هَمَمْتُ لأَنْ أُقَبِّلَها بِشَيْبِي

هَمَمْتُ لأَنْ أُقَبِّلَها بِشَيْبِي

فَأَبْدَتْ عِنْدَ ذَا سِمَةَ الْقُنُوطِ

فَأَبْدَتْ عِنْدَ ذَا سِمَةَ الْقُنُوطِ

I meant to kiss her, gray-haired as I was;

so at this she showed a sign of despair.

وَقَالَتْ لِي رَأَيْتُكَ فِي حَيَاتِي

وَقَالَتْ لِي رَأَيْتُكَ فِي حَيَاتِي

جَعَلْتَ بِمَبْسِمِي قُطْنَ الْحَنُوطِ

جَعَلْتَ بِمَبْسِمِي قُطْنَ الْحَنُوطِ

And she said to me, 'I have seen you, while I still live,

place cotton scented for burial upon my lips.'