إِذا ما الشَيبُ جارَ عَلى الشَبابِ

إِذا ما الشَيبُ جارَ عَلى الشَبابِ

فَعاجِلهُ وَغالِط في الحِسابِ

فَعاجِلهُ وَغالِط في الحِسابِ

If gray hair encroaches upon youth,

When grey hairs impose on youthful locks

then attack it at once and cheat in the reckoning.

Hurry and make mistakes in your counts

وَقُل لا مَرحَباً بِكَ مِن نَزيلٍ

وَقُل لا مَرحَباً بِكَ مِن نَزيلٍ

وَعَذِّبهُ بِأَنواعِ العَذابِ

وَعَذِّبهُ بِأَنواعِ العَذابِ

And say, 'No welcome to you as a guest!'

And say, no welcome to you, my guest

And torment it with various kinds of torture:

And torment him with all kinds of torments

بِنَتفٍ أَو بِقَصّ كُلّ يَومٍ

بِنَتفٍ أَو بِقَصّ كُلّ يَومٍ

وَأَحياناً بِمَكروهِ الخِضابِ

وَأَحياناً بِمَكروهِ الخِضابِ

by plucking or clipping every day,

With plucking or cutting each day

and sometimes with the unpleasantness of dyeing.

And sometimes with hated dye

فَإِن هُوَ لَم يحر وَأَتى لِوَقتٍ

فَإِن هُوَ لَم يحر وَأَتى لِوَقتٍ

فَقُل في رُحبِ دارٍ وَاِقتِرابِ

فَقُل في رُحبِ دارٍ وَاِقتِرابِ

But if it does not retreat and has come in due time,

If he does not yield and comes in due time

then say, 'You are welcome to a spacious home and close company.'

Say in the expanse of a house and proximity

وَلا تَعرِض لَهُ إِلّا بِخَيرٍ

وَلا تَعرِض لَهُ إِلّا بِخَيرٍ

وَإِن عَدّى عَلى شَرخِ الشَبابِ

وَإِن عَدّى عَلى شَرخِ الشَبابِ

And treat it with nothing but kindness,

And do not expose him except with goodness

even if it assails the prime of youth.

Even if he transcends the rift of youth

وَخُذ لِلشَيبِ أُهبَتَهُ وَبادِر

وَخُذ لِلشَيبِ أُهبَتَهُ وَبادِر

وَخَلِّ عِنانَ رَحلِكَ لِلذهابِ

وَخَلِّ عِنانَ رَحلِكَ لِلذهابِ

And make due preparation for gray hair, and hasten,

Take the grey hairs their bundles and race ahead

and give your mount free rein to depart.

And release the reins of your mount to depart

فَقَد جَدَّ الرَحيلُ وَأَنتَ مِمَّن

فَقَد جَدَّ الرَحيلُ وَأَنتَ مِمَّن

يَسيرُ عَلى مُقَدِّمَةِ الرِكابِ

يَسيرُ عَلى مُقَدِّمَةِ الرِكابِ

For departure has grown urgent, and you are among those

The caravan has indeed moved on while you

who travel at the head of the camel caravan.

Walk at the forefront of the riders