لاح شيبي فظلت أمرح فيه

لاح شيبي فظلت أمرح فيه

مرح الطّرفِ في اللجام المحلَّى

مرح الطّرفِ في اللجام المحلَّى

My gray hair appeared, and I kept frolicking in it,

My hair turned white, yet I kept being playful

As a steed frolics in an ornamented bridle.

The playfulness of an eye in a polished bridle

وتولّى الشباب فازددت غيّاً

وتولّى الشباب فازددت غيّاً

في ميادين باطلي إذ تولَّى

في ميادين باطلي إذ تولَّى

And youth departed, so I grew more wayward

And youth turned away, so I became more perverse

In the arenas of my folly when it departed.

In the arenas of my futile games when it turned away

إنّ من ساءه الزمان بشيب

إنّ من ساءه الزمان بشيب

لأحقّ امرىء بأن يتسلَّى

لأحقّ امرىء بأن يتسلَّى

Indeed, one whom time has saddened with gray hair

Indeed, he to whom time was unkind with white hair

Is surely the man most entitled to console himself.

Is most deserving of a man to enjoy himself

أتراني أسوء نفسي لما

أتراني أسوء نفسي لما

ساءني الدهر لا لَعَمْري كلاَّ

ساءني الدهر لا لَعَمْري كلاَّ

Do you think I would sadden myself because

Do you see me tormenting myself for what

Time has saddened me? No, by my life, certainly not!

Time was unkind to me? No, by my life, not at all