لمّا نَزَلَ الشَّيْبُ بِرَأْسِي وَخَطَا

والعُمْرُ معَ الشَبَابْ ولّى وخَطَا

When gray hairs descended on my head, traced lines,

And life with youth receded, traced its course,

أصبحتُ بسُمْرِ سمرقندٍ و خَطا

لا أُفَرّقُ ما بَيْنَ صَوَابٍ وخَطَا

I took to heart the lesson Samarqand taught

And ceased distinguishing right conduct from wrong.