ذهبَ الشباب وطيبُه

ذهبَ الشباب وطيبُه

وغدا السرور مراوغا

وغدا السرور مراوغا

Youth and its sweetness have gone,

Youth has departed with its pleasures,

and joy has become elusive.

And joy has become evasive.

ولبست من شبا المشي

ولبست من شبا المشي

ب ملا صنيعا سابغا

ب ملا صنيعا سابغا

And from the sharp points of gray hair I donned

My gait has been laden with age,

a well-made, ample mantle.

Rendering me an old man.

فأصارني في حيّز النسّ

فأصارني في حيّز النسّ

اك شيخا بالغا

اك شيخا بالغا

So it made me, among the ascetics,

I have ridden the wild horses of prohibition,

a fully fledged old man.

With a wandering, unruly mind.

وركبت من خيل النهى

وركبت من خيل النهى

طرفا جموحا زائغا

طرفا جموحا زائغا

And from the steeds of reason I mounted

I have abandoned the pleasures of the soul,

a headstrong, straying courser.

Out of ignorance and stupidity.

وهجرت لذات النفو

وهجرت لذات النفو

س عنا وجهلا بالغا

س عنا وجهلا بالغا

And I forsook the pleasures of souls,

So it is said, "A righteous old man,

out of weariness and profound ignorance,

Not someone regretful or hesitant."

ليقال شيخٌ صالحٌ

ليقال شيخٌ صالحٌ

لا قادعا متواتغا

لا قادعا متواتغا

so they would say, 'A righteous elder,'

Thus my life passed with regret,

not a rebuker entangled in mutual ruin.

Leaving me an empty vessel.

فمضت حياتي حسرة

فمضت حياتي حسرة

وبقيت ظرفا فارغا

وبقيت ظرفا فارغا

So my life passed in regret,

and I remained an empty vessel.