لَمّا طَوَتكَ الأَربَعو

لَمّا طَوَتكَ الأَربَعو

نَ وَآنَ لِلعُمرِ اِنقِراضُ

نَ وَآنَ لِلعُمرِ اِنقِراضُ

When forty years had enfolded you,

When forty years enfolded you

and life's end had drawn near,

And the prime of life was at its end

جادَ الشَبابُ بِنَفسِهِ

جادَ الشَبابُ بِنَفسِهِ

وَبَدا بِعارِضِكَ البَياضُ

وَبَدا بِعارِضِكَ البَياضُ

youth gave up its life,

Youth bid farewell on its own accord

and white appeared on the side of your beard.

And whiteness began to descend upon your temples

فَمتى أَطَفتَ بِلَذَّةٍ

فَمتى أَطَفتَ بِلَذَّةٍ

فَلِعارِضٍ فيها اِعتِراضُ

فَلِعارِضٍ فيها اِعتِراضُ

So whenever you drew near to a pleasure,

So whenever you take pleasure

some hindrance stood in its way.

In something which meets disapproval

سُقياً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَت

سُقياً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَت

وَكَأَنَّ أَوجُهَها الرِياضُ

وَكَأَنَّ أَوجُهَها الرِياضُ

May rain bless the days gone by,

Offer it as drink to days gone by

with faces that seemed like gardens—

While their pastures appear to be meadows

أَيّامَ يَدعونا الهَوى

أَيّامَ يَدعونا الهَوى

وَتَقودُنا الحدقُ المِراضُ

وَتَقودُنا الحدقُ المِراضُ

days when passion called us,

Days wherein desire beckons us

and languid eyes led us.

And sickly eyes lead us astray