طَوى العَصرانِ ما نَشَراهُ مِنّي

طَوى العَصرانِ ما نَشَراهُ مِنّي

فَأَخلق جدّتي نَشرٌ وَطَيُّ

فَأَخلق جدّتي نَشرٌ وَطَيُّ

Night and day have folded up what they unfolded of me.

The twain folded what they spread of me,

Thus unfolding and folding have worn out my freshness.

So the nature of my grandsire is spreading and folding.

أراني في اِنتِقاصٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ

أراني في اِنتِقاصٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ

وَلا يَبقى عَلى الحدثانِ شَيُّ

وَلا يَبقى عَلى الحدثانِ شَيُّ

I see myself dwindling every day.

I see myself decreasing every day,

And nothing survives the vicissitudes of time.

Yet naught of youth remains with the boy.