راع المها شيبي وفيه أمانُها

مِنْ أنْ تصيدَ رميَّهنَّ سِهامي

The shepherd of love has grown old, yet faithfulness still dwells in him

Lest his arrows should hunt them, though they provoked me

وعققْنَني لمّا ادَّعيْنَ عُمومَتي

ومن النساءِ معقَّةُ الأعمامِ

And they accused me of claiming their kinship

Yet the most steadfast of kinsmen are women

غُضّي الملامة قد كفاك ملامتي

ضيفٌ ثوى عندي بدار مُقامِ

I have excused you enough, so cease blaming me

A guest once lodged in my abode and long did stay

سقط البواكرُ والروائحُ خِلْفةً

أيامَ لم استسقِ للأيامِ

The first fruits are gone, and perfumes lost

Days when I sought no rain for days

أيامَ أجني العيشَ حُلوَ ثمارهِ

في ظل حالكةِ السوادِ سُخامِ

Days when I plucked the sweet fruits of life

In the shade of my dark, thick-haired beloved

أذْرى غبارَ الشيبِ فوق مفارقي

ركضُ السنين الراكضات أمامي

I see the dust of age upon my temples

As the racing years race on before me

وأراه عمَّمني وعمَّم زوجتي

واخْتَصَّني من دونِها بلِثامِ

And it has whitened me and my wife

Yet distinguished me from her with a turban