أَلا لا مَرحَباً بِفراقِ لَيلى

أَلا لا مَرحَباً بِفراقِ لَيلى

وَلا بِالشَيبِ إِذ طَرَدَ الشَبابا

وَلا بِالشَيبِ إِذ طَرَدَ الشَبابا

Ah, no welcome to parting from Layla,

No welcome to parting with Layla

nor to gray hair, when it drove youth away.

Nor to old age when youth is banished

شَبابٌ بانَ مَحموداً وَشَيبٌ

شَبابٌ بانَ مَحموداً وَشَيبٌ

ذَميمٌ لَم نَجِد لَهُما اِصطِحابا

ذَميمٌ لَم نَجِد لَهُما اِصطِحابا

Praiseworthy youth has departed, and gray hair

Youthfulness passes commended and eld

is blameworthy; we have found no companionship between them.

Is detested - for both no companions found I

فَما مِنكَ الشَبابُ وَلَستَ مِنهُ

فَما مِنكَ الشَبابُ وَلَستَ مِنهُ

إِذا سَأَلَتكَ لِحيَتُكَ الخِضابا

إِذا سَأَلَتكَ لِحيَتُكَ الخِضابا

So youth is not yours, nor do you belong to it,

So youth is not yours and you are not its

when your beard asks you for dye.

If your beard of you color demands

وَما يَرجو الكَبيرُ مِنَ الغَواني

وَما يَرجو الكَبيرُ مِنَ الغَواني

إِذا ذَهَبَت شَبيبَتُهُ وَشابا

إِذا ذَهَبَت شَبيبَتُهُ وَشابا

And what can an old man hope for from beautiful women

Nor can old man hope for loves young delight

when his youth has gone and he has turned gray?

When his youth is gone and prime has taken flight