بياضُ شيبٍ قَدْ نَصَعْ

رَفعتُهُ فما ارتَفَعْ

The whiteness of hoary age has appeared

I have raised it, but it did not rise

إِذا رَأى البِيضَ انْقَمَعْ

مِنْ بَينِ يَأسٍ وطَمَعْ

When it saw the white hair, it recoiled

Between despair and hope

للَّهِ أَيَّامُ النَّخَعْ

يَا ليتَني فِيها جَذعْ

By Allah, the days of youth

Oh, would that I were in them a log

أَخُبُّ فيها وأَضَعْ

I would hide in them and settle down