نامَ العَواذِلُ وَاِستَكفَينَ لائِمَتي

نامَ العَواذِلُ وَاِستَكفَينَ لائِمَتي

وَقَد كَفاهُنَّ نَهضُ البيضِ في السودِ

وَقَد كَفاهُنَّ نَهضُ البيضِ في السودِ

The reproaching women have fallen asleep and are spared rebuking me;

The reproachers have reproached me, finding fault with me,

And the rise of white hairs among the black has already sufficed them.

Though the hoariness on my temples should suffice.

الشَيبُ كُرهٌ وَكُرهٌ أَن يُفارِقَني

الشَيبُ كُرهٌ وَكُرهٌ أَن يُفارِقَني

أَعجِب بِشَيءٍ عَلى البَغضاءِ مَودودِ

أَعجِب بِشَيءٍ عَلى البَغضاءِ مَودودِ

Gray hair is hateful, and hateful too is its leaving me.

Grey hairs I hate, yet more I hate to part with them.

Marvel at a thing beloved despite being hated!

I still have tender affection for one who hates me.

يَمضي الشَبابُ وَقَد يَأتي لَهُ خَلَفٌ

يَمضي الشَبابُ وَقَد يَأتي لَهُ خَلَفٌ

وَالشَيبُ يَذهَبُ مَفقوداً بِمَفقودِ

وَالشَيبُ يَذهَبُ مَفقوداً بِمَفقودِ

Youth passes, and a successor may come in its place;

Youth passes, but another may come in its place;

And gray hair departs, lost along with its lost bearer.

Grey hairs, once gone, are gone beyond recall.