أَمَّاas for شَبابيmy youth فَلَمso did not أَذمُمI fault صَحابَتَهُits companionship
أَمَّا شَبابي فَلَم أَذمُم صَحابَتَهُ
وَالشَّيبُand gray hair حينَwhen عَلانيcame upon me زادَنيincreased me وَرَعاpiety
وَالشَّيبُ حينَ عَلاني زادَني وَرَعا
As for my youth, I did not fault its companionship.
My youth - I did not spurn its company,
And gray hair, when it came upon me, increased my piety.
And age, when it uncovered me, added devotion.
أَصبَحتُI have become بَينَbetween الفَتىthe young man وَالشَّيخand the old man مُرتَدِياًwearing
أَصبَحتُ بَينَ الفَتى وَالشَّيخ مُرتَدِياً
ثَوبَthe robe الشَّبابِyouth بِثَوبِin the robe الشَّيبِgray hair مُقتَنِعاveiled
ثَوبَ الشَّبابِ بِثَوبِ الشَّيبِ مُقتَنِعا
I am now between youth and old age, wearing
I came to be between youth and elder
the robe of youth, veiled in the robe of gray hair.
Cloaked in the garb of youth with the garb of age content.
فيin الشَّيبِgray hair عافِيَةwell-being ماas long as لَمnot يَكُنthere is صَلَعٌbaldness
في الشَّيبِ عافِيَة ما لَم يَكُن صَلَعٌ
فَإِنَّfor indeed ذاكَthat وَذاand this عارٌa disgrace إِذاwhen اِجتَمَعاthe two come together
فَإِنَّ ذاكَ وَذا عارٌ إِذا اِجتَمَعا
In gray hair there is well-being, so long as there is no baldness;
In age there is wellness if baldness has not come,
For that and this are a disgrace when they come together.
For that and this are disgrace when joined together.
لَونُthe color المَشيبِgray hair إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle شِبتُI turn gray يَستُرُهconceals it
لَونُ المَشيبِ إِذا ما شِبتُ يَستُرُه
لَونُthe color الخضابِdye فَماso what ذاthat which يَستُرُconceals الصَّلَعاbaldness
لَونُ الخضابِ فَما ذا يَستُرُ الصَّلَعا
The color of gray hair, when I turn gray, is concealed
The color of gray hair, when I have grayed, hides it,
by the color of dye—so what conceals baldness?
But what can the color of dye hide when baldness comes?
Sol 6.1