الشَيبُgray hair مِنfrom بَعدِafter الصِباyouth
الشَيبُ مِن بَعدِ الصِبا
كَالفَقرِlike poverty مِنfrom بَعدِafter الغِنىwealth
كَالفَقرِ مِن بَعدِ الغِنى
Gray hair after youth
Old age after youth
is like poverty after wealth.
Is like poverty after wealth
فَسَبيلُso the course of مِنone who أَضحىhas become نَهاday- (first part of نهاراً)
فَسَبيلُ مِن أَضحى نَها
راً-light (completion of نهاراً) مِنfrom عِذارَيهِhis two sideburns الدُجىthe darkness
راً مِن عِذارَيهِ الدُجى
So the course for one in whom day-
So my path now that night has fallen
light has replaced the darkness of his sideburns
Is lighted only by piety's lamps
أَلاthat he not يُرىbe seen مُتَعَلِّقاًclinging
أَلا يُرى مُتَعَلِّقاً
إِلّاexcept بِأَسبابِto the bonds of التُقىpiety
إِلّا بِأَسبابِ التُقى
is not to be seen clinging
Behold me clinging
except to the bonds of piety.
To naught but godliness's robes