إِذا ما عانَقَ الخَمسينَ حَيٌّ

إِذا ما عانَقَ الخَمسينَ حَيٌّ

ثَنَتهُ السِنُّ عَن عَنقٍ وَجَمزِ

ثَنَتهُ السِنُّ عَن عَنقٍ وَجَمزِ

When a mortal embraces fifty,

When a lively man embraces fifty

Age turns him back from brisk pacing and bounding.

Age bends him away from an erect neck

وَتَهزَأُ مِنهُ رَبّاتُ المَغاني

وَتَهزَأُ مِنهُ رَبّاتُ المَغاني

كَما هَزِئَت بِرُؤبَةَ أُمُّ حَمزِ

كَما هَزِئَت بِرُؤبَةَ أُمُّ حَمزِ

And the ladies of the dwellings mock him,

And the singing girls mock him

As Umm Hamz mocked Ru'ba.

As Hamza's mother mocked Ru'bah

فَلا أَعرِفكَ بَينَ القَومِ توحي

فَلا أَعرِفكَ بَينَ القَومِ توحي

بِطَعنٍ في مُحَدِّثِهِم وَغَمزِ

بِطَعنٍ في مُحَدِّثِهِم وَغَمزِ

So let me not find you among the people hinting

So I do not see you among the people hinting

with jibes at their speaker and winks.

With sarcasm at their conversation and winking

وَلا تَهمِز جَليسَكَ مِن قَريبٍ

وَلا تَهمِز جَليسَكَ مِن قَريبٍ

تُنَبِّهُهُ عَلى سَقطٍ بِهَمزِ

تُنَبِّهُهُ عَلى سَقطٍ بِهَمزِ

And do not nudge your companion from close by,

Nor nudging your companion who is near

alerting him to a slip with a nudge.

Alerting him to a slip with a wink

فَشَرُّ الناسِ مَعروفٌ لَدَيهِم

فَشَرُّ الناسِ مَعروفٌ لَدَيهِم

بِقَولٍ في مَثالِبِهِم وَلَمزِ

بِقَولٍ في مَثالِبِهِم وَلَمزِ

For the worst of people is known to them

The worst of men in their eyes

by talk of their failings and by disparagement.

Is one who speaks of their faults and hints

لَقَد كَذَبَ الَّذينَ طَغوا فَقالوا

لَقَد كَذَبَ الَّذينَ طَغوا فَقالوا

أَتى مِن رَبِّنا أَمرٌ بِرَمزِ

أَتى مِن رَبِّنا أَمرٌ بِرَمزِ

Indeed, those who transgressed lied, saying:

Indeed those who rebelled have lied when they said

'A command came from our Lord through a sign.'

"An order from our Lord has come in hints"

أَلَم تَرَني عَرَفتُ وَعيدَ رَبٍّ

أَلَم تَرَني عَرَفتُ وَعيدَ رَبٍّ

رَقَلَّ تَكَلُّمي وَأَطالَ ضَمزي

رَقَلَّ تَكَلُّمي وَأَطالَ ضَمزي

Have you not seen that I have recognized the Lord's threat?

Did you not see me? I knew the threat of an Lord

My speech lessened, and my silence was prolonged.

My talking grew scarce and my winking grew long

وَمَن لي أَن أَفَرَّ عَلى طِمِرٍّ

وَمَن لي أَن أَفَرَّ عَلى طِمِرٍّ

مِنَ الدُنِّيا الخَبيثَةِ أَو دِلَمزِ

مِنَ الدُنِّيا الخَبيثَةِ أَو دِلَمزِ

And who will enable me to flee on a swift steed

Who can help me flee from the vile world's rubbish

from the foul world—or on a sturdy camel?

Or even a wink?