أصَمَّمَhas he persisted? فيin الغوايَةِwaywardness أَمْor أَنَاباhe repented
أصَمَّمَ في الغوايَةِ أَمْ أَنَابا
وَشَيْبُand gray hair الرَّأسِof the head قَدْalready خَلَسَhas stolen away الشَّبَابَاyouth
وَشَيْبُ الرَّأسِ قَدْ خَلَسَ الشَّبَابَا
Has he persisted in waywardness, or repented,
Has he resolved to go astray or has he repented?
now that gray hair has already stolen his youth away?
Youth has been stolen by the gray hair of old age.
إِذَاwhen نَصَلَfaded الخِضَابُthe dye بَكىhe wept عَلَيْهِfor it
إِذَا نَصَلَ الخِضَابُ بَكى عَلَيْهِ
وَيَضْحَكُand he laughs كُلَّمَاwhenever وَصَلَhe renewed الخِضابَاthe dye
وَيَضْحَكُ كُلَّمَا وَصَلَ الخِضابَا
When the dye fades, he weeps for it,
When the dye fades he weeps over it,
and laughs whenever he renews the dye.
And laughs whenever fresh dye is applied,
كأنَّas though حَمامَةًa dove بَيْضَاءَwhite ظَلَّتْkept
كأنَّ حَمامَةً بَيْضَاءَ ظَلَّتْ
تُقَابِلُfacing فيin مَفَارِقِهِthe partings of his hair غُرَاباa raven
تُقَابِلُ في مَفَارِقِهِ غُرَابا
As though a white dove kept
As if a white dove hovers over him
facing a raven in the partings of his hair.
Matching the raven in its elegance.
Sol 6.1