أمِنْ بعد ستّينَ قد جُزتُها

أمِنْ بعد ستّينَ قد جُزتُها

تعجّب أسماءُ من شيبتي

تعجّب أسماءُ من شيبتي

Is it after sixty years I have lived through

After sixty years that I have lived

that Asmāʾ marvels at my gray hair?

Asma is surprised at my greying hair

وأعجبُ من ذاك لوْ ما كَبِرْتُ

وأعجبُ من ذاك لوْ ما كَبِرْتُ

وَلَم يَنزلِ الشّيبُ في لِمّتِي

وَلَم يَنزلِ الشّيبُ في لِمّتِي

And stranger than that would be if I had not grown old

But I’m more surprised if I hadn’t aged

and gray hair had not settled in my locks.

And grey hairs didn’t descend upon my temples

فَإِن كُنتِ تأبَيْنَ شيبَ العِذار

فَإِن كُنتِ تأبَيْنَ شيبَ العِذار

فكمْ خُيّبَ المرءُ من مُنْيَةِ

فكمْ خُيّبَ المرءُ من مُنْيَةِ

So if you reject the graying of the sideburns,

If you resent the greying of my hair

many a wish has been denied to man.

Then how many hopes has man been denied

وَإِنْ أَنتِ يَوماً تخيّرتِ لي

وَإِنْ أَنتِ يَوماً تخيّرتِ لي

فَشيبِيَ أصلحُ من مِيتتِي

فَشيبِيَ أصلحُ من مِيتتِي

And if one day you choose for me,

And if one day you get to choose for me

then my gray hair is better than my death.

My greying hair is better than my death

فَلا تَغضبي مِن صَنيعِ الزّمانِ

فَلا تَغضبي مِن صَنيعِ الزّمانِ

فما لكِ شيءٌ سوى الغضبةِ

فما لكِ شيءٌ سوى الغضبةِ

So do not be angry at time’s handiwork,

So don’t be angry at what time has done

for you have nothing but anger.

For you have nothing left except anger