يا أَيُّها الرَجُلُ الموَكَّلُ بِالصِبا

يا أَيُّها الرَجُلُ الموَكَّلُ بِالصِبا

فيمَ ابنُ سَبعينَ المعمَّرُ مِن دَدِ

فيمَ ابنُ سَبعينَ المعمَّرُ مِن دَدِ

O man, so devoted to youthful passion,

O you who are entrusted with youth

What business has an aged man of seventy with dalliance?

What does the seventy year old fully aged man want?

حَتّامَ أَنتَ مُوَكَّلٌ بِقَديمَةٍ

حَتّامَ أَنتَ مُوَكَّلٌ بِقَديمَةٍ

أَمسَت تجدَّدُ كَاليَماني الجيِّدِ

أَمسَت تجدَّدُ كَاليَماني الجيِّدِ

How long will you remain devoted to an old love,

You are entrusted with an old woman

Who grows fresh again, like a fine Yemeni blade?

Who has become renewed like new Yemeni leather

زانَ الجلالُ كَمالَها وَرَسا بِها

زانَ الجلالُ كَمالَها وَرَسا بِها

عَقلٌ وَفاضِلَةٌ وَشيمَةُ سَيِّدِ

عَقلٌ وَفاضِلَةٌ وَشيمَةُ سَيِّدِ

Dignity graced her perfection, and firmly settled within her were

Dignity adorned her perfection and she was characterized by

Good sense, virtue, and a lord's character.

Wisdom, virtue and the traits of a master

ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها عَلَيكَ وَأَنتُما

ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها عَلَيكَ وَأَنتُما

غِرّانِ في طَلَبِ الشَبابِ الأَغيدِ

غِرّانِ في طَلَبِ الشَبابِ الأَغيدِ

She withheld her favor from you when you both were

She was stingy in giving you her achievements

Innocents in the pursuits of tender youth.

While you two were deluded in seeking fleeting youth

فَالآنَ تَرجو أَن تُصيبَكَ نائِلاً

فَالآنَ تَرجو أَن تُصيبَكَ نائِلاً

هَيهاتَ نائِلُها مَكانَ الفَرقَدِ

هَيهاتَ نائِلُها مَكانَ الفَرقَدِ

So now you hope that she will grant you a favor?

And now you hope to attain her achievements

Far beyond reach! Her favor lies where al-Farqad stands.

Alas! Her achievements are in the place of the coffin