باحَت بِبَلواه جُفونه

باحَت بِبَلواه جُفونه

وَجرت بأدمعه شُؤونُه

وَجرت بأدمعه شُؤونُه

His eyelids revealed his affliction,

and his tear ducts flowed with his tears.

لَمّا رأى شيباً عَلا

لَمّا رأى شيباً عَلا

هُ وَلَم يَحُن في الغَدِّ حينه

هُ وَلَم يَحُن في الغَدِّ حينه

When he saw gray hair spread over

him, though its time was not yet due, even on the morrow,

فعلا عَلى فقد الشبا

فعلا عَلى فقد الشبا

ب وَفقد من يَهوى أَنينه

ب وَفقد من يَهوى أَنينه

then rose, over the loss of youth

and the loss of the one he loves, his lament.

ما كانَ أَنجَحَ سَعيَه

ما كانَ أَنجَحَ سَعيَه

وَشَبابه فيهِ معينه

وَشَبابه فيهِ معينه

How successful his striving was,

while his youth was his helper in it!

وَاللَهوُ يُحسِن بِالفَتى

وَاللَهوُ يُحسِن بِالفَتى

ما لَم يَكُن شيبٌ يَشينه

ما لَم يَكُن شيبٌ يَشينه

And merriment befits a young man,

so long as no gray hair mars him.