أَيا مَن بَينَ باطِيَةٍ وَدَنِّ

وَعودٍ في يَدي غاوٍ مُغَنِّ

O you who are between youthfulness and maturity

With a flute in the hand of one who allures

إِذا لَم تَنهَ نَفسَكَ عَن هَواها

وَتُحسِن صَونَها فَإِلَيكَ عَنّي

If you do not restrain yourself from your passion

And guard yourself virtuously, then I bid you farewell

فَإِنَّ اللَهوَ وَالمَلهى جُنونٌ

وَلَستُ مِنَ الجُنونِ وَلَيسَ مِنّي

For frivolity and diversion are madness

And I am not one for madness, nor is it characteristic of me

وَأَيُّ قَبيحٍ اِقبَحُ مِن لَبيبٍ

يُرى مُتَطَرِّباً في مِثلِ سِنّي

And what ugliness uglier than a sensible one

Who is seen agitated in the like of my age

إِذا ما لَم يَتُب كَهلٌ لِشَيبٍ

فَلَيسَ بِتائِبٍ ما عاشَ ظَنّي

When an old man does not repent because of white hair

Then he is not repentant, that is my belief as long as he lives