تعشقتُه شَيخاً كَأنَّ مَشيبَه

تعشقتُه شَيخاً كَأنَّ مَشيبَه

عَلى وَجنَتيهِ ياسمين عَلى وَردِ

عَلى وَجنَتيهِ ياسمين عَلى وَردِ

I fell in love with him, an old man, as though his gray hair

I fell in love with him an old man, as if his grey hair

upon his cheeks were jasmine upon roses.

Were jasmine upon his cheeks, upon a rose

أَخا العَقلِ يَدري ما يراد مِن النهى

أَخا العَقلِ يَدري ما يراد مِن النهى

أَمنتُ عَلَيهِ مِن رَقيبٍ وَمِن ضدِّ

أَمنتُ عَلَيهِ مِن رَقيبٍ وَمِن ضدِّ

A man of reason, he knows what wisdom is for;

O rational brother, he knows what is implied by prohibition

I had no fear for him of watcher or rival.

I secured him from any watcher and rival

وَقالوا الوَرى قسمان في شرعة الهَوى

وَقالوا الوَرى قسمان في شرعة الهَوى

لسود اللحى ناسٌ وَناسٌ إِلى المُردِ

لسود اللحى ناسٌ وَناسٌ إِلى المُردِ

And they said: under love’s law, people fall into two groups:

And they said people in the legislation of love are two kinds

some favor black-bearded men, and some beardless youths.

Black bearded men, and people with hair gone white

أَلا إِنَّني لَو كُنتُ أَصبو لأمردٍ

أَلا إِنَّني لَو كُنتُ أَصبو لأمردٍ

صَبَوت إِلى هَيفاءَ مائِسَةِ القَدِّ

صَبَوت إِلى هَيفاءَ مائِسَةِ القَدِّ

Indeed, if I were to yearn for a beardless youth,

Lo! Had I been giving preference for white-haired

I would yearn for a slender-waisted woman, her figure swaying.

I would have inclined towards a smooth-cheeked maiden

وَسود اللحى أَبصَرت فيهم مُشارِكاً

وَسود اللحى أَبصَرت فيهم مُشارِكاً

فَأَحبَبتُ أَن أَبقى بِأَبيضهم وَحدي

فَأَحبَبتُ أَن أَبقى بِأَبيضهم وَحدي

And among the black-bearded I saw a rival,

And I saw the black beards sharing with me

so I wished to remain alone with their white-bearded one.

So I wished to remain with their white-haired alone