تخاوصت الحسناءُ عن شَيب لِمَّتى

تخاوصت الحسناءُ عن شَيب لِمَّتى

ولم تلتفت إلى سنىَّ القلائلِ

ولم تلتفت إلى سنىَّ القلائلِ

The fair one quarreled with me over the gray in my locks,

The beautiful woman turned her narrowed eyes from the gray in my locks,

and gave no thought to how few my years have been.

and paid no heed to my few years.

وليس بياضا ما رأت من شُعاعِه

وليس بياضا ما رأت من شُعاعِه

ولكنّه نُور النُّهى والفضائلِ

ولكنّه نُور النُّهى والفضائلِ

It was not whiteness that she saw in its gleam,

And what she saw of its radiance is not whiteness,

but the light of wisdom and the virtues.

but the light of wisdom and virtues.