شَبابي فأَضحَى لِلشَّبابِ حَفيظَةً

شَبابي فأَضحَى لِلشَّبابِ حَفيظَةً

لِمَن كانَ عَن طُولِ الغِوايَةِ نازِعا

لِمَن كانَ عَن طُولِ الغِوايَةِ نازِعا

My youth thus became a cause of resentment toward youth

My youth has thus become a source of resentment toward youth,

for one who had turned away from long years of folly.

For one who was turning away from prolonged waywardness.

فَلِلَّهِ ما قَد كانَ بَعدَ ذَهابِهِ

فَلِلَّهِ ما قَد كانَ بَعدَ ذَهابِهِ

وبَعدَ قِناعِ الشَّيبِ ما لَيسَ نافِعا

وبَعدَ قِناعِ الشَّيبِ ما لَيسَ نافِعا

By God, whatever came after its passing—

So to God belongs what came after its passing,

and after gray hair’s veil—was of no avail.

And, after the veil of gray hair, what brings no benefit.