أَتَطرَبُ حينَ لاحَ بِكَ المَشيبُ

وَذَلِكَ إِن عَجِبتَ هَوىً عَجيبُ

I'm disturbed when old age appears in you,

Though it's strange you're surprised by my love.

نَأى الحَيُّ الَّذينَ يَهيجُ مِنهُم

عَلى ما كانَ مِن فَزَعٍ رَكوبُ

The living avoid those who rouse them

To the panic of riding off in haste.

تَباعَدُ مِن جِواري أُمُّ قَيسٍ

وَلَو قَد مُتَّ ظَلَّ لَها نَحيبُ

Umm Qays's companions shun me,

And would mourn me if I passed away.

وَأَيَّ فتىً عَلِمتِ إِذا حَلَلتُم

بِأَجرازٍ مُعَلِّلُها جَديبُ

And which young man have you known, when you meet,

Who makes excuses with a mournful song?

فَإِن يَنأَ المَحَلُّ فَقَد أَراكُم

وَبِالأَجوافِ مَنزِلُكُم قَريبُ

If the abode becomes distant, I've shown you

That your dwelling is near at hand.

لَعَلَّ اللَهَ يُرجِعُكُم إِلَينا

وَيُفني مالَكُم سَنَةٌ وَذيبُ

Perhaps God will return you to us

And destroy your wealth in a year or two.

رَأَيتُكَ يا حَكيمُ عَلاكَ شَيبٌ

وَلَكِن ما لِحِلمِكَ لا يَثوبُ

I saw you, wise one, grayness upon you,

Yet your patience does not again don youth.

وَعَمروٌ قَد كَرِهتُ عِتابَ عَمروٍ

وَقَد كَثُرَ المَعاتِبُ وَالذُنوبُ

And I've disliked reprimanding Amr,

Though rebukes and sins have multiplied.

تَمَنّى أَن أَموتَ وَأَينَ مِثلي

لِقَومِكَ حينَ تَشعَبُني شَعوبُ

I wished that I might die—but where is one like me

For your people when the tribes split apart?

لَقَد صَدَّعتُ صَخرَةَ مَن رَماكُم

وَقَد يُرمى بِيَ الحَجَرُ الصَليبُ

I've cracked the rock of those who pelt you,

And I may be pelted with smooth stones.

وَقَد قَطَعَ الحَديدَ فَلا تَماروا

فَرِندٌ لا يُفَلُّ وَلا يَذوبُ

It has severed iron—so do not resist,

A blade that neither chips nor melts.

نَسيتُمُ وَيلَ غَيرِكُم بَلائي

لَيالِيَ لا تَدُرُّ لَكُم حَلوبُ

You forget the woe of others in my affliction—

Nights that do not gently turn for you.

فَإِنَّ الحَيَّ قَد غَضِبوا عَلَيكُم

كَما أَنا مِن وَرائِهِم غَضوبُ

For the living have grown angry at you,

As I stand behind them, angry.