بَانَ الشَّبابُ فما لَهُ مَردُودُ

وَعلَيَّ مِن سِمة الكَبيرِ شُهودُ

Youth has departed, never to return

And signs of old age are apparent in me

شَيبٌ بِرَأسي واضِح أُعقبتُهُ

مِن بَعدِ آخَرَ بَانَ وَهوَ حَميدُ

Gray hair in my head, clearly following

Another which came before, and was praiseworthy

وأَرَى سَوادَ الرَّاسِ يَنقُصُهُ الِبلَى

والشَّيبُ عَن طُولِ الَحياةِ يَزيدُ

And I see the blackness of my hair diminishing from wearing out

And gray hair increasing from the length of life

ولَقَد بَكيتُ عَلَى الشَّبابِ لَو أَنَّهُ

كانَ البُكاءُ بهِ عَلَيَّ يعُودُ

And I would have wept for youth, if only

Weeping for it would bring its return

لَيسَ الشَّبابُ وإن جَزِعتَ بِراجِعٍ

أَبداً ولَيسَ لَهُ عَلَيكَ مُعيدُ

Youth will not return, even if you are distressed,

Ever, and it has upon you no restorer