تركتُ قيامي للصديق يزورني

تركتُ قيامي للصديق يزورني

ولا ذنبَ لي إِلاّ الإطالة في عمري

ولا ذنبَ لي إِلاّ الإطالة في عمري

I have given up rising for a friend who visits me,

I gave up standing to greet a friend

And my only fault is having lived so long.

My only fault was living too long

ولو بلغوا من عشر تسعين نصفها

ولو بلغوا من عشر تسعين نصفها

تبيَّنَ في تركي القيام لهم عذري

تبيَّنَ في تركي القيام لهم عذري

And had they reached halfway through the decade ending at ninety,

Even if they reached ninety-five years

My excuse for not rising would have become clear to them.

My not standing would reveal my excuse