رَأَيتُI saw أَباAbu (father of) الوَليدِal-Walid غَداةَthe morning of جَمعٍJamʿ
رَأَيتُ أَبا الوَليدِ غَداةَ جَمعٍ
بِهِin him شَيبٌgray hair وَمَاand not فَقَدَhe lost الشَباباyouth
بِهِ شَيبٌ وَمَا فَقَدَ الشَبابا
I saw Abu al-Walid on the morning of Jamʿ;
He had gray hair, yet had not lost his youth.
فَقُلتُso I said لَهُto him ولاand not أعياI am at a loss جوابًاa reply
فَقُلتُ لَهُ ولا أعيا جوابًا
إِذاwhen شَابَتgrow gray لِداتُage-mates المَرءِof a man شَابَاhe grows gray
إِذا شَابَت لِداتُ المَرءِ شَابَا
So I said to him, not at a loss for a reply:
When a man's age-mates grow gray, he too grows gray.
وَلكِنbut تَحتَbeneath ذَاكَthat الشَيبِgray hair حَزمٌsound judgment
وَلكِن تَحتَ ذَاكَ الشَيبِ حَزمٌ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ظَنَّhe conjectures أَمرَضَhe comes close to being right أَوor أَصَابَاhe hits the mark
إِذا ما ظَنَّ أَمرَضَ أَو أَصَابَا
But beneath that gray hair lies sound judgment:
Whenever he conjectures, he comes close or hits the mark.
Sol 6.1