تقاسَمَ اللّيلُ والإصباحُ بينهما

عمري فمن حاصدٍ طوراً ومن زَرِعِ

Night and dawn apportioned between themselves

My lifetime—one at times reaping, the other sowing.

أعطى نَهاري وليلي جُلَّ صُنعِهِما

فنسجُ أيدي الدُّجى ثمّ الضّحى خِلَعِي

My day and my night bestowed the fullness of their craft,

And the hands of darkness, then of dawn, wove my robes.

لِلّيلِ سودِي وللصّبحِ المنيرِ إذا

جَلاهُ شيبي فلُومِي فيه أوْ فَدَعِي

To night belong my black locks; to radiant dawn—when

My gray hair brings it forth. Blame me for that, then, or leave me be.

فَنَوبةُ اللّيل قد ولَّتْ كما نَزَلتْ

ونوبةُ الصّبحِ من هذا المشيبِ معي

Night’s turn has passed, just as it came,

But dawn’s turn, in this gray hair, remains with me.