أَرى الشَّيْخَ يَكْرَهُ في نَفسِهِ

أَرى الشَّيْخَ يَكْرَهُ في نَفسِهِ

مَشِيباً أفاضَ عَلَيهِ النهارا

مَشِيباً أفاضَ عَلَيهِ النهارا

I see the old man loathe within himself

I see the old man hating in himself

gray hair that has poured daylight over him,

The greyness that the days have poured upon him,

وضَعفاً يَهُدُّ قُوَى جِسْمِهِ

وضَعفاً يَهُدُّ قُوَى جِسْمِهِ

ويَنقُلُ مِنهُ خُطاهُ قصارا

ويَنقُلُ مِنهُ خُطاهُ قصارا

and weakness that saps his body's strength

And weakness that makes his body frail

and makes the steps he takes short.

And shortens his strides.

فَكَيفَ يُجَشِّمُها طِفلةً

فَكَيفَ يُجَشِّمُها طِفلةً

يطير بها القلبُ عنه نِفارا

يطير بها القلبُ عنه نِفارا

How, then, can he impose himself on a young girl,

How can he desire a young girl

whose heart sends her flying from him in aversion?

Whose heart flutters away from him in disgust?

وعارٌ على الشَّيخِ تقريبُهُ

وعارٌ على الشَّيخِ تقريبُهُ

فتاةً ترى قُرْبَةً منه عارا

فتاةً ترى قُرْبَةً منه عارا

And it is shameful for the old man to bring near

Shame on the old man who woos

a maiden who deems closeness to him a disgrace.

A girl who sees nearness to him as disgrace!

وقد جُبِلَ الغانياتُ الصّغارُ

وقد جُبِلَ الغانياتُ الصّغارُ

على بُغْضِهِنّ الشيوخَ الكبارا

على بُغْضِهِنّ الشيوخَ الكبارا

And young beauties have been formed by nature

Young girls are created

to hate old men of advanced years.

To hate old men, however great.