إذا تقوَّسَ ظهرُ المرءِ من كِبَرٍ

إذا تقوَّسَ ظهرُ المرءِ من كِبَرٍ

فعاد كالقوسِ يمشي والعصَا الوترُ

فعاد كالقوسِ يمشي والعصَا الوترُ

When a man's back bends with old age,

When a man's back is bent by old age,

so he becomes like a bow as he walks, his staff the bowstring,

And he walks like a bow, with his staff as the string,

فالموتُ أروحُ آتٍ يسترِيحُ بِه

فالموتُ أروحُ آتٍ يسترِيحُ بِه

والعيشُ فيه لهُ التَّعذيبُ والضَّررُ

والعيشُ فيه لهُ التَّعذيبُ والضَّررُ

then death is the most restful thing to come; through it he finds repose,

Then death is the most welcome rest for him,

while life holds torment and harm for him.

While life brings only pain and harm.

إذا عَاد ظهرُ المرءِ كالقَوسِ والعصَا

إذا عَاد ظهرُ المرءِ كالقَوسِ والعصَا

له حينَ يمشي وهْي تقدمُهُ وَتَرْ

له حينَ يمشي وهْي تقدمُهُ وَتَرْ

When a man's back becomes like a bow, and the staff

When a man's back becomes like a bow,

is a bowstring for him as he walks, going before him,

And his staff leads the way as he walks,

وملَّ تكاليفَ الحياةِ وطُولَها

وملَّ تكاليفَ الحياةِ وطُولَها

وأضعَفَهُ من بعدِ قُوَّتِه الكِبَرْ

وأضعَفَهُ من بعدِ قُوَّتِه الكِبَرْ

and he tires of life's burdens and its length,

And he is weary of life's burdens and length,

and old age has weakened him after he was strong,

Weakened after the strength of old age,

فإنّ لَه في الموتِ أعظمَ راحةٍ

فإنّ لَه في الموتِ أعظمَ راحةٍ

وأمْناً من الموتِ الذي كان يُنتظَرْ

وأمْناً من الموتِ الذي كان يُنتظَرْ

then in death he finds the greatest rest,

Then in death he finds the greatest rest,

and safety from the death that was awaited.

And respite from the death he had awaited.