في الشيبِ زَجرٌ لَهُ لَو كانَ يَنزجِرُ

في الشيبِ زَجرٌ لَهُ لَو كانَ يَنزجِرُ

وَبالِغٌ منه لَولا أَنَّهُ حَجَرُ

وَبالِغٌ منه لَولا أَنَّهُ حَجَرُ

In gray hair is a warning for him, if only he would take heed;

In old age there is reproach, if only he would heed reproach,

And it would take effect on him, were he not stone.

And admonition from it, were it not that he is stone.

إِبيضَّ واحمرَّ مِن فَوديهِ واِرتَجعَت

إِبيضَّ واحمرَّ مِن فَوديهِ واِرتَجعَت

جليّةُ الصبحِ ما قَد أَغفلَ السحرُ

جليّةُ الصبحِ ما قَد أَغفلَ السحرُ

The hair at his temples turned white and red, and

My temples turned white and red from his cheeks, and

Morning’s clear light reclaimed what the predawn had overlooked.

The bright morning returned that had missed the dawn.

وَللفتى مُهلةٌ في الحبِّ واسِعَةٌ

وَللفتى مُهلةٌ في الحبِّ واسِعَةٌ

ما لَم يَمت في نَواحي رأسِهِ الشعرُ

ما لَم يَمت في نَواحي رأسِهِ الشعرُ

And a young man has ample respite in love,

And the youth has ample scope in love

So long as the hair on the sides of his head has not died.

Unless the hair starts falling from the regions of his head.

قالَت مَشيبٌ وَعشقٌ رحتَ بينهما

قالَت مَشيبٌ وَعشقٌ رحتَ بينهما

وَذاكَ في ذاكَ ذَنَبٌ لَيسَ يُغتَفَرُ

وَذاكَ في ذاكَ ذَنَبٌ لَيسَ يُغتَفَرُ

She said, ‘Gray hair and passion—you have ended up between them;

"Grey hair and love?" she said; "You have wandered between them!"

And that, joined with that, is a sin that cannot be forgiven.’

"That is a sin in that not to be forgiven!"