جلَّى يخبُّ بفوديَ الوخط

جلَّى يخبُّ بفوديَ الوخط

والشيب سابق حلبة سمطُ

والشيب سابق حلبة سمطُ

The first flecks of gray took the lead, trotting at my temple;

The cheeks were once plump with youth

And gray hair is the unbeaten champion of the field.

But now old age runs ahead in the race

متفرس ثبج القذال قرى

متفرس ثبج القذال قرى

فكأنما هو فارسٌ يسطو

فكأنما هو فارسٌ يسطو

Eyeing the crest of my nape as a steed’s back,

A bold horseman with a slender spear

As though he were a horseman attacking.

As if he were a knight storming a fortress

انكرت منه قواضباً وقناً

انكرت منه قواضباً وقناً

لا الهند تعرفه ولا الخطُّ

لا الهند تعرفه ولا الخطُّ

I found his cutting swords and spears unfamiliar;

I do not recognize his thighs and spear

Neither India knows him, nor al-Khatt.

Neither India nor the East knows him

اعطيته بالكره برج حجى

اعطيته بالكره برج حجى

لكنه خِلق سينعطُّ

لكنه خِلق سينعطُّ

Reluctantly I gave him a tower of reason,

Reluctantly I gave him the castle of Hayja

But it is threadbare and will tear.

But it was his nature to knock down castles

ولقد حببت له صفاً يققا

ولقد حببت له صفاً يققا

وله بأسجم لمتي خبط

وله بأسجم لمتي خبط

Indeed, I cherished a dazzling-white rock for him,

And I wished for him the star Al Safa

And he tramples the blackness of my locks.

Yet his night was spent wandering amongst the stars

زعموا بياض الراس فيه نهى

زعموا بياض الراس فيه نهى

فاجبتهم يعلو وانحطُّ

فاجبتهم يعلو وانحطُّ

They claimed the whiteness of the head holds wisdom;

They claimed the whiteness of his hair was a defect

I answered them: it rises, while I decline.

I replied, he ascends and descends

شعرات شعر بالحشا لسبت

شعرات شعر بالحشا لسبت

فكأنهنَّ اراقمٌ رقطُ

فكأنهنَّ اراقمٌ رقطُ

Strands of hair have stung my heart,

The hairs of his beard were dyed black

As though they were speckled serpents.

As if they were lined up ants

زمن النشاط وبعده زمنٌ

زمن النشاط وبعده زمنٌ

زمن به يتقيد النشطُ

زمن به يتقيد النشطُ

A time of vigor, and after it a time—

The days of vitality and after them the days

A time in which the vigorous are fettered.

When activity itself is restricted

قد كان جعدي للدمى سببا

قد كان جعدي للدمى سببا

والآن لا جعدٌ ولا سبطُ

والآن لا جعدٌ ولا سبطُ

My curls once gave me access to doll-like beauties;

My curly hair was once loved by the beauties

And now, neither curly hair nor straight.

Now there are no curls or beautiful ladies

تستشفع الحسنا لكي ترَني

تستشفع الحسنا لكي ترَني

ايام كنت وشافعي القرطُ

ايام كنت وشافعي القرطُ

The beautiful woman would seek intercession to see me,

The beauties used to plead with me

In days gone by, when the earring was my intercessor.

When my ear-rings and I were their intercessors

قرطٌ ومرط تهت بينهما

قرطٌ ومرط تهت بينهما

من حيث يزهو القرطُ والمرط

من حيث يزهو القرطُ والمرط

An earring and a mantle—I gloried between them,

Ear-rings and shining pearls were confused

Where the earring and the mantle flaunt their splendor.

As to which of them sparkled more

يستوقف الرشأ الا غنّ له

يستوقف الرشأ الا غنّ له

هذا وذاك له المها تعطو

هذا وذاك له المها تعطو

The nasal-voiced young gazelle is made to stop for

He stops travellers only to sing for them

This one; and for that one the oryx reach upward.

Both the vagabond and the knight listen to him