تَذكُرُ إِذ أَنتَ قَضيبٌ رَطيب

تَذكُرُ إِذ أَنتَ قَضيبٌ رَطيب

عَلَيهِ لِلحُسنِ رِداءٌ قَشيب

عَلَيهِ لِلحُسنِ رِداءٌ قَشيب

You remember when you were a supple bough,

Remember when you were a tender sapling

Upon it a splendid new robe of beauty.

Beauty's cloak covered you, soft and pliant

خالَطَ ماءَ الحُسنِ في وَجهِهِ

خالَطَ ماءَ الحُسنِ في وَجهِهِ

ماءَ شَبابٍ لَم يَرُقهُ المَشيب

ماءَ شَبابٍ لَم يَرُقهُ المَشيب

The water of beauty in his face mingled

The sap of youth commingled on your face

With the water of youth, unspilled by gray hair.

With water undefiled by aging's taint

إِذا مَشى يَخطُرُ في بُردِهِ

إِذا مَشى يَخطُرُ في بُردِهِ

غايَرَ فيهِ الشَكلُ حُسناً رَطيب

غايَرَ فيهِ الشَكلُ حُسناً رَطيب

When he walked, swaying in his mantle,

When you walked, your grace did flow and glide

His supple figure stood apart in beauty.

Your shapely form a vision fresh and bright

كُنتَ قَضيبَ البانِ لَم يُقتَضَب

كُنتَ قَضيبَ البانِ لَم يُقتَضَب

وَأَنتَ مِن بَعدُ قَضيبٌ قَضيب

وَأَنتَ مِن بَعدُ قَضيبٌ قَضيب

You were a bān-tree bough, not yet cut,

An uncut reed you were in your life's dawn

And now you are a bough cut off.

Now just a reed, its verdure peeled and gone

فَاللَهوُ مُغَبَّرٌ مَقاديمُهُ

فَاللَهوُ مُغَبَّرٌ مَقاديمُهُ

مُعَفَّرَ الوَجهِ حَريبٌ سَليب

مُعَفَّرَ الوَجهِ حَريبٌ سَليب

So pleasure's brow is covered in dust,

Your flanks are caked with dust, your springtimes past

Its face begrimed, plundered and stripped bare.

Your visage furrowed, joyless, worn and sad

خُذ بِنَصيبٍ مِن سُرورِ الصِبا

خُذ بِنَصيبٍ مِن سُرورِ الصِبا

فَما لِشَيخٍ مِن سُرورٍ نَصيب

فَما لِشَيخٍ مِن سُرورٍ نَصيب

Take a share of the joy of youth,

Partake of youthful joy while time allows

For an old man has no share in joy.

No happiness remains for aged boughs