شَبابٌ مَرّ في قِيلٍ وَقالِ

شَبابٌ مَرّ في قِيلٍ وَقالِ

وأَشْغالٍ بأقْوالِ الرِّجالِ

وأَشْغالٍ بأقْوالِ الرِّجالِ

Youth passed in “it was said” and “he said,”

Sweet bitter youth discussing this and that

and preoccupation with the sayings of men,

Busy with men's endless chatter

وإحْرازٍ لِفَنٍّ بَعْدَ فَنٍّ

وإحْرازٍ لِفَنٍّ بَعْدَ فَنٍّ

وتَدْريسٍ وأبْحاثٍ طِوالِ

وتَدْريسٍ وأبْحاثٍ طِوالِ

and acquiring one discipline after another,

Mastering art after art

and teaching and lengthy investigations,

Teaching, researching, writing treatises

وإيضاحٍ لِمُشْكِلَةٍ وحَلٍّ

وإيضاحٍ لِمُشْكِلَةٍ وحَلٍّ

لِمُعْضِلَةٍ تَناهَتْ أو سُؤَالِ

لِمُعْضِلَةٍ تَناهَتْ أو سُؤَالِ

and clarifying a difficult issue, and finding a solution

Clarifying problems and solving

to a problem of utmost difficulty, or a question.

Endless conundrums and questions