لا تَلحَ شَيبي وَما شاهَدتَ مِن كِبَري

لا تَلحَ شَيبي وَما شاهَدتَ مِن كِبَري

ما دُمتُ أَغدو صَحيحَ العَقلِ وَالبَصَرِ

ما دُمتُ أَغدو صَحيحَ العَقلِ وَالبَصَرِ

Do not reproach my gray hair, or what you have seen of my old age,

Do not reproach my gray hair or what you have seen of my old age,

so long as I rise each morning sound in mind and sight.

So long as I rise each morning sound in mind and sight.

قالوا أَبوكَ تَميمِيٌّ وَهِمَّتُهُ

قالوا أَبوكَ تَميمِيٌّ وَهِمَّتُهُ

شمُّ القُتارِ وَأَكلُ الشَحمِ بِالوَضَرِ

شمُّ القُتارِ وَأَكلُ الشَحمِ بِالوَضَرِ

They said, “Your father is a Tamimi, and his ambition

They said, “Your father is a Tamimi, and his ambition

is to sniff the reek of roasting meat and eat fat amid greasy grime.

Is sniffing roasting fumes and eating fat with greasy residue;

وَما تَميمٌ إِذا عُدَّت أولي كَرَم

وَما تَميمٌ إِذا عُدَّت أولي كَرَم

فَقُلتُ في النارِ مَعنىً لَيسَ في الحجَرِ

فَقُلتُ في النارِ مَعنىً لَيسَ في الحجَرِ

Tamim is not counted among the foremost in generosity.”

And Tamim, when reckoned, are not among the generous.”

So I said, “There is a meaning in fire that is not in stone.”

So I said, “There is a quality in fire that is not in stone.”