لَقَدindeed عَجِبَتshe was astonished سَلمىSalma وَذاكَand that عَجيبُastonishing
لَقَد عَجِبَت سَلمى وَذاكَ عَجيبُ
رَأَتshe saw بِيَon me شَيباًgray hair عَجَّلَتهُhastened it خُطوبُcalamities
رَأَت بِيَ شَيباً عَجَّلَتهُ خُطوبُ
Salma marveled—and that itself is marvelous:
Salma was indeed astonished—and that is astonishing.
She saw gray hair in me, hastened by calamities.
She saw gray hair on me, hastened by calamities.
وَماand not شَيَّبَتنيturned me gray كِبرَةٌold age غَيرَexcept أَنَّنيthat I
وَما شَيَّبَتني كِبرَةٌ غَيرَ أَنَّني
بِدَهرٍin an age بِهِin it رَأسُhead الفَطيمِthe weaned child يَشيبُturns gray
بِدَهرٍ بِهِ رَأسُ الفَطيمِ يَشيبُ
It was not old age that turned me gray; it is only that I am
And old age has not turned me gray; it is only that I
in an age when even a newly weaned child’s head turns gray.
live in an age when a weaned child's head turns gray.
