فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بَضَيفٍ نَزَل

فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بَضَيفٍ نَزَل

وَاِستَودَعَ اللَهُ إِلفاً رَحَل

وَاِستَودَعَ اللَهُ إِلفاً رَحَل

A hearty welcome, then, to a guest who has arrived.

Welcome, welcome to a guest who's arrived

So welcome and greetings to a guest who has alighted,

And I entrust to God a dear companion who has departed.

May God protect a companion who's departed

And I entrust to God's care a companion who has departed.

تَوَلّى الشَبابُ كَأَنَّ لَم يَكُن

تَوَلّى الشَبابُ كَأَنَّ لَم يَكُن

وَحَلَّ المَشيبُ كَأَنَّ لَم يَزَل

وَحَلَّ المَشيبُ كَأَنَّ لَم يَزَل

Youth has departed, as though it had never been.

Youth has passed as though it had never been

Youth has turned away as though it never was,

And gray hair has settled in, as though it had always been.

While old age remains as though it had always been

And hoariness has settled in as though it had always been.

فَأَمّا المَشيبُ كَصُبحٍ بَدا

فَأَمّا المَشيبُ كَصُبحٍ بَدا

وَأَمّا الشَبابُ كَبَدرٍ أَفَل

وَأَمّا الشَبابُ كَبَدرٍ أَفَل

As for gray hair, it is like dawn appearing.

And so old age appeared like the break of dawn

For white hair is like a dawn that has appeared,

And as for youth, it is like a full moon that has set.

While youth faded like the waning moon

While youth is like a full moon that has set.

سَقى اللَهُ ذاكَ وَهَذا مَعاً

سَقى اللَهُ ذاكَ وَهَذا مَعاً

فَنِعمَ المُوَلّي وَنِعمَ البَدَل

فَنِعمَ المُوَلّي وَنِعمَ البَدَل

May God water that and this alike.

May God water them both, together

May God water both the former and the latter together,

How fine the departing one, then, and how fine the replacement!

Excellent is He who transforms, excellent the exchange

For how excellent is the one leaving, and how excellent the replacement.