لاح شيبي فرحتُ أمرحُ فيه

مرحَ الطِّرفِ في العِذارِ المحلَّى

My temples have turned white, and I rejoice,

Frolicking as I did in the days of my youth;

وتولَّى الشبابُ فازدَدْتُ ركضاً

في ميادينِ باطِلي إذ تولّى

My youth has passed, but still I quicken my pace

In fields of futility, now that it has passed.

إنْ مَنْ ساءه الزمان بشيءٍ

لأَحَقُّ امرئٍ بأن يتسلَّى

When time treats a man unkindly,

He has every right to amuse himself.

أترى أن أسوءَ نفسيَ لمّا

ساءني الدهر لا لعمريَ كلا

Do you think I would distress myself when

The days have treated me badly? No, not I!