لقد كنت أرجو في صبايَ وصبوتي

لقد كنت أرجو في صبايَ وصبوتي

مغازلة الغرّ القوافي التي تحلو

مغازلة الغرّ القوافي التي تحلو

In my youth and youthful ardor, I once hoped

Indeed, in my youth and youthful passion I used to hope

to court the radiant rhymes that delight.

To woo the radiant rhymes that are sweet.

فلما انْقضى عصر الشباب وشارفت

فلما انْقضى عصر الشباب وشارفت

منيَّة مثلي ما لها في الورَى مثل

منيَّة مثلي ما لها في الورَى مثل

But when the age of youth had passed and there drew near

But when youth’s season had passed and there drew near

my death—which, like me, has no equal among creation—

The death of one like me, without an equal among mortals,

فجاءَت بدرجٍ عندما أنا دارج

فجاءَت بدرجٍ عندما أنا دارج

وجاءَت بوصلٍ حيث لا ينفع الوصل

وجاءَت بوصلٍ حيث لا ينفع الوصل

they came in a scroll just as I was passing away,

Then they came with a scroll when I was passing away,

and came bearing union where union is of no avail.

And came with union when union was of no avail.