and driving its neighbours towards death.
وَقَدْ مَرَّمِنْها مَا كَانَ حُلْواً،
Its sweet things (enjoyments) have become sour,
وَكَدِرَ مِنْهَا ما كَانَ صَفْواً،
and its clear things have become polluted.
فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا إِلاَّ سَمَلَةٌ كَسَمَلَةِ الاْدَاوَةِ،
Consequently, what has remained of it is just like the remaining water in a vessel
أَوْ جُرْعَةٌ كَجُرْعَةِ الْمَقْلَةِ،
or a mouthful of water in the measure.
لَوْ تَمَزَّزَهَا الصَّدْيَانُ لَمْ يَنْقَعْ .
If a thirsty person drinks it his thirst is not quenched.
فَأَزْمِعُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ الرَّحِيلَ عَنْ هذِهِ الدَّارِ المَقْدُورِ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا الزَّوالُ،
O creatures of Allah, get ready to go out of this world for whose inhabitants decay is ordained,
وَلاَ يَغْلِبَنَّكُمْ فِيهَا الاْمَلُ،
and (beware) heart’s wishes should overpower you,
وَلاَ يَطُولَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ الاْمَدُ.
nor should you take your stay (in life) to be long.
فَوَاللهِ لَوْ حَنَنْتُمْ حَنِينَ الْوُلَّهِ الْعِجَالِ،
By Allah, if you cry like the she-camel that has lost its young one,
وَدَعَوْتُمْ بِهَدِيلِ الْحَمَامِ،
call out like the cooing of pigeons,
وَجَأَرْتُمْ جُؤَارَ مُتَبَتِّلِي الرُّهْبَانِ،
make noise like devoted recluses
وَخَرَجْتُمْ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الاْمْوَالِ وَالاْوْلاَدِ،
and turn to Allah leaving your wealth and children
الْتمَاسَ الْقُرْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ فِي ارْتِفَاعِ دَرَجَة عِنْدَهُ،
as a means to secure His nearness and high position with Him
أوغُفْرَانِ سِيِّئَة أَحْصَتْهَا كُتُبُهُ،
or the forgiveness of sins which have been covered by His books
وَحَفِظَتْهَا رُسُلُهُ،
and recorded by His angels,
لَكَانَ قَلِيلاً فَيَما أَرْجُو لَكُم مِنْ ثَوَابِهِ،
it would be less than His reward that I expect for you or His retribution
وَأَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ عِقَابِهِ.
that I fear about you.
وَتَاللهِ لَوِ انْمَاثَتْ قُلوبُكُمُ انْمِيَاثاً،
By Allah, if your hearts melt down thoroughly
وَسَالَتْ عُيُونُكُمْ مِنْ رَغْبَة إِلَيْهِ وَرَهْبَة مِنْهُ دَماً،
and your eyes shed tears of blood either in hope for Him or for fear from Him
ثُمَّ عُمِّرْتُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا،
and you are also allowed to live in this world all the time
مَا الدُّنْيَا بَاقِيَةٌ، مَا جَزَتْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ [عَنْكُمْ] ـ وَلَوْ لَمْ تُبْقُوا شَيْئاً مِنْ جُهْدِكُمْ ـ أَنْعُمَهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعِظَامَ،
that it lasts even then your actions cannot pay for His great bounties over you
وَهُدَاهُ إِيَّاكُمْ لِلاْيمَانِ.
and His having guided you towards faith.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 52: al-Saduq, Man la yahduruh, I, 329; al-Tusi, al-Misbah, 461; Parts of it in Abu Nu’aym, al-Hilyah, I, 77; al-Mufid, al-'Amali, 87.
