طرِبتُI grew eager إلىtoward المِرَاةِthe mirror فروَّعتْنيthen startled me
طرِبتُ إلى المِرَاةِ فروَّعتْني
طوالعُthe first signs شَيبتينِof two gray hairs ألمَّتاboth had come بيupon me
طوالعُ شَيبتينِ ألمَّتا بي
I turned eagerly to the mirror, but was startled
By the first signs of two gray hairs that had come upon me.
فأمّاso, as for شيبةٌone gray hair ففزِعتso I fled منهاfrom it
فأمّا شيبةٌ ففزِعت منها
إلىto المِقراضthe scissors حُبّاًout of love للتصابيfor feigning youth
إلى المِقراض حُبّاً للتصابي
As for one gray hair, I fled from it
To the scissors, for love of seeming young.
وأماand as for شَيبةٌone gray hair فصفحتُso I turned away عنهاfrom it
وأما شَيبةٌ فصفحتُ عنها
لتشهَدَso it might testify بالبراءَةto innocence منof خضابيmy use of hair dye
لتشهَدَ بالبراءَة من خضابي
And as for the other gray hair, I spared it
To testify that I had not dyed my hair.
فأعجِبْso marvel بالدليلِat the proof علىof مَشيبيmy graying
فأعجِبْ بالدليلِ على مَشيبي
أقمتُI established بهthrough it الدليلَthe proof علىof شبابيmy youth
أقمتُ به الدليلَ على شبابي
So marvel at the proof of my graying:
I made it proof of my youth.