قَدَحَstruck sparks المَشيبُgray hair بِمَفرِقَيهِat his two temples زِنادَاfire-striking flints
قَدَحَ المَشيبُ بِمَفرِقَيهِ زِنادَا
لاnot يَستَطيعُhe can لِنارِهِfor its fire إِخمادَاextinguishing
لا يَستَطيعُ لِنارِهِ إِخمادَا
Gray hair struck sparks at his two temples;
The gray hair sparked fire with its flint,
He cannot quench its fire.
A fire it cannot extinguish.
وَثَنَتand turned aside مَليحَاتُbeautiful women التَلَفُّتِglancing about سَلْوَةًwith affection forgotten
وَثَنَت مَليحَاتُ التَلَفُّتِ سَلْوَةً
عَنaway from شَخصِهhis person الألحاظَthe glances والأَجيادَاand the necks
عَن شَخصِه الألحاظَ والأَجيادَا
And women with lovely glances, now indifferent, turned
The glances of the fair ladies turned gently away
Their eyes and necks away from him.
From his face, gaze, and neck.
ولَرُبَّماand often فَرَشَتْshe spread لزائرfor the visitor لحظِهِhis gaze
ولَرُبَّما فَرَشَتْ لزائر لحظِهِ
وردَroses الخدودِthe cheeks مَحَبّةًin love وَوِداداand affection
وردَ الخدودِ مَحَبّةً وَوِدادا
And often she spread before his visiting gaze
And perhaps she laid for his visiting glance
The roses of her cheeks, in love and affection.
The roses of her cheeks in affection and love.
إنif صادقَتْهُshe befriended him زمانَat the time when صادَقَهُbefriended him الصّباyouth
إن صادقَتْهُ زمانَ صادَقَهُ الصّبا
فهيَthen she is الَّتيthe one who عادَتْهُshe opposed him لمّاwhen عَادىbecame hostile
فهيَ الَّتي عادَتْهُ لمّا عَادى
If she befriended him when youth befriended him,
If time was true to him, youth was true to him,
Then she was the one who opposed him when youth did.
For it was youth that returned him when he resisted.
أَتَرىdo you see بَياضَthe whiteness الشَيبِgray hair ماءًwater غاسلاًwashing away
أَتَرى بَياضَ الشَيبِ ماءً غاسلاً
فيin العارِضَينِthe hair on both cheeks وَلِلشبابِand belonging to youth سَواداblackness
في العارِضَينِ وَلِلشبابِ سَوادا
Do you see the whiteness of gray hair as water washing
Do you see the whiteness of gray hair washing
The blackness of youth from the hair on both cheeks?
Away the shame of the temples and giving youth darkness?
خانَتْshe betrayed سعادُSuʿad وقدand indeed وَفَىstayed faithful لكto you لونُهاher color
خانَتْ سعادُ وقد وَفَى لك لونُها
لوif خانَhad proved false ماwhat وَفّىkept faith مَلَكتَyou would have possessed سُعاداSuʿad
لو خانَ ما وَفّى مَلَكتَ سُعادا
Suʿad betrayed you, though her color stayed true to you;
Bliss betrayed you though its hue was true to you.
Had what stayed true proved false, you would have possessed Suʿad.
If what betrays were true, you'd have had bliss.
أَكثَرتَyou have dwelt much مِنon ذِكرِmentioning الفَتاءِyouthfulness وقَلَّماand seldom
أَكثَرتَ مِن ذِكرِ الفَتاءِ وقَلَّما
تُعْطيgives لذيto one with الذّكَرِrecollections الفتاةُthe maiden قياداreins
تُعْطي لذي الذّكَرِ الفتاةُ قيادا
You have spoken much of youth, yet seldom
You spoke much of youth but rarely
Does a maiden yield the reins to a man of memories.
Does the young woman give leadership to one who spoke of youth.
Sol 6.1