بكى الناسُ قبليَ فَقْدَ الشبابِ

بدمعِ القلوبِ فما أنْصَفوهُ

People before me wept when youth departed

With tears from their hearts, though it was not justly gauged,

وإنّي عَلَيْهِ لُمسْتَدركٌ

من البثِّ والحزْنِ ما أهملوهُ

Yet I make up for what they neglected

In weeping and grief for what they overlooked.

لعمرُكَ ما الشيبُ إمّا بدا

بفوديك إلّا الرّدى أو أبوهُ

By your life! Gray hair comes only

With your loss - except for decline or its causes.

ألم تَر أنّكَ بين الشبابِ

كمن ماتَ أو غابَ من شببوهُ

Do you not see that among the youth

You are like one who died or an absent love?

وإن أبصرتك الدّمى أنْكَرَتْ

معارفَ وَجْهِك منها الوجوهُ

And if the tears saw you, they would deny

Recognition of your face among the faces.