قُل لِلمَشيبِ يَدُ الأَيامِ دائِبَةٌ

تُنقيكَ وَالمَرءُ مِن جَهلٍ يُنَقّيكا

Tell old age the hand of days is diligent

It purifies you and one is purified of ignorance

لَو كُنتُ كَالجَبَلِ الراسي لَأَوَّدَني

بِالثِقلِ أَنَّكَ في رَأسي تَرَقّيكا

If I were like a firmly rooted mountain

Its weight would make me love that you climb upon my head

وَكَيفَ يَقطَعُ إِنسانٌ مَدى أَجَلٍ

عَلَيكَ وَالمَلِكُ الدَيّانُ يُبقيكا

How can a person cut short the course of a lifetime

That is allotted to you while the Judge King preserves you

فَلا الأُساةُ أَطالَت في تَفَكُّرِها

تَشفي ضَناكَ وَلا الكُهّانُ تَرقيكا

Neither can brooding prolong your grief

Nor soothsayers heal your affliction

لَمّا صَبِبتَ سُقيتَ الوَجدَ مُنحَنِياً

مِنَ الصَبيبِ أَو الحِنّاءِ يَسقيكا

When you were poured you were made to drink fervor bent over

From the downpour or henna that gives you to drink

لاقاكَ بِالخَطَرِ مَغرورٌ عَلى خَطَرٍ

وَكُنتَ بِالعِطرِ أَولى في تَلَقّيكا

One deluded by danger met you in danger

And you were worthier to meet him in fragrance

يَقُصُّ آثارَ أَقوامٍ أولي سَفَهٍ

وَبِالمِقَصَّينِ في النَعماءِ يُشقيكا

He recounts the traces of foolish past folk

And with shears in prosperity he troubles you

يا صِبغَةَ اللَهِ مَن أَعطاكَ واقِيَةً

فَإِنَّ صُبغَ أُناسٍ لا يُوَقّيكا

O God's dye who gave you protection

The dyes of some people cannot protect you