لَمّا رَأَت شَيباً يَلوحُ بِمَفرِقي

لَمّا رَأَت شَيباً يَلوحُ بِمَفرِقي

صَدَّت صُدودَ مُفارِقٍ مُتَجَمِّلِ

صَدَّت صُدودَ مُفارِقٍ مُتَجَمِّلِ

When she saw gray hair gleaming at my hair’s parting,

When she saw gray hair showing through my parting

she turned away as one who parts with composure.

She recoiled, feigning aversion, masked in coquetry.

فَظَلِلتُ أَطلُبُ وَصلَها بِتَذَلُّلٍ

فَظَلِلتُ أَطلُبُ وَصلَها بِتَذَلُّلٍ

وَالشَيبُ يَغمِزُها بِأَلّا تَفعَلي

وَالشَيبُ يَغمِزُها بِأَلّا تَفعَلي

So I kept seeking union with her in self-abasement,

So I sought to win her back with abject flattery

while gray hair winked at her: “Do not.”

While the gray hair winked at her: Do not do it!