قليتُ الصبى وهجرتُ الغواني

قليتُ الصبى وهجرتُ الغواني

وسلمتُ معترفاً للزمانِ

وسلمتُ معترفاً للزمانِ

I came to loathe youth and forsook the fair,

I have come to loathe youth and forsaken fair women,

and, in acknowledgment, yielded to Time.

and yielded to time, acknowledging its sway.

وأعنقتُ منطلقاً في القيا

وأعنقتُ منطلقاً في القيا

دِ بعدَ الجماح وجذب العنان

دِ بعدَ الجماح وجذب العنان

I hurried onward, yielding to the lea—

And I hastened freely in submission,

—d after wild resistance and straining at the reins.

after bolting and tugging at the reins.

كذاك الفتى وصروفُ الزما

كذاك الفتى وصروفُ الزما

نِ يحدثنَ شأناً له بعدَ شانِ

نِ يحدثنَ شأناً له بعدَ شانِ

Thus is a young man: the vicissitudes of Ti—

Such is the young man: the vicissitudes of time

—me bring him one condition after another.

bring him one state after another.

رأيت الحياةَ ولذاتها

رأيت الحياةَ ولذاتها

معلقةً بليالٍ فوانِ

معلقةً بليالٍ فوانِ

I saw life and its pleasures

I saw life and its pleasures

hung upon nights that are passing away.

hanging upon nights that pass away.

وإني صبورٌ لما نابني

وإني صبورٌ لما نابني

سريعٌ إلى كل حق عراني

سريعٌ إلى كل حق عراني

And I am steadfast in whatever befalls me,

And I am patient with whatever befalls me,

swift to meet every rightful claim that comes upon me.

swift to meet every rightful claim that comes my way.

وليس يُرى خائفاً من أجر

وليس يُرى خائفاً من أجر

ت ولا خائباً سعيهُ من دعاني

ت ولا خائباً سعيهُ من دعاني

No one I have shel—

No one whom I have sheltered is seen afraid,

—tered is seen afraid, nor does anyone who calls on me strive in vain.

nor is anyone who calls upon me thwarted in his quest.

نداني يمدحني مادحي

نداني يمدحني مادحي

ويبكي علي به من رثاني

ويبكي علي به من رثاني

[My bounty?] is what my panegyrist praises in me,

My praiser praises me for my generosity,

and for it whoever elegizes me will weep over me.

and for it whoever laments me weeps over me.

أحب الوفاءَ إذا ما وعد

أحب الوفاءَ إذا ما وعد

تُ وألا يعابَ بمطلٍ ضماني

تُ وألا يعابَ بمطلٍ ضماني

I cherish keeping faith whenever I prom—

I love to keep faith whenever I promise,

—ise, and that my pledge never be faulted for delay.

and to have my pledge unblemished by delay.

كذلك عودني والداي

كذلك عودني والداي

فعودت نفسي الذي عوداني

فعودت نفسي الذي عوداني

Thus my parents trained me,

That is how my parents trained me,

and so I trained myself in what they taught me.

so I trained myself as they had trained me.