إِنَّ شَرخَ الشَبابِ وَالشَعَرَ الأَس

وَدَ ما لَم يُعاصَ كانَ جُنونا

The madness of youth and of jet-black hair and the prime of life,

When not immoderate, but still untamed, is but folly.

ما التَصابي عَلى المَشيبِ وَقَد قَل

لَبتُ مِن ذاكَ أَظهُراً وَبُطونا

Why blame the frosts of Time? For I have gained

In wisdom what I've lost in locks of hair.

إِن يَكُن رَثَّ مِن رَقاشِ حَديثٌ

فَبِما نَأكُلُ الحَديثَ سَمينا

If talking is but loosely frivolous,

We eat the tasty trifles that we talk.

وَاِنتَصَينا نَواصِيَ اللَهوِ يَوماً

وَبَعَثنا جُناتَنا يَجتَنونا

And when we toyed with necklaces of pleasure

And sent our little ones to gather fruit,

فَجَنَونا جَنىً شَهِيّاً حَلِيّاً

وَقَضَوا جوعَهُم وَما يَأكُلونا

Then shared the loot we reaped with kith and kin,

Till all their hunger pangs were satisfied.

وَأَمينٍ حَديثُهُ سِرُّ نَفسي

فَوَعاهُ حِفظَ الأَمينِ الأَمينا

A trusted friend who does not spread his secrets,

Keeps fast the trust vouchsafed as was his duty.

مُخمِرٍ سِرَّهُ إِذا ما اِلتَقَينا

ثَلِجَت نَفسُهُ بِأَن لا أَخونا

A comrade, when we meet, whose soul is frozen

Lest talk spills forth to shame a trusted crony.