فَاعْمَلُوا وَأَنْتُمْ فِي نَفَسِ الْبَقَاءِ
Perform (good) acts while you are still in the vastness of life,
وَالصُّحُفُ مَنْشُورَةٌ
the books are open (for recording of actions),
وَالتَّوْبَةُ مَبْسُوطَةٌ
repentance is allowed,
وَالْمُدْبِرُيُدْعَى،
the runner away (from Allah) is being called
وَالْمُسِيءُ يُرْجَى،
and the sinner is being given hope (of forgiveness)
قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْمُدَ العَمَلُ
before the (light of) action is put off,
وَيَنَقَطِعَ الْمَهَلُ،
time expires,
وَتَنْقَضِيَ الْمُدَّةُ،
life ends,
وَتُسَدَّ أبْوابُ التَّوْبَةِ،
the door for repentance is closed
وَتَصْعَدَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ
and angels ascend to the sky.
فَأخَذَ امْرُؤٌ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ لِنَفْسِهِ،
Therefore a man should derive benefit from himself for himself,
وَأَخَذَ مِنْ حَيٍّ لِمَيِّتٍ،
from the living for the dead, from the mortal,
وَمِنْ فَانٍ لِبَاقٍ،
for the lasting
وَمِنْ ذَاهِبٍ لِدَائِمٍ.
and from the departer for the stayer.
امْرُءٌ خَافَ اللهَ وَهُوَ مُعَمَّرٌ إلَى أَجَلِهِ،
A man should fear Allah while he is given age to live upto his death,
وَمَنْظُورٌإلَى عَمَلِهِ.
and is allowed time to act.
امْرُءٌ أَلْجَمَ نَفْسَهُ بِلِجَامِهَا،
A man should control his self by the rein and hold it with its bridle,
وَزَمَّهَا بِزِمَامِهَا فَأَمْسَكَهَا بِلِجَامِهَا عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللهِ،
thus by the rein he should prevent it from disobedience towards Allah,
وَقَادَها بِزِمَامِهَا إِلَى طَاعَةِ اللهِ.
and by the bridle he should lead it towards obedience to Allah.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 236: Al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 54.
