قُل لِمَشيبي إِذ بَدا

وَاِبيَضَّ مِنّي المَفرِقُ

Say to my gray hairs when they appear

And the parting of my head turns white,

ناطِقَةٍ لَكِنَّها

كاسِفَةٌ لا تَنطِقُ

Though eloquent, they cannot speak;

Though bashful, they cannot hide their plight.

إِنَّ الشَبابَ خانَني

فَالرَأسُ مِنّي أَبلَقُ

Youth has betrayed me. My head is bare.

Where is the raven of blackest hue

أَينَ غُرابٍ أَسوَدٌ

أَطَرتَهُ يا عَقعَقُ

Whose wings I sheltered, screaming cuckoo?