وَما مَرحُ الفتى تَزْوَرُّ عنه

حُدودُ البِيضِ بالحَدَقِ المِلاحِ

The youth's amusement does not slip from him,

The limits of modesty with coy glances.

ويُصبِحُ بين إعراضٍ مُبينٍ

بلا سببٍ وهجرانٍ صَراحِ

And he wakes up with outright aloofness

Without cause, and clear estrangement.

وقالوا لا جُناحَ فقلتُ كلّا

مشيبِي وحْدَهُ فيكمْ جُناحي

And they said, “There is no blame,” so I said, “Nay,

My gray hair alone is my disgrace among you.”

أَلَيسَ الشّيبُ يُدْنِي من مماتِي

وَيُطمِعُ مَنْ قَلانِي في رواحِي

Does not gray hair bring my death closer

And give hope to those who wish me gone?

مَشيبٌ شُنَّ في شَعَرٍ سليمٍ

كشنِّ العُرِّ في الإبلِ الصّحاحِ

Gray hair that has crept into smooth hair

Like the mange in healthy camels.

كأنّي بعد زَوْرَتِهِ مَهِيضٌ

أدِفّ على الوظيفِ بلا جَناحِ

It is as if after its creeping, I am one who gallops

Onto appointment without wings.

أو العانِي تورّط في الأعادِي

فَسُدَّ عليه مُطَّلعُ السّراحِ

Or one who is tangled with enemies

And the prospects of escape are closed to him.

سَقى اللَّه الشّبابَ الغضّ راحاً

عتيقاً أو زلالاً مثلَ راحِ

May God water fresh, delightful youth

With old or pure wine like the forehead’s vein.

ليالِيَ لَيسَ لِي خُلقٌ مَعِيبٌ

فلا جِدِّي يُذمُّ ولا مِزاحي

I have nights with no blameworthy manners,

So neither my seriousness is condemned nor my jest.

وَإِذْ أَنا من بَطالاتِ التَّصابِي

ونَشواتِ الغواني غيرُ صاحِ

And when I am done with the vanities of youth

And the pleasures of singing girls and the like,

وَإِذْ أسْماعهُنَّ إليَّ مِيلٌ

يُصِخْنَ إِلى اِختِياري وَاِقتِراحِي

And their ears inclined toward me,

Shouting for my choice and my suggestion.

فَدونكَها اِبنَ حَمْدٍ ناقضاتٍ

لقولِ فتىً تجلّدَ للّواحِي

Then, Ibn Hamad, listen to these breakers

Of the words of a young man restrained by principles.

فقال وليس حقّاً كلُّ قولٍ

أهذا الشّيبُ يمنعني مراحِي

So he said, “Not all words are true.

Does this gray hair prevent my amusement?”

وَقاني اللَّه فَقدَك من خليلٍ

ثَنَتْ مِنِّي مودّتُهُ جِماحِي

May God deprive you of a friend whose affection

Diverted my mind from its frenzy.

فكان على قَذى الأيّامِ صفوِي

وكان على حَنادِسها صباحِي

He was my comfort during the sparks of days

And my morning during their embers.