ياO عَذولَيَّmy two reproachers قَدindeed غَضَضتُI have curbed جِماحيmy unruliness
يا عَذولَيَّ قَد غَضَضتُ جِماحي
فَاِذهَباso go, you two حَيثُwherever شِئتُماyou both wish بِزِماميwith my rein
فَاِذهَبا حَيثُ شِئتُما بِزِمامي
O my two reproachers, I have curbed my unruliness;
O my two companions, I have folded my wings,
so take my rein wherever you both wish.
So go wherever you wish, holding my reins.
بَعدَafter لَوثيmy winding عِمامَةَthe turban of الشَيبِgray hair اِختاI swagger (continued next line)
بَعدَ لَوثي عِمامَةَ الشَيبِ اِختا
لُcompletes “I swagger” بِبُردَيin the two cloaks of بِطالَةٍidle pleasure وَعُرامِand unruliness
لُ بِبُردَي بِطالَةٍ وَعُرامِ
After winding the turban of gray hair, am I to swagger
After soiling my turban with the whiteness of old age,
in the two cloaks of idle pleasure and unruliness?
I was clothed in the garb of idleness and nakedness.
خُفِّضَتhas been subdued نَزوَةُsurge الشَبابِyouth وَحالَand intervened الthe (article continued next line)
خُفِّضَت نَزوَةُ الشَبابِ وَحالَ ال
هَمُّcare بَينَbetween الحَشاthe heart وَبَينَand between الغَرامِpassionate love
هَمُّ بَينَ الحَشا وَبَينَ الغَرامِ
Youth's surge has been subdued, and there stands
The passion of youth has faded, and anxiety
care between the heart and passion.
Has come between companionship and love.
غالَطونيthey tried to mislead me عَنِabout المَشيبِgray hair وَقالواand they said
غالَطوني عَنِ المَشيبِ وَقالوا
لاdo not تُرَعbe alarmed إِنَّهُindeed it is جَلاءُthe burnishing of الحُسامِthe keen sword
لا تُرَع إِنَّهُ جَلاءُ الحُسامِ
They tried to mislead me about gray hair, and said:
They chide me about old age, and say,
“Do not be alarmed: it is the burnishing of the sword.”
“Do not graze, for it is the bareness of swords.”
أَيُّهاO الصُبحُdawn زُلvanish ذَميماًdisgraced فَماfor how أَظdark (continued next line)
أَيُّها الصُبحُ زُل ذَميماً فَما أَظ
لَمَcompletes “dark” يَوميmy day مِنfrom بَعدِafter ذاكَthat الظَلامِdarkness
لَمَ يَومي مِن بَعدِ ذاكَ الظَلامِ
O dawn, vanish in disgrace! How dark
O morning, stay gloomy, for after that darkness
my day has become after that darkness!
My day has known no brighter morn.
أَرمَضَتhas scorched شَمسُكَyour sun المُنيرَةُradiant فَوديtwo temples (continued next line)
أَرمَضَت شَمسُكَ المُنيرَةُ فَودي
يَmy (possessive suffix) فَمَنwho, then ليfor me بِظِلِّwith the shade of ذاكَthat الغَمامَcloud
يَ فَمَن لي بِظِلِّ ذاكَ الغَمامَ
Your radiant sun has scorched my temples;
Your brilliant sun has blinded me,
who, then, can give me the shade of that cloud?
So who will give me the shade of that cloud?
قُلتُI said ماwhat أَمنُsafety مَنone who عَلىabove الرَأسِthe head مِنهُof him
قُلتُ ما أَمنُ مَن عَلى الرَأسِ مِنهُ
صارِمُthe keen sword of الجَدِّfate فيin يَدِthe hand of الأَيّامِthe days
صارِمُ الجَدِّ في يَدِ الأَيّامِ
I said: What safety has one above whose head
I said, no one is safe whose head is threatened
fate's keen sword is held in the hand of days?
By the sharp sword in the hands of fate.
إِنَّindeed ذَنبيmy offense إِلىagainst الغَوانيthe lovely women بِشَيبيbecause of my gray hair
إِنَّ ذَنبي إِلى الغَواني بِشَيبي
ذَنبُthe offense of ذِئبِthe wolf of الغَضاthe ghada shrubs إِلىagainst الآرامِthe gazelles
ذَنبُ ذِئبِ الغَضا إِلى الآرامِ
Indeed, my offense against lovely women, because of my gray hair,
My sin to the maidens for my white hair
is the offense of the wolf of the ghada thickets against gazelles.
Is like the sin of a wolf with mange toward sheep.
كُنَّthey used to يَبكينَweep قَبلَهُbefore it مِنbecause of وَداعيmy farewell
كُنَّ يَبكينَ قَبلَهُ مِن وَداعي
فَبُكاهُنَّbut their weeping بَعدَهُafter it مِنbecause of سَلاميmy greeting
فَبُكاهُنَّ بَعدَهُ مِن سَلامي
Before it, they used to weep at my farewell;
They wept when I bade them farewell,
but after it, their weeping is at my greeting.
But their tears at my greeting were more copious.
Sol 6.1