ياO لابِسَwearer of الوَشيِthe brocade عَلىover شَيبِهِhis gray hair
يا لابِسَ الوَشيِ عَلى شَيبِهِ
ماhow أَقبَحَunbecoming الأَشيَبَthe gray-haired man فيin الداحِfine attire
ما أَقبَحَ الأَشيَبَ في الداحِ
O wearer of brocade over your gray hair,
O you who dons rags over your grey hair
how unbecoming a gray-haired man looks in finery!
How ugly is grey hair amid the black
لَوif شِئتَyou wished أَيضاًalso جُلتَyou went about فيin خامَةٍa cloth robe
لَو شِئتَ أَيضاً جُلتَ في خامَةٍ
وَفيand in وِشاحَينِtwo jeweled sashes وَأَوضاحِand silver ornaments
وَفي وِشاحَينِ وَأَوضاحِ
If you wished, you could also go about in a cloth robe,
If you wish, dye yourself with dye
and in two jeweled sashes and silver ornaments.
And with drapes and pillows alike
كَمhow many مِنof عَظيمِgreat القَدرِrank فيin نَفسِهِhis own estimation
كَم مِن عَظيمِ القَدرِ في نَفسِهِ
قَدhas نامَslept فيin جُبَّةِa robe of مَلّاحِa sailor
قَد نامَ في جُبَّةِ مَلّاحِ
How many a man, great in his own estimation,
Many a man of high rank in himself
has slept in a sailor’s robe!
Has slept in a salt merchant's gown
Sol 6.1