زمانُ الصِّبا واللهو حُييتَ بائناً

زمانُ الصِّبا واللهو حُييتَ بائناً

وإن كنت بالذكرى على البعد دانيا

وإن كنت بالذكرى على البعد دانيا

O time of youth and merriment, greetings to you, though gone,

The days of my youth and playfulness have passed away

though, in memory, you are near despite the distance.

Though in memory I remain close from afar

تحيةَ مفجوعٍ بفقدك عالمٍ

تحيةَ مفجوعٍ بفقدك عالمٍ

على طمع الأشواق أن لا تلاقيا

على طمع الأشواق أن لا تلاقيا

A greeting from one bereaved by your loss, who knows,

A grieving farewell from one who misses you

despite longing's hope, that there will be no reunion.

Yearning we may meet again though hopes are bleak

أقام حميداً ثم ودَّع معذراً

أقام حميداً ثم ودَّع معذراً

فساعف بالعُتبى مقيماً وماضيا

فساعف بالعُتبى مقيماً وماضيا

It stayed worthy of praise, then took its leave with good excuse,

Farewells were warm then left with excuse

and granted satisfaction, both while staying and while departing.

Sorrow doubled in heart of one staying and one leaving

وأقبل عصر الشيب بعد وداعه

وأقبل عصر الشيب بعد وداعه

على ثقةٍ أن ليس يربح ثاويا

على ثقةٍ أن ليس يربح ثاويا

And the age of gray hair arrived after its farewell,

Then came the age of gray hair after his farewell

certain that it would gain nothing while staying.

Trusting life brings no lasting joy

فردَّ سرورَ النفس بالغمِّ حسرةً

فردَّ سرورَ النفس بالغمِّ حسرةً

وردَّ نضير العيش بالهمِّ ذاويا

وردَّ نضير العيش بالهمِّ ذاويا

So it turned the soul's joy, through sorrow, into regret,

Gladness of spirit turned to sorrowful regret

and, through worry, made life's freshness wither.

And peer friendship to companionship no more

فيا ما كرهناه فأمسى مخيّماً

فيا ما كرهناه فأمسى مخيّماً

وقوّض ما نهوى فأصبح نائيا

وقوّض ما نهوى فأصبح نائيا

Alas, what we hated has pitched its tent,

What we disliked has settled in and remained

and what we love has struck camp and gone far away.

And undermined what we loved till distant it became

فليتَ شبابي كان عندي شيبةً

فليتَ شبابي كان عندي شيبةً

وليت مشيبي كان عندي شبابيا

وليت مشيبي كان عندي شبابيا

If only my youth had been old age to me,

Would that my youth were here in my old age

and my old age had been my youth to me.

Would that my old age were there in my youth

وقالوا تعوَّض بالتصابي عن الصِّبا

وقالوا تعوَّض بالتصابي عن الصِّبا

زماناً عسى أن تستلذَّ التصابيا

زماناً عسى أن تستلذَّ التصابيا

And they said, “Make up for youth by acting young

They said make up for youth with companionship

for a while; perhaps you will enjoy acting young.”

An age may come you find companionship sweet

فقلت لهم هزؤ بنفسي أنني

فقلت لهم هزؤ بنفسي أنني

أحاول إخفاءً لِما ليس خافيا

أحاول إخفاءً لِما ليس خافيا

So I told them, “It is self-mockery for me

I said to them mocking myself for not hiding

to try to conceal what is not hidden.”

What to all is obvious and plain to see