جاريْتُ في مِضْمارِ عُمريَ عُصْبةً

جاريْتُ في مِضْمارِ عُمريَ عُصْبةً

سبقُوا وها أنا خلفَهُمْ أجرِي

سبقُوا وها أنا خلفَهُمْ أجرِي

I raced with a band on the racecourse of my life;

I race along the course of my life,

They sped ahead, and here I am, running behind them.

They outran me, and here I am chasing after them.

طوراً على ظهرِ البهيمِ وتارةً

طوراً على ظهرِ البهيمِ وتارةً

من فوقِ أشهبَ سابحٍ غَمْرِ

من فوقِ أشهبَ سابحٍ غَمْرِ

At times on the back of the black steed, and at times

Sometimes on the back of a beast, sometimes

Atop a vigorous gray steed, swimming in its stride.

Above an ashen gray swimmer sailing on.

شَيْبٌ أُفِيضَ على الشبابِ كأنَّما

شَيْبٌ أُفِيضَ على الشبابِ كأنَّما

كشفَ الدياجي غُرَّةُ الفجرِ

كشفَ الدياجي غُرَّةُ الفجرِ

Gray hair was poured over youth, as though

Gray hair poured over my youth as if

The white blaze of dawn had dispelled night's darkness.

The first light of dawn lifted night's veil.

صِبغانِ مُقْتَبَسانِ من صِبْغَيهما

صِبغانِ مُقْتَبَسانِ من صِبْغَيهما

طلعَا بلونهما على شَعْرِي

طلعَا بلونهما على شَعْرِي

Two hues, borrowed from their two hues,

Two dyes borrowed from their hues

Appeared in their colors upon my hair.

Emerged in their colors on my hair.

هذاكَ مركوبي وتلكَ جنيبتي

هذاكَ مركوبي وتلكَ جنيبتي

بهما قطعتُ مسافةَ العُمْرِ

بهما قطعتُ مسافةَ العُمْرِ

That is my riding mount, and that my led spare steed;

That is my mount, this my companion,

With them both I traversed life's span.

With them I traversed life's distance.