أَرى الشَّيْخَ يَكْرَهُ في نَفسِهِ

مَشِيباً أفاضَ عَلَيهِ النهارا

I see the old man hating in himself

The greyness that the days have poured upon him,

وضَعفاً يَهُدُّ قُوَى جِسْمِهِ

ويَنقُلُ مِنهُ خُطاهُ قصارا

And weakness that makes his body frail

And shortens his strides.

فَكَيفَ يُجَشِّمُها طِفلةً

يطير بها القلبُ عنه نِفارا

How can he desire a young girl

Whose heart flutters away from him in disgust?

وعارٌ على الشَّيخِ تقريبُهُ

فتاةً ترى قُرْبَةً منه عارا

Shame on the old man who woos

A girl who sees nearness to him as disgrace!

وقد جُبِلَ الغانياتُ الصّغارُ

على بُغْضِهِنّ الشيوخَ الكبارا

Young girls are created

To hate old men, however great.