187 – He said: Someone other than Abū Jaʿfar recited to me:

O dearly-loved friends now lying in the graves—peace be upon you!
Is there any supplication you still hear from us,
any question whose answer you hope to return,
or any need you would have us meet?

You lived for a time upon the earth’s surface, fresh in the vigor of life,
but it was not long before you settled in its depths.
You left its pleasures to those who remain,
though for a season you had worshipped its alluring charms.

You were people like us, as we now see ourselves:
you pinned your hopes on this world and found it pleasing.
How many a handsome face lies buried beneath the dust—
its owner once striving with all his might to preserve its beauty!

The world has ever been a place where every rider must dismount;
death’s talons rake across its level plains and rugged heights alike.
Generations beyond count have passed through this world,
but the silent caravan of time has carried them all away.

Human lifespans are short and will soon expire,
and the provisions allotted to each will surely be exhausted.