قال الحبيب وقد وصفت مشيبه

قال الحبيب وقد وصفت مشيبه

والناس قد وصفوه لما عذرا

والناس قد وصفوه لما عذرا

The beloved said, as I described his gray hair—

The beloved said, when his white hair was described,

while people had described him when his beard first sprouted—

And people excused him when they described it:

قطف الرجال القول عند نباته

قطف الرجال القول عند نباته

وقطفت أنت القول لما نورا

وقطفت أنت القول لما نورا

“Men plucked their words at its sprouting,

Men pluck words when they first sprout,

And you plucked your words when it blossomed white.”

While you plucked words at their prime.