بانَdeparted الشَبابُyouth كَبَينِlike the departure of الهالِكِthe perished one المُوديthe one dead and gone
بانَ الشَبابُ كَبَينِ الهالِكِ المُودي
وَعَرَّدَand fled الجَهلُfolly عَنّيfrom me أَيَّwhat a تَعريدِflight
وَعَرَّدَ الجَهلُ عَنّي أَيَّ تَعريدِ
Youth has departed like the parting of one dead and gone,
Youth has departed, like the departure of one dead and gone.
and folly has fled from me—what utter flight!
And folly has fled from me—what a flight!
بِعتُI sold الشَبابَyouth بِشَيبٍfor gray hair بَيعَةًa bargain غَبَناًat a loss
بِعتُ الشَبابَ بِشَيبٍ بَيعَةً غَبَناً
ياoh لَكَfor you بَيعاًa bargain حَراماًunlawful غَيرَnot مَردودِreversed
يا لَكَ بَيعاً حَراماً غَيرَ مَردودِ
I sold youth for gray hairs, a bargain struck at ruinous loss—
I sold youth for gray hair, a bargain at a loss.
alas, what a forbidden bargain, one that cannot be undone!
Oh, what an unlawful bargain, never to be undone!
إِنّيindeed I أُطالِبُهُI seek it فيamong الناسِthe people أَنشُدُهُI ask after it
إِنّي أُطالِبُهُ في الناسِ أَنشُدُهُ
ياah حَبَّذاhow dear مِنas a مُضَلٍّlost thing غَيرَnot مَوجودِfound
يا حَبَّذا مِن مُضَلٍّ غَيرَ مَوجودِ
I seek it among the people, asking everywhere for it:
Indeed, I seek it among the people, asking after it.
how dear a lost thing that can nowhere be found!
Ah, how dear a lost thing that cannot be found!
أَماdo you not تَرىsee لِمَّتيmy locks شابَتhave grayed وَزايَلَهاand departed from them
أَما تَرى لِمَّتي شابَت وَزايَلَها
نَفجُswagger الصِباyouth وَطِلابُand pursuit of الفِتيَةِthe youths الغيدِthe graceful
نَفجُ الصِبا وَطِلابُ الفِتيَةِ الغيدِ
Do you not see that my locks have grayed, and that there have left them
Do you not see my locks have grayed, abandoned by
youth’s exuberance and the pursuit of graceful young men?
Youth's swagger and the pursuit of graceful youths?
فَقَدfor indeed أَراهاI used to see them كَمِثلِjust like اللَيلِthe night فاحِمَةًcoal-black
فَقَد أَراها كَمِثلِ اللَيلِ فاحِمَةً
وَحفاًthick غُدافِيَّةًraven-black مِثلَlike العَناقيدِgrape clusters
وَحفاً غُدافِيَّةً مِثلَ العَناقيدِ
For indeed I see them as they were: like night, jet-black,
For I used to see them coal-black, like the night,
thick and raven-dark, like clusters of grapes,
Thick and raven-black, like clusters of grapes,
تَسبيcaptivating الغَوانيَthe beauties ماnot تَنفَكُّceases غانيَةٌa beauty
تَسبي الغَوانيَ ما تَنفَكُّ غانيَةٌ
تَعطوreaching out إِلَيهاtoward them بِضافٍwith a long one لَيِّنِsupple الجيدِthe neck
تَعطو إِلَيها بِضافٍ لَيِّنِ الجيدِ
captivating fair women; never does a beauty cease
Captivating beauties; a beauty would never cease
reaching toward them, with luxuriant hair and a supple neck.
Reaching toward them with a long, supple neck.
