تذكرَhe recalled منof عاداتهhis habits ماwhat تذكراhe recalled
تذكرَ من عاداته ما تذكرا
وأعولَand he wailed أيامَthe days of الشبابyouth فأكثراthen did so profusely
وأعولَ أيامَ الشباب فأكثرا
He recalled what he recalled of his old ways.
He recalls the habits of his youth in part
And he wailed for the days of youth, at great length.
And mourns his bygone days of prime with sighs aplenty
وماand not برحتceased عاداتهhis habits مستقرةًfirmly rooted
وما برحت عاداته مستقرةً
ولكنbut أجلhe esteemed الشيبgray hair عنهاabove them ووقراand revered it
ولكن أجل الشيب عنها ووقرا
And his habits remained firmly rooted,
His ways remain unchanged and firmly set
But he deemed gray hair too dignified for them, and revered it.
Though grey hairs prompt decorum and restrain his jaunty guise
يهمhe feels an urge ويستحيand is ashamed of تقاربthe closeness of خطوهِhis steps
يهم ويستحي تقارب خطوهِ
فيتركso he leaves همthe desire of النفسِthe soul فيin الصدرُthe breast مضمراconcealed
فيترك هم النفسِ في الصدرُ مضمرا
He feels an urge, yet is ashamed of his short steps,
He yearns but feels too shy to tread the palace bowers
So he leaves his soul's desire concealed within his breast.
Leaving his heart's desire concealed within his breast
ولمand did not يبقَremain فيهin him إذwhen تأملَhe surveyed شخصهhis form
ولم يبقَ فيه إذ تأملَ شخصه
شفيعٌan intercessor الىwith الحسناءِthe beautiful woman الاbut تنكراbecame unrecognizable
شفيعٌ الى الحسناءِ الا تنكرا
And when he surveyed his form, there remained in him
No intercessor has he left to sway the belle
No intercessor with the beautiful woman that had not changed beyond recognition.
Save his own self - but changed beyond all knowing!
ألاah لاnot أرىI see فيin العيشlife للمرءfor a man مِتعةًpleasure
ألا لا أرى في العيش للمرء مِتعةً
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle شبابthe youth of المرءِa man ولىturned away وأدبراand departed
إذا ما شباب المرءِ ولى وأدبرا
Ah, I see no pleasure in life for a man
In life no joys remain for man
Once a man's youth has turned away and departed.
When youth has fled and age comes tottering nigh.
Sol 6.1