تَشَيْبَنَhe affiliated himself with Shaybān حينwhen همَّhe intended بأنto يَشيباhe would grow gray
تَشَيْبَنَ حين همَّ بأن يَشيبا
لقدindeed غَلِطَhe erred الفتىthe young man غلطاًa mistake عجيباastonishing
لقد غَلِطَ الفتى غلطاً عجيبا
He became a Shaybānite when he meant to grow gray.
When they decided to go gray
Indeed, the young man made an astonishing mistake.
The young man made a strange mistake
ألاah! للَّهِby God! منof (emphatic) خَطْبٍa calamity سيُضحىwill become
ألا للَّهِ من خَطْبٍ سيُضحى
لهbecause of it الولدانُthe boys منof شيبانَShaybān شيباgray-haired
له الولدانُ من شيبانَ شيبا
Ah, by God, what a calamity that will leave
Alas! By God what a thing he’ll pay
The boys of Shaybān gray-haired on its account!
For the children from the gray-haired gray