أَمُذَكِّري عَهدَ الصِبا

بَعدَ الإِنابَةِ وَالرُجوعِ

My youth’s memories that remind me

After repentance and return

أَذكَرتَني أَشياءَ مِن

زَمَنٍ تَرَكتُ بِها وَلوعي

You reminded me of things from

A time whose longing I left behind

أَشياءَ ذُقتُ لِفَقدِها

أَلَمَ الفِطامِ عَلى الرَضيعِ

Things whose loss I've tasted

Like a weaned child feels pain

نَسَجَت عَلَيها العَنكبو

تُ وَغودِرَت بَينَ الضُلوعِ

Cobwebs have woven over them

And settled between my ribs

وَإِذا تَقاضَيتَ الجَوا

بَ فَخُذ جَوابَكَ مِن دُموعي

And if you demand an answer

Take your answer from my tears

ذَهَبَ الجَديدُ مِنَ الشَبا

بِ فَكَيفَ ظَنُّكَ بِالخَليعِ

The new has gone from my youth

So what can you expect from one worn?

وَوَدِدتُ لَو دامَ الخَلي

عُ فَهَل إِلَيهِ مِن شَفيعِ

I wish that youth would last

But is there any intercessor for it?

وَلَكَم طَرِبتُ إِلى الرَبي

عِ بِفِتيَةٍ مِثلِ الرَبيعِ

How I was drawn to the open country

With boys like the springtime

وَفَضَحتُ أَزهارَ الرِيا

ضِ بِحُسنِ أَزهارِ البَديعِ

And the flowers of the meadows were shamed

By the beauty of exquisite blossoms

وَسَهِرتُ في لَيلِ الصَبا

سَهَراً أَلَذُّ مِنَ الهُجوعِ

And I passed the nights of youth

In more delightful wakefulness than sleep

وَطَرَقتُ خِدرَ الكاعِبِ ال

حَسناءِ وَالخَودِ الشَموعِ

And knocked on the tents of dark-eyed maidens

And cheeks bright like candles

وَسَفَرتُ لِلمَلِكِ العَظي

مِ الشَأنِ وَالقَدرِ الرَفيعِ

And I traveled to the great king

Of lofty station and noble rank

وَشَرِكتُهُ في الأَمرِ يَن

فُذُ في الشَريفِ وَفي الوَضيعِ

And shared with him command

Executed by commoner and noble alike

وَبَلَغتُ ذاكَ وَلَم أَكُن

فيهِ لَحَقٌّ بِالمُضيعِ

And I attained that though I was not

Worthy of it, having neglected my duty

ثُمَّ اِرعَوَيتُ وَصِرتُ في

حَدِّ السَكينَةِ وَالخُشوعِ

Then I returned to composure and humility

To the bounds of tranquility and devotion

فَزَهِدتُ في هَذا وَذا

فَقُلِ السَلامُ عَلى الجَميعِ

So I abandoned all those things and more

Say peace be upon all

فَإِلَيكَ عَنّي يا نَدي

مُ فَما صَنيعُكَ مِن صَنيعي

As for you, my friend, what can you expect from me?

You are not of that refined character

ما أَنتَ مِن ذاكَ الطِرا

زِ وَلا مِنَ البَزِّ الرَفيعِ

Nor of noble rank

After old age, do you want from me

أَتُريدُ بَعدَ الشَيبِ مِن

ني صَبوَةَ الناشي الخَليعِ

The heedlessness of a debauched youth?

No, no - by God, I am neither

لا لا وَحَقِّ اللَهِ ما

أَنا بِالسَميعِ وَلا المُطيعِ

One who hears nor one who obeys

If after old age you return

إِن كُنتَ تَرجِعُ أَنتَ بَع

دَ الشَيبِ فَاِيأَس مِن رُجوعي

Then despair of my returning

How can I return when I have seen

كَيفَ الرُجوعُ وَقَد رَأَي

تُ الريحَ تَلعَبُ بِالزُروعِ

The winds play with the plants?

It would be shameful for you to return

عارٌ رُجوعُكَ بَعدَما

عايَنتَ حيطانَ الرُبوعِ

After beholding the firm walls of encampments

And settling in the shade of the expansive

وَحَلَلتَ في ظِلِّ الجَنا

بِ الرَحبِ وَالحِرزِ المَنيعِ

And secure enclosure

And know, my brother, that it is not

وَاِعلَم أُخَيَّ بِأَنَّهُ

لابِالسُجودِ وَلا الرُكوعِ

By bowing down or kneeling in prayer

For there is so much generosity and refinement

فَهُناكَ كَم كَرَمٍ وَكَم

لُطفٍ وَكَم بِرَ مَريعِ

And so much kindness and tender meadows

Take account of what you intend

إِحسِب حِسابَكَ في الَّذي

تَنويهِ مِن قَبلِ الشُروعِ

Before embarking

And make your talk of descending

وَاِجعَل حَديثَكَ في النُزو

لِ مُقَدَّماً قَبلَ الطُلوعِ

Foremost before rising