وَشَيخٍ رَأَيتَ لَهُ لِحيَةً

وَشَيخٍ رَأَيتَ لَهُ لِحيَةً

أَشَدَّ بَياضاً مِنَ الدِرهَمِ

أَشَدَّ بَياضاً مِنَ الدِرهَمِ

And an old man you saw had a beard

An old man I saw with a beard

Whiter than a dirham.

Whiter than silver itself

فَلَمّا التَقَيتُ بِهِ في غَدٍ

فَلَمّا التَقَيتُ بِهِ في غَدٍ

بَدَت وَهيَ حَمراءُ مِثلُ الدَمِ

بَدَت وَهيَ حَمراءُ مِثلُ الدَمِ

Then, when I met him the next day,

Yet when next I met him at dawn

It appeared red as blood.

It seemed as red as fresh blood

فَقُلتُ لَقَد شِنتَ كافورَها

فَقُلتُ لَقَد شِنتَ كافورَها

بِهَذا الخَلوقِ وَلَم تَعلَمِ

بِهَذا الخَلوقِ وَلَم تَعلَمِ

So I said: You have indeed marred its camphor

I said “You have dyed its camphor

With this saffron perfume, without realizing it.

With henna, but little recked”

دَعِ العاجَ يَبقى عَلى حالِهِ

دَعِ العاجَ يَبقى عَلى حالِهِ

فَلِلعاجُ أَبهى مِنَ البَقمِ

فَلِلعاجُ أَبهى مِنَ البَقمِ

Let the ivory remain as it is,

“Let ivory be in its nature

For ivory is indeed lovelier than brazilwood.

For ivory's finer undecked”