تَشاهَقنَ لَمّا أَن رَأَينَ بِمَفرِقي

تَشاهَقنَ لَمّا أَن رَأَينَ بِمَفرِقي

بَياضاً كَأَنَّ الشَيبَ عِندي مِنَ البِدَع

بَياضاً كَأَنَّ الشَيبَ عِندي مِنَ البِدَع

They gasped when they saw at the parting of my hair

They cried out when they saw the parting of my hair

Whiteness—as though gray hair on me were some novelty.

White as if greyness there was unorthodox for me.

وَقُلنَ عَهِدنا فَوقَ عاتِقِ ذا الفَتى

وَقُلنَ عَهِدنا فَوقَ عاتِقِ ذا الفَتى

رِداءً مِنَ الحَوكِ الرَقيقِ فَما صَنَع

رِداءً مِنَ الحَوكِ الرَقيقِ فَما صَنَع

And they said, 'We remember upon this young man's shoulder

And they said, "We knew him when youth's mantle

A cloak of delicate weave—what has he done with it?'

Of finest gauze he wore unmarred in its making."

وَلَم أَرَ عَضباً عيبَ مِنهُ صِقالُهُ

وَلَم أَرَ عَضباً عيبَ مِنهُ صِقالُهُ

وَكانَ حَبيباً لِلقُلوبِ عَلى الطَبَع

وَكانَ حَبيباً لِلقُلوبِ عَلى الطَبَع

Nor have I seen a keen sword faulted for its polish,

Never did I espy in him a fault to reprove him for,

Yet dear to hearts while rusted.

And love for hearts was native to his nature.

وَقالوا غُلامٌ زَيَّنَ الشَيبُ رَأسَهُ

وَقالوا غُلامٌ زَيَّنَ الشَيبُ رَأسَهُ

فَبُعداً لِرَأسٍ زانَهُ الشَيبُ وَالنَزَع

فَبُعداً لِرَأسٍ زانَهُ الشَيبُ وَالنَزَع

And they said, 'A youth—gray hair has adorned his head!'

And they said, "A boy whose head grey hair made beautiful!"

Then away with a head adorned by gray hair and a receding hairline!

So fie on the head made fair by greyness and decay!

تَسَلّى الغَواني عَنهُ مِن بَعدِ صَبوَةٍ

تَسَلّى الغَواني عَنهُ مِن بَعدِ صَبوَةٍ

وَما أَبعَدَ النَبتَ الهَشيمَ مِنَ النُجَع

وَما أَبعَدَ النَبتَ الهَشيمَ مِنَ النُجَع

The beauties have ceased to yearn for him after their infatuation;

The loves forgot him after the ardour of passion subsided,

And how far withered herbage is from the quest for pasture!

And how far is the wind-blown trace from the camp!

وَكُنَّ يُخَرِّقنَ السُجوفَ إِذا بَدا

وَكُنَّ يُخَرِّقنَ السُجوفَ إِذا بَدا

فَصِرنَ يُرَقِّعنَ الحُروقَ إِذا طَلَع

فَصِرنَ يُرَقِّعنَ الحُروقَ إِذا طَلَع

And they used to tear the curtains whenever he appeared,

And they were wont to rend the bosoms when he appeared,

But now they patch the rents whenever he comes into view.

Then busied themselves patching up the rents when he was gone.