مَرَّ الشّبابُ وَهوَ عَذبٌ وَحال

فَبَعدهُ اللّذّةُ أَمرٌ مُحال

Youth passed, and it was pleasurable and fine

After it, pleasure is impossible to find

وَالشّيبُ يَدعو المرءَ لِلاِرتِحال

قَد نَزَلَ الشّيبُ بِرَأسي وَقالْ

And gray hair calls a man to journey on

Gray hair descended upon my head and said

قُم هَيِّئِ الزّاد وَشدَّ الرِّحال

وَالشّيبُ في المَرءِ إِذا ما نَزَل

Rise, prepare provisions and saddle the stead

For when gray hair descends upon a man

عَلامَةٌ دَلَّت لِقُربِ الأَجل

وَهَو نَذيرٌ لِاِمرئٍ فيهِ حَل

It's a sign indicating the nearing end

And a warner to one whose time's at hand

وَالشّيبُ شَمسٌ قَد تَبَدَّت وَهَل

بَعدَ طُلوعِ الشّمسِ إِلّا الزّوال

Gray hair's a sun now set and sunk from sight

After sunrise comes naught but decline and night