تعمَّمتُ إحصاناً لرأسيَ بُرْهةً

تعمَّمتُ إحصاناً لرأسيَ بُرْهةً

من القرِّ طوراً والحرور إذا سفعْ

من القرِّ طوراً والحرور إذا سفعْ

For a while I wore a turban to protect my head

I learned to cover my head for a while

from the cold at times, and from the heat when it scorched.

With a turban instead of shaving when my hair fell out.

فلما دهى طولُ التعمُّم لمَّتي

فلما دهى طولُ التعمُّم لمَّتي

فأزرى بها بعد الجثالة والفَرَعْ

فأزرى بها بعد الجثالة والفَرَعْ

But when prolonged turban-wearing ravaged my locks

But when prolonged covering burdened me,

and marred them, once thick and long,

I switched to a cap after the turban and its coils.

عزمتُ على لُبس العمامةِ حيلةً

عزمتُ على لُبس العمامةِ حيلةً

لتستُر ما جرَّتْ عليَّ من الصَّلعْ

لتستُر ما جرَّتْ عليَّ من الصَّلعْ

I resolved to wear the turban as a stratagem,

I decided to wear the turban as a trick,

to hide the baldness it had brought upon me.

To hide the balding that had come over me.

فيا لك من جانٍ عليَّ جنايةً

فيا لك من جانٍ عليَّ جنايةً

جعلتُ إليه من جنايته الفزعْ

جعلتُ إليه من جنايته الفزعْ

Oh, what a wrongdoer, inflicting a wrong on me,

Oh what a scourge you are upon me!

to whom I turned for refuge from his own wrongdoing!

Making me take refuge from your scourging.

وأعجِبْ بشيءٍ كان دائي جعلتُه

وأعجِبْ بشيءٍ كان دائي جعلتُه

دوائي على عمدٍ وأعجب بأن نفعْ

دوائي على عمدٍ وأعجب بأن نفعْ

And marvel at something that was my ailment: I made it

And I was amazed that the thing which was my affliction

my remedy on purpose—and marvel that it helped!

I made my remedy intentionally, and was amazed that it worked.