تَجَلَّدْتُ عنها في الشّبابِ لِعِزَّةٍ

تَجَلَّدْتُ عنها في الشّبابِ لِعِزَّةٍ

وأَبْدَيْتُ بعد الشَّيْب ذِلَّة مَفْتونِ

وأَبْدَيْتُ بعد الشَّيْب ذِلَّة مَفْتونِ

I held back from her in youth out of pride,

I feigned indifference to her in my youth out of pride

And after my hair turned gray, I showed a lovestruck man's abasement.

And after grey hair I showed the infatuation of one humbled

فقالتْ أَزُهداً في شَبابٍ ورغبةً

فقالتْ أَزُهداً في شَبابٍ ورغبةً

بِشَيْبٍ أَنا المشتاق وأنت ابنُ فضلون

بِشَيْبٍ أَنا المشتاق وأنت ابنُ فضلون

So she said, “Is it disdain for youth and desire

So she said, “Do you spurn youth and yearn

For gray hair? I am the one who yearns, and you are Ibn Fadlun.”

For grey hair? I am the longing one and you the indifferent.”