أَنِسْتُI took delight بأيّامِin the days of الشَّبابِyouth وظِلَّهاand their shade
أَنِسْتُ بأيّامِ الشَّبابِ وظِلَّها
وآنستُand I found companionship دَهراًfor an age فيin جوارِthe company of الجَوارِياthe maidens
وآنستُ دَهراً في جوارِ الجَوارِيا
I took delight in the days of youth and their shade,
And for an age enjoyed the company of the maidens.
فلماbut when رأيْتُI saw الشَّيْبَgrey hair يبسِمُsmiling ضاحِكاًlaughing
فلما رأيْتُ الشَّيْبَ يبسِمُ ضاحِكاً
بكيتُI wept فأخْجلْتُso I put to shame العُيونَthe springs الجَوارِياthe flowing ones
بكيتُ فأخْجلْتُ العُيونَ الجَوارِيا
But when I saw grey hair smiling and laughing,
I wept, putting the flowing springs to shame.
وقلتُand I said غداhas become زَنْديmy firestick بشيبيbecause of my grey hair كابياًunable to spark
وقلتُ غدا زَنْدي بشيبي كابياً
وكنتُand I used to أراهُsee it يقدَحُstrike fire from الثّلجَthe snow وَارِياgiving off sparks
وكنتُ أراهُ يقدَحُ الثّلجَ وَارِيا
And I said: with my greying, my firestick has lost its spark,
Though once I saw it strike fire even from snow.
فظُنَّso suppose رياa quenching of thirst بالدُّموعِwith the tears سَفَحتُهاI shed them
فظُنَّ ريا بالدُّموعِ سَفَحتُها
وماyet there is no بدُموعٍin tears قدindeed قراهاhas gathered them الجوىَburning heartache رِياquenching of thirst
وما بدُموعٍ قد قراها الجوىَ رِيا
So suppose the tears I shed can quench thirst;
Yet tears gathered by burning heartache cannot.
Sol 6.1