تَقولُ لَمّا أَن رَأَت لِمَّتي

تَقولُ لَمّا أَن رَأَت لِمَّتي

مَحفوفَةً بِالشَعَرِ الأَشيَبِ

مَحفوفَةً بِالشَعَرِ الأَشيَبِ

When she saw my locks, she said,

When she saw my graying hair

surrounded by gray hair:

She changed her musk for camphor

بَدَّلتَ مِن مِسكِكَ كافورَةً

بَدَّلتَ مِن مِسكِكَ كافورَةً

فَقُلتُ بَل بِالعَنبَرِ الأَشهَبِ

فَقُلتُ بَل بِالعَنبَرِ الأَشهَبِ

“You have exchanged your musk for camphor.”

I said: no, with ambergris more fair

So I said, “No, rather for gray ambergris.”