يا بياضَ المشيبِ سوَّدْتَ وجهي

يا بياضَ المشيبِ سوَّدْتَ وجهي

عند بيض الوجوه سُودِ القرونِ

عند بيض الوجوه سُودِ القرونِ

O whiteness of gray hair, you have blackened my face

O whiteness of old age, you have darkened my face

Before the fair-faced with black tresses.

Among the white faces, the blackness of centuries

فلَعَمْرِي لأخفينَّك جهدي

فلَعَمْرِي لأخفينَّك جهدي

عن عياني وعن عيان العيون

عن عياني وعن عيان العيون

So, by my life, I shall surely hide you as best I can

By my life, I will surely hide you with my effort

From my sight and from the sight of eyes.

From my eyes and the eyes of eyes

ولعمري لأمنعنَّك أن تَضْ

ولعمري لأمنعنَّك أن تَضْ

حَكَ في رأسِ آسفٍ محزون

حَكَ في رأسِ آسفٍ محزون

And by my life, I shall surely stop you from laugh—

And by my life, I will surely prevent you from shining

—ing on the head of a sorrowful, grieving man,

On the head of a remorseful, saddened one

بخضابٍ فيه ابيضاض لوجهي

بخضابٍ فيه ابيضاض لوجهي

واسودادٌ لوجهك الملعون

واسودادٌ لوجهك الملعون

With a dye that whitens my face

With dye in which is whitening of my face

And blackens your accursed face.

And blackening of your accursed face