كُنْتُ آسَى عَلَى زَمَانٍ تَقَضَّى

كُنْتُ آسَى عَلَى زَمَانٍ تَقَضَّى

أَخْلَقَ الدَّهْرُ مِنْهُ ثَوْباً قَشِيبَا

أَخْلَقَ الدَّهْرُ مِنْهُ ثَوْباً قَشِيبَا

I used to grieve for a time gone by,

I grieved for an era that had passed

Whose fresh robe time had worn threadbare.

Time had woven from it a shabby garment

فَتَأَسَّيْتُ حِينَ أَبْصَرْتُ فَوْداً

فَتَأَسَّيْتُ حِينَ أَبْصَرْتُ فَوْداً

للَّيْلِ قَدْ عَمَّهُ الصَّبَاحُ مَشيِبَا

للَّيْلِ قَدْ عَمَّهُ الصَّبَاحُ مَشيِبَا

Then I took comfort when I saw a lock

So I was saddened when I saw a farewell

Of night's hair, wholly turned gray by dawn.

To the night that dawn had turned white-haired