ذهَبُ الشَبابُ وَصِرتُ كَالخَلَقِ الَّذي

ذهَبُ الشَبابُ وَصِرتُ كَالخَلَقِ الَّذي

إِلّا تُعاجِلُهُ المَنِيَّةُ يَهمَدُ

إِلّا تُعاجِلُهُ المَنِيَّةُ يَهمَدُ

Youth has gone, and I have become like worn-out cloth that

Youth has departed and I became like one

wears away unless death swiftly overtakes it.

Whom nothing awakens till death comes to him.

حَتّى التَحَفتُ مِنَ المَشيبِ مُلاءَة

حَتّى التَحَفتُ مِنَ المَشيبِ مُلاءَة

عُقباكَ مِن شَعرِ الشَبابِ الأَسوَدِ

عُقباكَ مِن شَعرِ الشَبابِ الأَسوَدِ

Until I wrapped myself in a mantle of gray hair,

Till I was adorned by white hair instead

in your stead, replacing youth’s black hair.

Of black hair, the adornment of youth.