قلتُ لمسودٍّ له شَعرُهُ

قلتُ لمسودٍّ له شَعرُهُ

هل لك في المبيضّ من شعري

هل لك في المبيضّ من شعري

I said to a man whose hair was black:

I said to a black man with gray hair,

"Would you like the whitened hair of mine?

Do you want some of my youthful locks?

خذْهُ وإِنْ لم ترضَه صاحباً

خذْهُ وإِنْ لم ترضَه صاحباً

مع الدُّمى يبقى مدَى العُمرِي

مع الدُّمى يبقى مدَى العُمرِي

Take it, even if you do not accept it as a companion;

Take them, even if you don't like the idea-

with the dolls, it will remain for a lifetime."

They'll last as long as my lifetime.

فقال ما أبعدَ ما بيننا

فقال ما أبعدَ ما بيننا

ونازحٌ أمرُكَ من أمري

ونازحٌ أمرُكَ من أمري

Then he said, "How far apart we are!

He said, How different we two are!

And your condition is far removed from mine.

Your offer doesn't suit me.

عَمَرْتَ ستّين ونَيّفتَها

عَمَرْتَ ستّين ونَيّفتَها

ونيّفَتْ منّي على عَشْرِ

ونيّفَتْ منّي على عَشْرِ

You have lived sixty years and more,

You've lived sixty years, and a little more;

while my years have passed ten.

I'm only ten years past that score.

لَيسَ إِلى دائِكَ مِن حيلَةٍ

لَيسَ إِلى دائِكَ مِن حيلَةٍ

فَاِجرَعْ ملاءً أكْؤُسَ الصَّبرِ

فَاِجرَعْ ملاءً أكْؤُسَ الصَّبرِ

There is no remedy for your ailment;

There's no cure for your condition-

so gulp down brimming cups of patience."

Just keep drinking patience to the lees!