1. He left play and youth
And gave up flirting
١. تَركَ اللَّهوِ وَالصِبى
وَتَخَلَّى مِنَ الغَزَلْ
2. When gray hair appeared in my temple
And my passion was ignited
٢. إِذ بَدا الشَّيبُ في مَجا
لي عِذاريهِ وَاِشتَعَلْ
3. And he saw the whites had cut
The rope that connected us
٣. وَرَأى البيضَ قَد قَطَع
نَ مِنَ الحَبلِ ما وَصَلْ
4. So he sought to reconnect with everyone
Of noble and prominent lineage
٤. فَاِبتَغي وَصلَ كُلِّ ذي
هَيَفٍ مُشرِفِ الكَفَلْ
5. He does not care if he greys
Or if his lovers despair
٥. لا يُبالي أَشابَ مِن
عاشِقيهِ أَو اِكتَهَلْ
6. He does not see harm in gray hair
Even if it has spread
٦. لا يرى يَكرَهُ الخضا
ب وَإِن كانَ قَد نَصَلْ
7. He is safe from blame
In urgent and future matters
٧. يَأمَنُ الطَّمث مِنهُ في
عاجِلِ الأَمرِ وَالحَبَلْ
8. Ready for whatever he is asked
And steadfast in illness
٨. مُستَعِدٌ لِما يُطا
لَبُ وَقفٌ عَلى العلَلْ
9. Whenever I say my lord
Renew the connection for me
٩. كُلَّما قُلتُ سَيِّدي
جَدِّدِ الوَصلَ لي وَصَلْ
10. And if you wish to visit me
In private do so
١٠. وَإِذا شِئتَ أَن يَزو
رَكَ في خلوَةٍ فَعَلْ
11. And if your neighbor rises
Who is it that entered?
١١. وَإِذا قامَ جارُ بَيْ
تِكَ مَن ذا الَّذي دَخَلْ
12. And his voice grew loud
In an outburst say
١٢. وَعَلا صَوتُهُ وَشَن
نَعَ في لَفظَة فَقُلْ
13. A man came seeking
What men seek
١٣. رَجُلٌ جاءَ طالِباً
بَعضَ ما يَطلُبُ الرَّجُلْ
14. So we dismissed him and he recoiled
And we unleashed him and he scattered
١٤. فَدَفَعناهُ فَاِنثَنى
وَفَتَلناهُ فَاِنفَتَلْ
15. And we raised against him and he
Fell on his face and crawled away
١٥. وَرَفَعنا بِهِ فَخَرْ
رَ عَلى الوَجهِ وَاِنخَزَلْ
16. So if a mountain comes after him
I wind through the mountain
١٦. فَإِذا خَلفَهُ جَبَل
فَتَوقَّلتُ في الجَبَلْ
17. And I bow down and stand straight
And rise up and endure
١٧. وَتَطَأطَأتُ فَاِستَوى
وَتَرَفَّعتُ فَاِحتَمَلْ
18. For his spit is sweeter
And more delicious than honey
١٨. فَإِذا ريقُهُ أَلَذْ
ذُ وَأَحلَى مِنَ العَسَلْ
19. So I am patient and withdraw
As I have always withdrawn
١٩. فَتَرَوَّيتُ وَاِعتَزَل
تُ كَما كُنتُ وَاِعتَزَلْ
20. An hour later and he
Finds the road and bathes
٢٠. ساعَة ثُمَّ أَنَّهُ
وَجَد الحُرَّ فَاِغتَسَلْ
21. And leaves, nothing behind that
So what is the blame?
٢١. وَمَضى لَم يَكُن وَرا
ذاكَ شَيءٌ فَما العَذَلْ