وَالشَيبُand gray hair زورٌa guest يُجتَوىis disliked وَقُربُهُand its nearness
وَالشَيبُ زورٌ يُجتَوى وَقُربُهُ
لاnot يُرتَضىis welcomed وَفَقدُهُand its loss لاnot يُشتَهىis desired
لا يُرتَضى وَفَقدُهُ لا يُشتَهى
Gray hair is a guest one shuns, and its approach
And gray hair is an unwelcome guest; its nearness
is unwelcome—yet its absence is not desired.
is not welcomed, yet its loss is not desired.
قَدmay يَشتَهيdesire كُلُّevery اِمرِئٍperson بُلوغَهُreaching it
قَد يَشتَهي كُلُّ اِمرِئٍ بُلوغَهُ
وَقَلَّand rare is مَنone who يُبلِغُهُreaches it إِلّاexcept that شَكاhe complains
وَقَلَّ مَن يُبلِغُهُ إِلّا شَكا
Every person may yearn for it—for attaining that age—
Every person may long to reach it,
yet few are those whom it brings there without their complaining.
yet few reach it without complaining.
كَأَنَّماas though الشَبابَyouth كانَwas فُرقَةًa parting
كَأَنَّما الشَبابَ كانَ فُرقَةً
لَهُfor it مِنَfrom الأَنفُسِsouls حُبٌّlove وَقَلىand loathing
لَهُ مِنَ الأَنفُسِ حُبٌّ وَقَلى
It is as though youth had been a leave-taking—
As though youth were a parting,
souls hold both love and loathing for youth.
for which souls feel love and loathing.
