لَمّا طَوَتكَ الأَربَعو

نَ وَآنَ لِلعُمرِ اِنقِراضُ

When forty years enfolded you

And the prime of life was at its end

جادَ الشَبابُ بِنَفسِهِ

وَبَدا بِعارِضِكَ البَياضُ

Youth bid farewell on its own accord

And whiteness began to descend upon your temples

فَمتى أَطَفتَ بِلَذَّةٍ

فَلِعارِضٍ فيها اِعتِراضُ

So whenever you take pleasure

In something which meets disapproval

سُقياً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَت

وَكَأَنَّ أَوجُهَها الرِياضُ

Offer it as drink to days gone by

While their pastures appear to be meadows

أَيّامَ يَدعونا الهَوى

وَتَقودُنا الحدقُ المِراضُ

Days wherein desire beckons us

And sickly eyes lead us astray