أَلَم يَأتِهِ أَنَّ المَشيبَ نَذيرُ

أَلَم يَأتِهِ أَنَّ المَشيبَ نَذيرُ

بَلى وَشَبيهٌ لِلرَدى وَنَظيرُ

بَلى وَشَبيهٌ لِلرَدى وَنَظيرُ

Has it not reached him that gray hair is a warning?

Has not the time come when gray hair is a warning,

Yes—and it is death's likeness and counterpart.

Yes, and it is similar to demise and a peer,

وَأَنَّ بَني الدُنيا مَعَ الشَيبِ وَالصِبا

وَأَنَّ بَني الدُنيا مَعَ الشَيبِ وَالصِبا

لَهُم وَعَلَيهِم غَيبَةٌ وَحُضورُ

لَهُم وَعَلَيهِم غَيبَةٌ وَحُضورُ

And that the children of this world, with gray hair and youth,

That the people of this world, with gray hair and youth,

Have absence and presence, to their benefit and harm.

Have over them absence and presence,

وَأَنَّ خُيولَ العَيشِ دُهمٌ وَإِن تُنِر

وَأَنَّ خُيولَ العَيشِ دُهمٌ وَإِن تُنِر

فَنُذرٌ وَأَمّا شُهبُهُ فَبَشيرُ

فَنُذرٌ وَأَمّا شُهبُهُ فَبَشيرُ

And that life's horses are black; and if they brighten,

That the steeds of life are illusions, and if they shine,

Then they are warnings; as for its gray horses, they herald good tidings.

They are warnings, and as for its gray hairs, they are a harbinger,

وَأَنَّ نُجومَ اللَيلِ تَسري غَوائِراً

وَأَنَّ نُجومَ اللَيلِ تَسري غَوائِراً

وَلَكِن نُجومُ الشَيبِ لَيسَ تَغورُ

وَلَكِن نُجومُ الشَيبِ لَيسَ تَغورُ

And that the stars of night travel on, sinking out of sight,

That the stars of the night travel disappearing,

But the stars of gray hair do not set.

But the stars of gray hair do not disappear,

وَأَنَّ مُعاراً مِن شَبابٍ رَدَدتُهُ

وَأَنَّ مُعاراً مِن شَبابٍ رَدَدتُهُ

وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يَستَرِدَّ مُعيرُ

وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يَستَرِدَّ مُعيرُ

And that I have returned the youth lent to me,

That I have repelled the conceit of youth,

And it is no wonder that a lender should reclaim it.

And it is no wonder that the conceited one repels,

تَوارَت بِهِ شَمسُ الهَوى بِحِجابِها

تَوارَت بِهِ شَمسُ الهَوى بِحِجابِها

وَضاقَ نَهارُ الشَيبِ فَهوَ قَصيرُ

وَضاقَ نَهارُ الشَيبِ فَهوَ قَصيرُ

With it, the sun of passion vanished behind its veil,

The sun of passion has hidden behind its veil,

And the day of gray hair has shrunk, so it is short.

And the day of gray hair has narrowed, so it is short,

وَإِنّا خَلَعنا الكِبرِياءَ مَعَ الصِبا

وَإِنّا خَلَعنا الكِبرِياءَ مَعَ الصِبا

وَحَسبُكَ ذُلّا أَن يُقالَ كَبيرُ

وَحَسبُكَ ذُلّا أَن يُقالَ كَبيرُ

And indeed we cast off pride along with youth,

And we have shed our pride with youth,

And it is humiliation enough for you to be called old.

And it is enough humiliation to be called elderly.