فإن يك هذا الشيب جاء وأصبحت

فإن يك هذا الشيب جاء وأصبحت

لوائحه يشهقن منك الغواديا

لوائحه يشهقن منك الغواديا

So if this gray hair has come, and now

When this gray hair appeared and its

its gleams make the women out at dawn gasp at you,

Strands began to grieve for you, O hills,

فإني رأيت الموت أول رشقه

فإني رأيت الموت أول رشقه

ولم أر مثل الدهر أصوب راميا

ولم أر مثل الدهر أصوب راميا

then I have seen death in its first volley,

I saw death first cast its dart,

and have seen no archer with truer aim than Time.

And never saw the days aim truer.

رمتني الليالي بالمشيب فأصبحت

رمتني الليالي بالمشيب فأصبحت

لوائح هذا الشيب تبقى شبابيا

لوائح هذا الشيب تبقى شبابيا

The nights shot me with gray hair, and now

The nights attacked me with hoariness,

the gleams of this gray hair outlast my youth [wording uncertain].

And the strands of this gray hair will remain youthful.

ومن يلتقص يبلغ دخيرة عمره

ومن يلتقص يبلغ دخيرة عمره

ولو عاش أعصاراً يعد اللياليا

ولو عاش أعصاراً يعد اللياليا

Whoever [unclear verb] reaches his life's reserve,

He who combs it reaches the riches of his lifetime,

even were he to live for ages, counting the nights.

Even if he lives for ages, counting the nights.

كأني وهذا الشيب كنا بموعد

كأني وهذا الشيب كنا بموعد

فلما أتى الميعاد جاء عوافيا

فلما أتى الميعاد جاء عوافيا

As though this gray hair and I had an appointment,

It's as though I and this grayness had an appointment,

when the appointed time arrived, it came, effacing.

So when the time arrived, it came to meet me.

كأن المشيب جاءها وهو ساخط

كأن المشيب جاءها وهو ساخط

علينا فانحنى بالملامة لاحيا

علينا فانحنى بالملامة لاحيا

As though gray hair had come to her, angry

It's as though the grayness came to it angry

at us, then bent down with reproach, scolding.

At us, so it bent down in blame upon my cheeks.