بَكَرَت تُعَيِّرُني نَوارُ سَفاهَةً

وَضحَ المَفارِقِ وَاِبيِضاضَ المِسحَلِ

Nawār came early, foolishly reproaching me

for the white gleam at my hair’s partings, the whitening of my temples.

وَيكُم بَياضُ الصُبحِ أَحسَنُ مَنظَراً

في العَينِ مِن ظَلماءِ لَيلٍ أَليَلِ

Woe to you! The whiteness of dawn is lovelier to behold

in the eye than the darkness of the blackest night.

وَهَلِ اِسوِدادُ العُلوِ يَكمُلُ حُسنُهُ

في الطِرفِ إِلّا بِاِبيِضاضِ الأَسفَلِ

And is the beauty of blackness above ever complete

in a noble steed, except through whiteness below?

وَالصارِمُ المَصقولُ أَحسَنُ حالَةً

يَومَ الوَغى مِن صارِمٍ لَم يُصقَلِ

A polished, keen-edged sword is finer in condition

on the day of battle than a sword left unpolished.

وَالشَمسُ لَولا ضَوءُها ما اِستُحسِنَت

وَالبَدرُ لَولا نورُهُ لَم يَجمُلِ

Were it not for her light, the sun would find no admiration;

were it not for his radiance, the full moon would have no beauty.