أقولُI say لِمنْto one whose لاحِhas appeared المَشِيبُgray hair بفَوْدِهِat his temple
أقولُ لِمنْ لاحِ المَشِيبُ بفَوْدِهِ
وألفَيْتُهُand I found him منfrom غَيِّهِhis error ليسَdoes not يُقصِرُdesist
وألفَيْتُهُ من غَيِّهِ ليسَ يُقصِرُ
I say to one whose gray hair has appeared at his temple,
whom I found still not desisting from his error:
عذرْتُكَI excused you إنْif أضلَلْتَyou lost رُشدَكَyour good judgment خاطئاًmistakenly
عذرْتُكَ إنْ أضلَلْتَ رُشدَكَ خاطئاً
ولَيلُand the night الشَّبابِof youth الوَحْفِwith thick hair داجٍis dark فَمُعذِرُso there is an excuse
ولَيلُ الشَّبابِ الوَحْفِ داجٍ فَمُعذِرُ
I excused you if you mistakenly lost your good judgment
while the night of thick, youthful hair was dark; you had an excuse.
فهلْso is there لكَfor you فيin سِنَّthe age الكُهولَةِof middle age عاذِرٌone who excuses
فهلْ لكَ في سِنَّ الكُهولَةِ عاذِرٌ
إذاif زغْتَyou strayed عنfrom قَصْدٍthe right path ولَيلُكَwhile your night مُقمِرُis moonlit
إذا زغْتَ عن قَصْدٍ ولَيلُكَ مُقمِرُ
But who will excuse you in middle age
if you stray from the right path while your night is moonlit?
Translation model: Sol 6