لَقَدindeed عَجِبَتwas 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 was indeed astonished—and that is astonishing.
Salma was amazed, and that is amazing
She saw gray hair on me, hastened by calamities.
She saw some white hairs on me, worries brought on early
وَماand not شَيَّبَتنيturned me gray كِبرَةٌold age غَيرَbut أَنَّنيthat I am
وَما شَيَّبَتني كِبرَةٌ غَيرَ أَنَّني
بِدَهرٍin an age بِهِin it رَأسُhead الفَطيمِthe weanling يَشيبُturns gray
بِدَهرٍ بِهِ رَأسُ الفَطيمِ يَشيبُ
And old age did not turn me gray; rather, I am
It was not old age that whitened me, but
in an age in which even a weanling's head turns gray.
In a time when even the youth's head turns white