مَن سالَ عَن ميتي وَعَن ثكلي

مَن سالَ عَن ميتي وَعَن ثكلي

قُلتُ مُجيباً لَهُ أَلا حُلوا

قُلتُ مُجيباً لَهُ أَلا حُلوا

Whoever asked about my dead one and my bereavement,

When asked of my death and bereavement

To him who asked of my death and my bereavement,

I said in reply to him: “Come now, unravel it!

I answer though grieved, don't be downcast

I said, answering him: "Come, solve this:"

لَم يَلو وُجودُ شيبي بَل

لَم يَلو وُجودُ شيبي بَل

فَقدُ الهِلالِ الَّذي أَلاحَ لَوى

فَقدُ الهِلالِ الَّذي أَلاحَ لَوى

The presence of my gray hair did not bend me; rather,

My grey locks are no burden to bear

The presence of my grey hair did not bend me; nay,

The loss of the crescent that shone forth bent me.”

But the crescent whose dawns brought me joy

The loss of the crescent that shone is what bent me.