رقَم المشيب بصفح فودك أحرفاً

رقَم المشيب بصفح فودك أحرفاً

منها تعرف ذو الحجا متعرّفا

منها تعرف ذو الحجا متعرّفا

Gray hair inscribed letters on the surface of your temple;

The marks of white hair wrote on your cheek letters

From them the discerning man learned, seeking understanding.

By which the wise could recognize and comprehend

فك الشباب رموزها فتصعدت

فك الشباب رموزها فتصعدت

زفرات ملتهب الضلوع تلهفا

زفرات ملتهب الضلوع تلهفا

Youth deciphered their symbols, and there rose

When the codes of youth were unraveled, there arose

The sighs of one whose ribs were aflame, in anguish.

Sighs from a breast aflame, yearning intensely

ما ذاك إلا أن أخبار النوى

ما ذاك إلا أن أخبار النوى

وردت بفرقة شمله فتخوفا

وردت بفرقة شمله فتخوفا

That was only because tidings of separation

That was only because tidings of resolve

Arrived with the sundering of his company, and he grew afraid.

Came with the separation of its parts, frightening

ما بعد وخط الشيب زجر فلتكن

ما بعد وخط الشيب زجر فلتكن

لوقوع خطو خطوبه متشوقا

لوقوع خطو خطوبه متشوقا

Beyond gray hair’s first flecks there is no further warning; so be

After the line of white hair, let rebuke be

Eagerly awaiting the footfall of its calamities.

For the occurrence of steps of betrothal, eagerly

وإذا بدا للزهر حسن نضارة

وإذا بدا للزهر حسن نضارة

فمال نضرة حسنه أن يقطفا

فمال نضرة حسنه أن يقطفا

And when a flower’s fresh beauty appears,

And when the flower shows the beauty of blossoming

The fate of its beauty’s bloom is to be plucked.

Why should the fairness of its beauty be plucked?

قد آن أن يبكى المضيع ما مضى

قد آن أن يبكى المضيع ما مضى

عنه ويندب من أسا ما أسلفا

عنه ويندب من أسا ما أسلفا

The time has come for the squanderer to weep for what has passed

It is time for the squanderer to weep what is past

Him by, and for the wrongdoer to mourn what he did before.

And mourn what he wasted in days gone by

يا نائما أيقظ جفونك وانتبه

يا نائما أيقظ جفونك وانتبه

قد سل قاطع سبل عمرك مرهفا

قد سل قاطع سبل عمرك مرهفا

O sleeper, rouse your eyelids and awaken!

O you who sleep, awaken your eyelids and be aware

He who severs the paths of your life has drawn a sharpened blade.

That a terminator has asked the path of your life persistently

سل ناصعا من مفرقيك تجد به

سل ناصعا من مفرقيك تجد به

مهما تسله زاجرا متعنفا

مهما تسله زاجرا متعنفا

Ask a bright-white hair from your temples; you will find in it,

Asking brilliantly from your temples, you will find with it

Whatever you ask it, a harsh rebuker.

However much you ask of it, an impeding deterrent

ينبيك انك لا محالة راحلٌ

ينبيك انك لا محالة راحلٌ

فاحذر نذيراً قد أتاك مخوفا

فاحذر نذيراً قد أتاك مخوفا

It tells you that you will inevitably depart;

It warns you that you inevitably will depart

So beware a fearsome warner who has come to you.

So beware, a warner has come to you frightening

أرسلت ويك عنان نفسك في الهوى

أرسلت ويك عنان نفسك في الهوى

أمسك فقد أجهدت طرفك ما كفى

أمسك فقد أجهدت طرفك ما كفى

You have loosed your soul’s rein into desire—woe to you!

You let your soul loose in passion

Rein it in: you have exhausted your steed enough.

Restrain it, for you have exhausted your eyes - enough!

حتى متى وإلى متى لا ترعوى

حتى متى وإلى متى لا ترعوى

قف في مغاني عطفه مستعطفا

قف في مغاني عطفه مستعطفا

How long, until when, will you not desist?

How long, to what extent will you not take heed?

Stand in the abodes of His compassion, seeking compassion.

Stop in the resting places of its affection, pleading

فعساه أن يدنيك منه تكرما

فعساه أن يدنيك منه تكرما

ويجود بالرحمى عليك تعطفا

ويجود بالرحمى عليك تعطفا

Perhaps He will graciously draw you near to Him,

Hoping that it may draw you near in generosity

And generously bestow mercy upon you, out of compassion.

And bestow kindness upon you in mercy

ذب يا خليلي حسرة وتأسفاً

ذب يا خليلي حسرة وتأسفاً

إن كان يغنى أن تذوب تأسفا

إن كان يغنى أن تذوب تأسفا

Melt, my friend, in grief and regret,

Repent, my dear friend, in sorrow and regret

If melting in regret can be of any avail.

If regretting might avail when you melt in regret

والزم مقام الذل دهرك واغتنم

والزم مقام الذل دهرك واغتنم

ساعات عمر قد أطل على شفا

ساعات عمر قد أطل على شفا

And keep to the station of humility all your life, and seize

And keep to the station of lowliness your lifetime and seize

The hours of a life already poised on the brink.

The hours of a life that has turned toward recovery

لا أبعد الرحمن أهل عزائم

لا أبعد الرحمن أهل عزائم

سحو الدموع الهاطلات الرعفا

سحو الدموع الهاطلات الرعفا

May the All-Merciful never banish those of firm resolve,

Turn not away, Most Merciful, people of determination

Who poured forth streaming tears of blood.

Whose pouring tears flowed copiously

قاموا على قدم الوفاء لربهم

قاموا على قدم الوفاء لربهم

رغدوا على باب المكارم عكّفا

رغدوا على باب المكارم عكّفا

They stood on the footing of faithfulness to their Lord;

They stood by the covenant of loyalty to their Lord

They dwelt at ease, devotedly abiding at the gate of generosity.

Content at the door of favors, devoted

بدما الجفون خدودَهُم قد خددوا

بدما الجفون خدودَهُم قد خددوا

وتوسلوا فيما جنوا بالمصطفى

وتوسلوا فيما جنوا بالمصطفى

With blood from their eyelids they had furrowed their cheeks,

With the blood of their eyes, their cheeks they reddened

And sought intercession through the Chosen One for their offenses.

And they pleaded for what they sinned through al-Mustafa

فأحلهم روض الرضا بجواره

فأحلهم روض الرضا بجواره

وأجل قدرهم لديه وشرقا

وأجل قدرهم لديه وشرقا

So He settled them in the garden of His favor, beside Him,

So He settled them in the garden of pleasure beside Him

And exalted their standing with Him and made it radiant [reading uncertain].

And exalted their worth with Him, orienting them

يا رب لا تطرد عبيدا واقفاً

يا رب لا تطرد عبيدا واقفاً

يهمى الدموع الطيبات الوكفا

يهمى الدموع الطيبات الوكفا

O Lord, do not drive away a lowly servant who stands,

O Lord, do not dismiss a servant standing

Shedding pure tears in showers.

Whose fine, pure tears pour forth

فلأنت أكرم موئل يا سيدي

فلأنت أكرم موئل يا سيدي

عن عبده فيما جناه قد عفا

عن عبده فيما جناه قد عفا

For You are the most generous refuge, O my Master—

For You are most generous refuge, my Master

One who has pardoned His servant for what he committed.

In forgiving Your servant what he has sinned