قالواthey said شَبابُكَyour youth قدalready مضَتْhave passed أَيامُهُits days
قالوا شَبابُكَ قد مضَتْ أَيامُهُ
بالعيشِby life قلتُI said وقدand indeed مَضتhave passed أَياميmy days
بالعيشِ قلتُ وقد مَضت أَيامي
They said, “Your youth—its days have already passed.”
“By life,” I said, “my own days have passed as well.”
للَّهto God! (in admiration) أيَّةُwhat a نعمةٍblessing كانَwas الصِّباyouth
للَّه أيَّةُ نعمةٍ كانَ الصِّبا
لوif only أَنَّهاthat it وُصلتْhad been joined بِطولِwith length of دَوامِcontinuance
لو أَنَّها وُصلتْ بِطولِ دَوامِ
God, what a blessing youth was—
If only it had been joined to long continuance!
حسَرَdrew back المشيبُgray hair قِناعَهُhis veil عنfrom رأسِهِhis head
حسَرَ المشيبُ قِناعَهُ عن رأسِهِ
وصَحاand sobered العواذلُthe reproaching women بعدَafter طُولِlength of مَلامreproach
وصَحا العواذلُ بعدَ طُولِ مَلام
Gray hair drew back his veil from his head,
And the reproaching women sobered after long reproach.
فكأنَّso, as though ذاكَthat العيشَlife ظلُّthe shadow of غَمامَةٍa cloud
فكأنَّ ذاكَ العيشَ ظلُّ غَمامَةٍ
وكأنَّand as though ذاكَthat اللهوَrevelry طَيفُa phantom of مَنامِa dream
وكأنَّ ذاكَ اللهوَ طَيفُ مَنامِ
So that life was like the shadow of a cloud,
And that revelry was like a phantom in a dream.
Sol 6.1