1. A friend whose affection modernity made easy for me to steer
He leans with me as if his heart were my heart's peer
١. صَديقٌ أَفادَتني الحَداثَةُ وُدَّهُ
فَأَصبَحتُ سَهلاً في يَدَيَّ قِيادُهُ
2. Or my will his will, and my desire his desire
But when time dyed the hair on his head grey
٢. يَميلُ مَعي حَتّى كَأَنَّ فُوادَهُ
نَجِيُّ فُؤادي أَو مُرادي مُرادُهُ
3. And bent his faith under its sway
Never did I reckon, until this day
٣. فَلَمّا أَحالَ الدَهرُ صِبغَةَ رَأسِهِ
وَأَحنا عَلَيهِ حالِ في اِعتِقادُهُ
4. That when a man's hair turns grey, his love turns away
٤. وَما كُنتُ قَبلَ اليَومِ أَحسِبُ أَنَّهُ
إِذا شابَ رَأسُ المَرءِ شابَ وِدادُهُ