أَقولُI say لَمّاwhen بَدَتappeared بَيضاءُa white hair لائِحَةٌgleaming
أَقولُ لَمّا بَدَت بَيضاءُ لائِحَةٌ
قَولَthe words of اِمرِىءٍa man عِنfrom طِلابِthe pursuit of اللَهوِpleasure مُنخَزِلِwithdrawn
قَولَ اِمرِىءٍ عِن طِلابِ اللَهوِ مُنخَزِلِ
I say, when a gleaming white hair appeared—
I say, when a gleaming white hair appears,
the words of a man retreating from the pursuit of pleasure:
the words of a man withdrawn from the pursuit of pleasure:
أَهلاًwelcome بِوافِدَةٍto a newcomer لِلشَيبِof gray hair واعِظَةٍadmonishing
أَهلاً بِوافِدَةٍ لِلشَيبِ واعِظَةٍ
تَنعىannounces the death of الشَبابَyouth وَتَنهاناand forbids us عَنِfrom الغَزَلِflirtation
تَنعى الشَبابَ وَتَنهانا عَنِ الغَزَلِ
Welcome, visitor—an admonisher sent by gray age—
Welcome to an admonishing herald of gray hair,
mourning youth and forbidding us the language of love.
who announces youth’s passing and forbids us flirtation.
