قَوّسَbent ظَهريmy back المشيبُgray hair والكبَرُand old age
قَوّسَ ظَهري المشيبُ والكبَرُ
والدَّهرُand time ياO عَمروAmr كُلُّهall of it عبَرُlessons
والدَّهرُ يا عَمرو كُلُّه عبَرُ
Gray hair and old age have bent my back into a bow;
Gray hair and old age have bowed my back.
And time, O ʿAmr, is nothing but lessons.
And time, O Amr, is nothing but lessons.
كأَنّنيas though I والعَصاand the staff تدِبُّcreeps معيwith me
كأَنّني والعَصا تدِبُّ معي
قوسٌa bow لهاfor it وهيand it فيin يَدِيmy hand وَتَرُa bowstring
قوسٌ لها وهي في يَدِي وَتَرُ
As though, with the staff creeping beside me,
It is as though I, with the staff creeping along beside me,
I were its bow, while it, in my hand, were the bowstring.
were its bow, and it the bowstring in my hand.
