زمانُtime الصِّباyouth واللهوand merriment حُييتَmay you be greeted بائناًdeparted
زمانُ الصِّبا واللهو حُييتَ بائناً
وإنand although كنتyou are بالذكرىthrough memory علىdespite البعدthe distance دانياnear
وإن كنت بالذكرى على البعد دانيا
O time of youth and merriment, greetings to you, though gone,
The days of my youth and playfulness have passed away
though, in memory, you are near despite the distance.
Though in memory I remain close from afar
تحيةَa greeting مفجوعٍone bereaved بفقدكby your loss عالمٍknowing
تحيةَ مفجوعٍ بفقدك عالمٍ
علىdespite طمعthe hope of الأشواقlongings أنthat لاno تلاقياreunion
على طمع الأشواق أن لا تلاقيا
A greeting from one bereaved by your loss, who knows,
A grieving farewell from one who misses you
despite longing's hope, that there will be no reunion.
Yearning we may meet again though hopes are bleak
أقامit stayed حميداًpraiseworthy ثمthen ودَّعbade farewell معذراًwith good excuse
أقام حميداً ثم ودَّع معذراً
فساعفso it obliged بالعُتبىwith reconciliation مقيماًwhile staying وماضياand while departing
فساعف بالعُتبى مقيماً وماضيا
It stayed worthy of praise, then took its leave with good excuse,
Farewells were warm then left with excuse
and granted satisfaction, both while staying and while departing.
Sorrow doubled in heart of one staying and one leaving
وأقبلand arrived عصرthe age of الشيبgray hair بعدafter وداعهits farewell
وأقبل عصر الشيب بعد وداعه
علىwith ثقةٍconfidence أنthat ليسnot يربحprofits ثاوياwhile staying
على ثقةٍ أن ليس يربح ثاويا
And the age of gray hair arrived after its farewell,
Then came the age of gray hair after his farewell
certain that it would gain nothing while staying.
Trusting life brings no lasting joy
فردَّso it turned سرورَjoy النفسthe soul بالغمِّthrough sorrow حسرةًregret
فردَّ سرورَ النفس بالغمِّ حسرةً
وردَّand turned نضيرfreshness العيشlife بالهمِّthrough worry ذاوياwithered
وردَّ نضير العيش بالهمِّ ذاويا
So it turned the soul's joy, through sorrow, into regret,
Gladness of spirit turned to sorrowful regret
and, through worry, made life's freshness wither.
And peer friendship to companionship no more
فياso, alas ماwhat كرهناهwe hated it فأمسىthen became مخيّماًencamped
فيا ما كرهناه فأمسى مخيّماً
وقوّضand struck camp ماwhat نهوىwe love فأصبحthen became نائياfar away
وقوّض ما نهوى فأصبح نائيا
Alas, what we hated has pitched its tent,
What we disliked has settled in and remained
and what we love has struck camp and gone far away.
And undermined what we loved till distant it became
فليتَso, if only شبابيmy youth كانhad been عنديto me شيبةًgray-haired old age
فليتَ شبابي كان عندي شيبةً
وليتand if only مشيبيmy old age كانhad been عنديto me شبابياmy youth
وليت مشيبي كان عندي شبابيا
If only my youth had been old age to me,
Would that my youth were here in my old age
and my old age had been my youth to me.
Would that my old age were there in my youth
وقالواand they said تعوَّضseek compensation بالتصابيby acting young عنfor الصِّباyouth
وقالوا تعوَّض بالتصابي عن الصِّبا
زماناًfor a while عسىperhaps أنto تستلذَّyou find pleasure in التصابياacting young
زماناً عسى أن تستلذَّ التصابيا
And they said, “Make up for youth by acting young
They said make up for youth with companionship
for a while; perhaps you will enjoy acting young.”
An age may come you find companionship sweet
فقلتso I said لهمto them هزؤmockery بنفسيof myself أننيthat I
فقلت لهم هزؤ بنفسي أنني
أحاولI try إخفاءًconcealment لِماof what ليسis not خافياhidden
أحاول إخفاءً لِما ليس خافيا
So I told them, “It is self-mockery for me
I said to them mocking myself for not hiding
to try to conceal what is not hidden.”
What to all is obvious and plain to see
Sol 6.1