لا حينَ صَبرٍ فَخَلِّ الدَمعَ يَنهَمِلُ

لا حينَ صَبرٍ فَخَلِّ الدَمعَ يَنهَمِلُ

فَقدُ الشَبابِ بِفَقدِ الروحِ مُتَّصِلُ

فَقدُ الشَبابِ بِفَقدِ الروحِ مُتَّصِلُ

This is no time for patience; let the tears flow freely.

No respite when patience departs and tears flow

The loss of youth is bound to the loss of the soul.

Youth is linked to the soul's loss when it's gone

سَقياً وَرَعياً لِأَيّامِ الشَبابِ وَإِن

سَقياً وَرَعياً لِأَيّامِ الشَبابِ وَإِن

لَم يَبقَ مِنهُ لَهُ رَسمٌ وَلا طَلَلُ

لَم يَبقَ مِنهُ لَهُ رَسمٌ وَلا طَلَلُ

May rain and care bless the days of youth, even though

To tend and shepherd my youthful days though

no trace or ruined remnant of it remains for him.

No vestige nor ruins of it remain

جَرَّ الزَمانُ ذُيولاً في مَفارِقِهِ

جَرَّ الزَمانُ ذُيولاً في مَفارِقِهِ

وَلِلزَمانِ عَلى إِحسانِهِ عِلَلُ

وَلِلزَمانِ عَلى إِحسانِهِ عِلَلُ

Time has dragged its skirts through the partings of his hair,

Time has dragged its train in our parting

and Time, for all its kindness, has its flaws.

And for time's kindness endless excuses remain

وَرُبَّما جَرَّ أَذيالَ الصِبا مَرَحاً

وَرُبَّما جَرَّ أَذيالَ الصِبا مَرَحاً

وَبَينَ بُردَيهِ غُصنٌ ناعِمٌ خَضِلُ

وَبَينَ بُردَيهِ غُصنٌ ناعِمٌ خَضِلُ

And many a time he trailed youth's skirts in delight,

Sometimes youth frolics, its gown flowing

and between his two cloaks was a tender, lush bough.

Between its folds a soft, tender branch sways

يُصبي الغَواني وَيَزهاهُ بِشِرَّتِهِ

يُصبي الغَواني وَيَزهاهُ بِشِرَّتِهِ

شَرخُ الشَبابِ وَثَوبٌ حالِكٌ رَجلُ

شَرخُ الشَبابِ وَثَوبٌ حالِكٌ رَجلُ

He captivates fair women, and in his ardor is made proud by

It cheers the flirts and adorns with its liveliness

youth in its prime and a jet-black, flowing mantle.

The prime of youth and a shabby, worn cloak

لا تَكذِبَنَّ فَما الدُنيا بِأَجمَعِها

لا تَكذِبَنَّ فَما الدُنيا بِأَجمَعِها

مِنَ الشَبابِ بِيَومٍ واحِدٍ بَدَلُ

مِنَ الشَبابِ بِيَومٍ واحِدٍ بَدَلُ

Do not lie: all the world together

Do not lie, nothing in this world

is no substitute for a single day of youth.

Can for a single day replace one's youth

كَفاكَ بِالشَيبِ عَيباً عِندَ غانِيَةٍ

كَفاكَ بِالشَيبِ عَيباً عِندَ غانِيَةٍ

وَبِالشَبابِ شَفيعاً أَيُّها الرَجُلُ

وَبِالشَبابِ شَفيعاً أَيُّها الرَجُلُ

Gray hair is enough of a flaw in a beauty's eyes,

Gray hair is disgrace enough for a flirt

and youth enough of an intercessor, O man.

While youth intercedes, O man

بانَ الشَبابُ وَوَلّى عَنكَ باطِلُهُ

بانَ الشَبابُ وَوَلّى عَنكَ باطِلُهُ

فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ مِنكَ اللَهوُ وَالغَزَلُ

فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ مِنكَ اللَهوُ وَالغَزَلُ

Youth has departed, and its frivolity has left you;

Youth has gone, its vanity turned from you

so amusement and courtship no longer befit you.

Revelry and amorous verse no more suit you

أَمّا الغَواني فَقَد أَعرَضنَ عَنكَ قِلىً

أَمّا الغَواني فَقَد أَعرَضنَ عَنكَ قِلىً

وَكانَ إِعراضُهُنَّ الدَلُّ وَالخَجَلُ

وَكانَ إِعراضُهُنَّ الدَلُّ وَالخَجَلُ

As for the beauties, they have turned from you in loathing,

The flirts have turned away, caring little

though once their turning away was coyness and bashfulness.

Their indifference the proof and shame

أَعَرنَكَ الهَجرَ ما ناحَت مُطَوَّقَةٌ

أَعَرنَكَ الهَجرَ ما ناحَت مُطَوَّقَةٌ

فَلا وِصالٌ وَلا عَهدٌ وَلا رُسُلُ

فَلا وِصالٌ وَلا عَهدٌ وَلا رُسُلُ

They have lent you estrangement for as long as a collared dove laments;

They shun you, no bond nor troth remains

so no reunion, no pledge, and no messengers.

No union, no covenant, no messages come

لَيتَ المَنايا أَصابَتني بِأَسهُمِها

لَيتَ المَنايا أَصابَتني بِأَسهُمِها

فَكُنَّ يَبكينَ عَهدي قَبلَ أَكتَهِلُ

فَكُنَّ يَبكينَ عَهدي قَبلَ أَكتَهِلُ

Would that the fates of death had struck me with their arrows,

Would that death had stricken me with its arrows

so they would mourn my memory before I reached middle age.

So they'd cry for me before I was fully grown

عَهدَ الشَبابِ لَقَد أَبقَيتَ لي حَزَناً

عَهدَ الشَبابِ لَقَد أَبقَيتَ لي حَزَناً

ماجَدَّ ذِكرُكَ إِلّا جَدَّ ثَكَلُ

ماجَدَّ ذِكرُكَ إِلّا جَدَّ ثَكَلُ

O season of youth, you have indeed left me sorrow;

The days of my youth left me but sorrow

whenever your memory is renewed, bereavement is renewed.

Its memory stirs no more but barren grief

إِنَّ الشَبابَ إِذا ماحَلَّ رائِدُهُ

إِنَّ الشَبابَ إِذا ماحَلَّ رائِدُهُ

في مَنهَلٍ رادَ يَقفو إِثرَهُ أَجَلُ

في مَنهَلٍ رادَ يَقفو إِثرَهُ أَجَلُ

Indeed, whenever youth's scout alights

When a scout's youth starts to fade

at a watering place, death goes scouting, following his trail.

Death stalks his trail, eager to seal his fate