الغانياتbeautiful women عهودُهنَّtheir vows
الغانيات عهودُهنَّ
الىtoward انصرامٍan ending وانفضابِand severance (likely intended: وانقضاب)
الى انصرامٍ وانفضابِ
Beautiful women—their vows
are bound to end and be broken.
مَنwhoever شابَgrows gray شِبنthey mix (read as شُبْنَ) لهfor him المودّaffection (continued next line)
مَن شابَ شِبن له المودّ
ةَcompletion of “affection” بالخديعةِwith deceit والكِذابِand lies
ةَ بالخديعةِ والكِذابِ
For him who grows gray, they mix their affection
with deceit and lies.
فانعمso take delight بهنَّin them وزَندُand the fire-stick of سِنَّكَyour age
فانعم بهنَّ وزَندُ سِنَّكَ
فيin الشبيّبةyouth غيرُnot كابيfailing to spark
في الشبيّبة غيرُ كابي
So delight in them, while the fire-stick of your age
in youth has not yet failed to spark.
كاas long as (likely intended: ما) دمتَyou remain فيamid وَرَقِthe leaves of الصِبّاyouth
كا دمتَ في وَرَقِ الصِبّا
وغصونهِand its boughs الخُضرِgreen الرّطابِfresh and tender
وغصونهِ الخُضرِ الرّطابِ
As long as you remain amid youth’s leaves
and its green, tender boughs,
فانعَمso take delight بأيّامin the days of الصِبّاyouth
فانعَم بأيّام الصِبّا
واخلعand cast off عِذارَكyour bridle فيin التَّصابيyouthful play
واخلع عِذارَك في التَّصابي
delight in the days of youth,
and cast off your bridle in youthful play.
أعطِgive الشّبابyouth نصيبَهits share
أعطِ الشّباب نصيبَه
ماas long as دمتَyou remain تُعذرُyou are excused بالشّبابِon account of youth
ما دمتَ تُعذرُ بالشّبابِ
Give youth its share,
as long as you are excused on account of youth.