لَعَمرُكَ مَرسوعٌ مِن آلِ مُجالِدٍ

لَخَرشَبتَ لي يَومَ التَقَينا جَوابَكا

For the days of your life, you are fashioned from illustrious folk,

You would have resented me, the day we met, for my response.

تُحَدِّثُني أَنّي كَبيرٌ فَإِنَّني

كَبيرٌ وَلَكِن أَيَّ شَيءٍ أَشابَكا

You tell me that I'm old, and indeed I am,

Old, but what misfortune made you this way?

أَمِن كِبَرٍ فَالشَيبُ عاقِبَةُ الفَتى

فَتُخبِرُنا أَم كانَ طِبّاً أَصابَكا

If from aging - graying is the destiny of youth -

So tell us, was it pure or evil that afflicted you?

لَعَمري لَقَد أَنكَحتَها ذا قَرابَةٍ

بَرِيّاً سَرِيّاً كارِهاً ما أَرابَكا

By my life! You married her, a kinswoman,

Secretly, forcibly, though it did not please you.

وَخُبِّرتُهُ أَهدى جَزوراً سَمينَةً

أَتَمَّ الحِبا أَن لَو أَجَدَّ ثيابَكا

And I was told you gifted plump camels,

Perfect gifts - if only he could find your clothes!