لَعَمري لَقَد أَنكَرتُ نَفسي وَرابَني

لَعَمري لَقَد أَنكَرتُ نَفسي وَرابَني

خَلائِقُ مِنها لَم تَكُن مِن شَمائِلي

خَلائِقُ مِنها لَم تَكُن مِن شَمائِلي

By my life, I no longer recognize myself—and that troubles me;

By my life, I no longer recognize myself, and I am troubled

traits have appeared in it that were never part of my nature:

by traits in me that were never part of my nature:

مُطاوَعَتي مَن كُنتُ لَستُ أُطيعُهُ

مُطاوَعَتي مَن كُنتُ لَستُ أُطيعُهُ

وَإِنّي أَرى بَثّي عَنِ اللَهوِ شاغِلي

وَإِنّي أَرى بَثّي عَنِ اللَهوِ شاغِلي

my yielding obedience to one I never used to obey,

my yielding to one whom I once would not obey;

and I find my sorrow keeping me from amusement.

and indeed I find my sorrow keeping me from amusement.

وَبُدِّلَ رَأسي الشَيبَ بَعدَ سَوادِهِ

وَبُدِّلَ رَأسي الشَيبَ بَعدَ سَوادِهِ

فَأَصبَحتُ ذا شُغلٍ وَأقصَر باطِلي

فَأَصبَحتُ ذا شُغلٍ وَأقصَر باطِلي

The blackness of my head has been exchanged for gray,

And my head has turned gray after being black;

so I have become preoccupied, and my frivolity has dwindled.

so I have become preoccupied, and my frivolity has ceased.

وَأَصبَحتُ قَد أَعرَضنَ عَني وَسُؤنَني

وَأَصبَحتُ قَد أَعرَضنَ عَني وَسُؤنَني

وَأَخلَفَني عَهدُ الخَليلِ المُماطِلِ

وَأَخلَفَني عَهدُ الخَليلِ المُماطِلِ

Now they have turned away from me and caused me pain,

And now they have turned away from me and caused me grief;

and the pledge of my ever-delaying beloved has failed me.

and the pledge of the dilatory friend has failed me.

أَلا إِنَّ شَيبَ الرَأسِ لَيسَ بِآفَةٍ

أَلا إِنَّ شَيبَ الرَأسِ لَيسَ بِآفَةٍ

تُضيرُكَ إِلّا في النِساءِ الجَواهِلِ

تُضيرُكَ إِلّا في النِساءِ الجَواهِلِ

Behold: gray hair upon the head is no affliction

Take heed: grayness of the head is no affliction

that can harm you—except among foolish women.

that harms you, except among ignorant women.