بَكَرَت تُعَيِّرُني نَوارُ سَفاهَةً

بَكَرَت تُعَيِّرُني نَوارُ سَفاهَةً

وَضحَ المَفارِقِ وَاِبيِضاضَ المِسحَلِ

وَضحَ المَفارِقِ وَاِبيِضاضَ المِسحَلِ

Nawār came early, foolishly reproaching me

Nawār came early, foolishly reproaching me

for the white gleam at my hair’s partings, the whitening of my temples.

For the whiteness of my hair-partings and the whitening of my sideburn.

وَيكُم بَياضُ الصُبحِ أَحسَنُ مَنظَراً

وَيكُم بَياضُ الصُبحِ أَحسَنُ مَنظَراً

في العَينِ مِن ظَلماءِ لَيلٍ أَليَلِ

في العَينِ مِن ظَلماءِ لَيلٍ أَليَلِ

Woe to you! The whiteness of dawn is lovelier to behold

Woe to you! The whiteness of dawn is a fairer sight

in the eye than the darkness of the blackest night.

To the eye than the gloom of a pitch-dark night.

وَهَلِ اِسوِدادُ العُلوِ يَكمُلُ حُسنُهُ

وَهَلِ اِسوِدادُ العُلوِ يَكمُلُ حُسنُهُ

في الطِرفِ إِلّا بِاِبيِضاضِ الأَسفَلِ

في الطِرفِ إِلّا بِاِبيِضاضِ الأَسفَلِ

And is the beauty of blackness above ever complete

And is the beauty of blackness above complete

in a noble steed, except through whiteness below?

In a noble steed, except through whiteness below?

وَالصارِمُ المَصقولُ أَحسَنُ حالَةً

وَالصارِمُ المَصقولُ أَحسَنُ حالَةً

يَومَ الوَغى مِن صارِمٍ لَم يُصقَلِ

يَومَ الوَغى مِن صارِمٍ لَم يُصقَلِ

A polished, keen-edged sword is finer in condition

And a polished sword is in better condition

on the day of battle than a sword left unpolished.

On the day of battle than a sword that has not been polished.

وَالشَمسُ لَولا ضَوءُها ما اِستُحسِنَت

وَالشَمسُ لَولا ضَوءُها ما اِستُحسِنَت

وَالبَدرُ لَولا نورُهُ لَم يَجمُلِ

وَالبَدرُ لَولا نورُهُ لَم يَجمُلِ

Were it not for her light, the sun would find no admiration;

And the sun, but for its radiance, would not be thought beautiful;

were it not for his radiance, the full moon would have no beauty.

And the full moon, but for its light, would not be beautiful.