هَمَمْتُ لأَنْ أُقَبِّلَها بِشَيْبِي

هَمَمْتُ لأَنْ أُقَبِّلَها بِشَيْبِي

فَأَبْدَتْ عِنْدَ ذَا سِمَةَ الْقُنُوطِ

فَأَبْدَتْ عِنْدَ ذَا سِمَةَ الْقُنُوطِ

I intended to kiss her, gray-haired as I was;

so at that she showed a sign of despair.

وَقَالَتْ لِي رَأَيْتُكَ فِي حَيَاتِي

وَقَالَتْ لِي رَأَيْتُكَ فِي حَيَاتِي

جَعَلْتَ بِمَبْسِمِي قُطْنَ الْحَنُوطِ

جَعَلْتَ بِمَبْسِمِي قُطْنَ الْحَنُوطِ

And she said to me, 'While I still live, I have seen you

place perfumed burial cotton upon my smiling mouth.'