نَهْنَهَتِ الخَمسونَ مِنْ شِدَّتي

نَهْنَهَتِ الخَمسونَ مِنْ شِدَّتي

وضَيّقَتْ خَطْوِيَ بعدَ اتِّساعْ

وضَيّقَتْ خَطْوِيَ بعدَ اتِّساعْ

The age of fifty has curbed my vigor,

Fifty years have weakened my strength

And narrowed my stride, once so wide,

And narrowed my steps after their breadth

وأتْحَفَتْني خَوَراً ظَاهِراً

وأتْحَفَتْني خَوَراً ظَاهِراً

وكُنْتُ قبلَ الشّيْبِ عَيْنَ الشُّجاعْ

وكُنْتُ قبلَ الشّيْبِ عَيْنَ الشُّجاعْ

And gifted me with evident frailty,

And adorned me with apparent frailty

And before gray hair, I was courage itself.

Though before old age I was the epitome of courage

تَعْتَرِفُ النّفْسُ ببعضِ القوى

تَعْتَرِفُ النّفْسُ ببعضِ القوى

فَأُمْسِكُ النّفْسَ ببعضِ الخِداعْ

فَأُمْسِكُ النّفْسَ ببعضِ الخِداعْ

The soul admits to some strength,

The soul admits to some of its powers

So I restrain the soul with a little deception.

So I restrain it with some deception

أَنْسَاني الدَّهْرُ ولَمْ يَنْسَني

أَنْسَاني الدَّهْرُ ولَمْ يَنْسَني

والمَوت قَدْ يُودي بِمَنْ في الرَّضَاعْ

والمَوت قَدْ يُودي بِمَنْ في الرَّضَاعْ

Time has made me forget, yet has not forgotten me,

Time has made me forget but I have not forgotten time

And death may carry off one still at the breast.

And death can claim even those at the breast