ياO بالغاًone who has attained حِلمَwisdom المَشِيبِgray-haired old age إلىuntil مَتَىwhen
يا بالغاً حِلمَ المَشِيبِ إلى مَتَى
تلهوyou amuse yourself بجهلٍin ignorance والمَناand death لَكَfor you طالبُseeking
تلهو بجهلٍ والمَنا لَكَ طالبُ
O you who have attained the wisdom of gray hair, how long
O you who have attained the wisdom of old age, for how long
will you play in ignorance while death seeks you?
Will you indulge in folly while death seeks you?
أَعضاؤُكَyour limbs انتحلتhave wasted away وانتَand you مُقوَّسُbent
أَعضاؤُكَ انتحلت وانتَ مُقوَّسُ
وعَياكَand your infirmity مِحضارٌa swift runner وعقلُكَand your reason غائبُabsent
وعَياكَ مِحضارٌ وعقلُكَ غائبُ
Your limbs have wasted away, and you are bent;
Your limbs have weakened and you are bent over,
and your infirmity gallops, while your reason is absent.
Your eyes are bleary and your mind absent.
قدindeed شُبتَyou have mingled فيكَwithin you اللهوَfrivolity ياO مَنone who يَبتَغِيseeks
قد شُبتَ فيكَ اللهوَ يا مَن يَبتَغِي
زَهوَvainglory الشبيبةِyouth وهوthough he is شيخٌan old man شائبُgray-haired
زَهوَ الشبيبةِ وهو شيخٌ شائبُ
You have mingled frivolity within yourself, O you who seek
You have grown white-haired yet still pursue
the vainglory of youth, though a gray-haired old man.
The exuberance of youth while your hair is grey.
أَضحىhas become نقيُّpure الشيبِgray hair منكof yours مدنَّساًsullied
أَضحى نقيُّ الشيبِ منك مدنَّساً
فبَياضهُfor its whiteness قدindeed سَوَّدَتهُhave blackened it مَعايِبُfaults
فبَياضهُ قد سَوَّدَتهُ مَعايِبُ
Your pure gray hair has become sullied;
The pure whiteness of your hair has been defiled -
for faults have blackened its whiteness.
Your sins have darkened what was once so bright.
ياO صَبغةًdye بيضاءَwhite أَتقَنَperfected صَبغَهاits coloring الthe
يا صَبغةً بيضاءَ أَتقَنَ صَبغَها ال
باريCreator فسَوَّدَهاthen he blackened it الجَهُولُthe ignorant man العائِبُthe faultfinder
باري فسَوَّدَها الجَهُولُ العائِبُ
O white dye, whose coloring was perfected by the
O white dye perfectly applied by the Creator,
Creator, then blackened by the ignorant faultfinder.
Then blackened by the confused, wandering fool.
وَجِّهdirect مَسِيرَكyour course نحوَtoward غايتِكَyour end التيwhich
وَجِّه مَسِيرَك نحوَ غايتِكَ التي
حَضَرَتhas arrived فإِنَّكfor you عنin قليلٍa little while ذاهبُdeparting
حَضَرَت فإِنَّك عن قليلٍ ذاهبُ
Direct your course toward your end, which
Direct your steps toward your impending fate,
has arrived, for you will depart before long.
For soon you will depart this world.
حتَّامَhow long تعدوyou race للغوانيafter the beautiful women والأَغاand the songs (first part)
حتَّامَ تعدو للغواني والأَغا
نيcompletion of 'songs' صابياًyearning ولِسانand the tongue حالِكَyour condition نادبُlamenting
ني صابياً ولِسان حالِكَ نادبُ
How long will you race after beautiful women and
You will bid farewell to joys and sorrows,
songs, yearning, while your condition's tongue laments?
While your silent condition speaks of lament.
هلdo تُشجِينَّكَtruly stir your longing صادحاتُsinging حمائِمٍdoves
هل تُشجِينَّكَ صادحاتُ حمائِمٍ
وغُرابُand the raven بينكyour parting فيin رُبُوعِكَyour dwellings ناعبُcawing
وغُرابُ بينك في رُبُوعِكَ ناعبُ
Do the singing doves truly stir your longing,
Will you not be stirred by the cries of doves,
while the raven of your parting caws in your dwellings?
And the raven amidst your abodes complaining?
Sol 6.1