تَشاهَقنَthey gasped لَمّاwhen أَنthat (linking particle) رَأَينَthey saw بِمَفرِقيat the parting of my hair
تَشاهَقنَ لَمّا أَن رَأَينَ بِمَفرِقي
بَياضاًwhiteness كَأَنَّas though الشَيبَgray hair عِنديon me مِنَamong البِدَعnovelties
بَياضاً كَأَنَّ الشَيبَ عِندي مِنَ البِدَع
They gasped when they saw at the parting of my hair
They cried out when they saw the parting of my hair
Whiteness—as though gray hair on me were some novelty.
White as if greyness there was unorthodox for me.
وَقُلنَand they said عَهِدناwe remember فَوقَupon عاتِقِthe shoulder ذاthis الفَتىyoung man
وَقُلنَ عَهِدنا فَوقَ عاتِقِ ذا الفَتى
رِداءًa cloak مِنَof الحَوكِweaving الرَقيقِdelicate فَماso what صَنَعhas he done
رِداءً مِنَ الحَوكِ الرَقيقِ فَما صَنَع
And they said, 'We remember upon this young man's shoulder
And they said, "We knew him when youth's mantle
A cloak of delicate weave—what has he done with it?'
Of finest gauze he wore unmarred in its making."
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see عَضباًa keen sword عيبَwas faulted مِنهُin it صِقالُهُits polish
وَلَم أَرَ عَضباً عيبَ مِنهُ صِقالُهُ
وَكانَand it was حَبيباًdear لِلقُلوبِto hearts عَلىwith الطَبَعrust
وَكانَ حَبيباً لِلقُلوبِ عَلى الطَبَع
Nor have I seen a keen sword faulted for its polish,
Never did I espy in him a fault to reprove him for,
Yet dear to hearts while rusted.
And love for hearts was native to his nature.
وَقالواand they said غُلامٌa youth زَيَّنَadorned الشَيبُgray hair رَأسَهُhis head
وَقالوا غُلامٌ زَيَّنَ الشَيبُ رَأسَهُ
فَبُعداًthen away! لِرَأسٍwith a head زانَهُadorned it الشَيبُgray hair وَالنَزَعand balding at the temples
فَبُعداً لِرَأسٍ زانَهُ الشَيبُ وَالنَزَع
And they said, 'A youth—gray hair has adorned his head!'
And they said, "A boy whose head grey hair made beautiful!"
Then away with a head adorned by gray hair and a receding hairline!
So fie on the head made fair by greyness and decay!
تَسَلّىceased to yearn الغَوانيthe beauties عَنهُfor him مِنfrom بَعدِafter صَبوَةٍan infatuation
تَسَلّى الغَواني عَنهُ مِن بَعدِ صَبوَةٍ
وَماand how أَبعَدَfar removed النَبتَthe herbage الهَشيمَdry and crumbling مِنَfrom النُجَعquests for pasture
وَما أَبعَدَ النَبتَ الهَشيمَ مِنَ النُجَع
The beauties have ceased to yearn for him after their infatuation;
The loves forgot him after the ardour of passion subsided,
And how far withered herbage is from the quest for pasture!
And how far is the wind-blown trace from the camp!
وَكُنَّand they used to يُخَرِّقنَthey tear السُجوفَthe curtains إِذاwhen بَداhe appeared
وَكُنَّ يُخَرِّقنَ السُجوفَ إِذا بَدا
فَصِرنَso they began يُرَقِّعنَthey patch الحُروقَthe rents in the fabric إِذاwhen طَلَعhe came into view
فَصِرنَ يُرَقِّعنَ الحُروقَ إِذا طَلَع
And they used to tear the curtains whenever he appeared,
And they were wont to rend the bosoms when he appeared,
But now they patch the rents whenever he comes into view.
Then busied themselves patching up the rents when he was gone.
Sol 6.1