حَلَّ المَشيبُ فَفَرقُ الرَأسِ مُشتَعِلُ

حَلَّ المَشيبُ فَفَرقُ الرَأسِ مُشتَعِلُ

وَبانَ بِالنُكرِ مِنّا اللَهوُ وَالغَزَلُ

وَبانَ بِالنُكرِ مِنّا اللَهوُ وَالغَزَلُ

Gray hair has settled in, so the head's parting is ablaze.

Gray hair has come and split my head aflame

And amusement and dalliance have left us in estrangement.

And fun and love for us is clearly lame

فَحَلَّ هذا مُقيماً لا يُريدُ لَنا

فَحَلَّ هذا مُقيماً لا يُريدُ لَنا

تَركا وَهذا الَّذي نَهواهُ مُرتَحِلُ

تَركا وَهذا الَّذي نَهواهُ مُرتَحِلُ

So this has settled to stay, with no intention of

One stays put, no longer seeking our company

leaving us, while this one we love is departing.

While the other we forbade is peripatetic and roams free

شَتّانَ بَينَهُما لَو دافَعَت حِيَلٌ

شَتّانَ بَينَهُما لَو دافَعَت حِيَلٌ

مَكروهَ ذاك وَلكن تُغلَبُ الحِيَلُ

مَكروهَ ذاك وَلكن تُغلَبُ الحِيَلُ

How far apart they are! If only stratagems could ward off

Far different are the two, though tricks be tried

what is hateful in that one—but stratagems are overcome.

That other's hated, but tricks can't turn the tide

هذا لَهُ عِندَنا نَورٌ وَرائِحَةٌ

هذا لَهُ عِندَنا نَورٌ وَرائِحَةٌ

كَنَشرِ رَوضٍ سَقاهُ عارِضٌ هَطِلُ

كَنَشرِ رَوضٍ سَقاهُ عارِضٌ هَطِلُ

This one has, for us, a bloom and a fragrance,

One whose light and fragrance are still dear

like the scent of a meadow watered by a pouring raincloud.

Like a fresh garden graced by a rain shower

وَجِدَّةٌ وَقبولٌ لا يَزالُ لَهُ

وَجِدَّةٌ وَقبولٌ لا يَزالُ لَهُ

مِن كُلِّ خُلقٍ هَوىً أَو خُلَّةٍ نَفَلُ

مِن كُلِّ خُلقٍ هَوىً أَو خُلَّةٍ نَفَلُ

And freshness and charm; it always has

Whose welcome never falters, come what may

from every disposition a bounty of love or friendship.

Of every trait or kinship worn away

وَالشَيبُ يَطوي الفَتى حَتّى مَعارِفُهُ

وَالشَيبُ يَطوي الفَتى حَتّى مَعارِفُهُ

نُكرٌ وَمَن كانَ يَهواهُ بِهِ مَلَلُ

نُكرٌ وَمَن كانَ يَهواهُ بِهِ مَلَلُ

And gray hair shrivels the young man, until even his familiar features

Till even familiars grey hair renders strange

are unrecognizable, and whoever once loved him is weary of him.

And former loves now find in him just change

يَبلى بِلى البُردِ يَوماً بَعدَ قُوَّتِهِ

يَبلى بِلى البُردِ يَوماً بَعدَ قُوَّتِهِ

وَهنٌ وَبَعدَ ثَناءٍ خُطوهِ رَمَلُ

وَهنٌ وَبَعدَ ثَناءٍ خُطوهِ رَمَلُ

He wears out as a cloak does; one day, after his strength,

The coat one day wears out, though stout and thick

comes weakness; and after praise, his gait is a short-stepped trot.

And praise once sung trips steps now lunatic

أَلَم تَرَ المَرءَ نَصباً لِلحَوادِثِ ما

أَلَم تَرَ المَرءَ نَصباً لِلحَوادِثِ ما

تَنفَكُّ فيه سِهامُ الدَهرِ تَنتَضِلُ

تَنفَكُّ فيه سِهامُ الدَهرِ تَنتَضِلُ

Have you not seen man as a target for calamities? Never

See man, a butt of fate's incoming spears

do time's arrows cease vying to strike him.

Whose lifelong flow cannot be stemmed by years

إِن يُعجِل المَوتُ يَحمِلهُ عَلى وَضَحٍ

إِن يُعجِل المَوتُ يَحمِلهُ عَلى وَضَحٍ

لَجبٍ مَوارِدُهُ مَسلوكَةٌ ذُلَلُ

لَجبٍ مَوارِدُهُ مَسلوكَةٌ ذُلَلُ

If death hastens, it carries him along a clear road,

If death takes early, easy paths unfold

clamorous, its approaches well-trodden and easy.

If life meanders on, erstwhile crisps wrinkled fold

وَإِن تَمادَت بِهِ الأَيّامُ في عُمُر

وَإِن تَمادَت بِهِ الأَيّامُ في عُمُر

يَخلُق كَما رَثَّ بَعدَ الجِدَّةِ الحُلَلُ

يَخلُق كَما رَثَّ بَعدَ الجِدَّةِ الحُلَلُ

And if the days prolong his span of life,

Until the writ of death has had its fill

he wears out, as robes grow threadbare after being new.

Though years against it rear a stubbled hill

ثُمَّ يَصير إَلى أَن يَستَمِرَّ بِهِ

ثُمَّ يَصير إَلى أَن يَستَمِرَّ بِهِ

رَيبُ المَنونِ وَلَوطالَت بِهِ الطيلُ

رَيبُ المَنونِ وَلَوطالَت بِهِ الطيلُ

Then he comes to be carried away

Nor can the world's whirling cycles spare

by death's misfortune, however long his years may stretch.

Alive, afraid or dead, valorous and daring

وَالدَهرُ لَيسَ بِناجٍ مِن دَوائِرِهِ

وَالدَهرُ لَيسَ بِناجٍ مِن دَوائِرِهِ

حَيٌّ جَبانٌ وَلا مُستَأسِدٌ بَطَلُ

حَيٌّ جَبانٌ وَلا مُستَأسِدٌ بَطَلُ

And none escapes the reversals of time—

No cavern holds its mysteries below

neither a living coward nor a hero fierce as a lion,

No whale nor vale conceal its ebb and flow

وَلا دَفينُ غَياياتٍ لَهُ نَفَقٌ

وَلا دَفينُ غَياياتٍ لَهُ نَفَقٌ

تَحتَ التُرابِ وَلا حوتٌ وَلا وَعَل

تَحتَ التُرابِ وَلا حوتٌ وَلا وَعَل

nor one buried in shadows, with a tunnel

But all things fade, their freshness turned to rot

beneath the soil, nor a fish, nor an ibex.

And only God and deeds survive our lot

بَل كُلُّ شَيءٍ سَيُبلي الدَهرُ جِدَّتَهُ

بَل كُلُّ شَيءٍ سَيُبلي الدَهرُ جِدَّتَهُ

حَتّى يَبيدَ وَيَبقى اللَهُ وَالعَمَلُ

حَتّى يَبيدَ وَيَبقى اللَهُ وَالعَمَلُ

Rather, time will wear away the newness of everything,

until it perishes, while God and deeds remain.