وَلَقَد قَضَيتُ وَإِن تَجَلَّلَ لِمَّتي

وَلَقَد قَضَيتُ وَإِن تَجَلَّلَ لِمَّتي

شَيبٌ عَلى رَغمِ العِدا لَذّاتي

شَيبٌ عَلى رَغمِ العِدا لَذّاتي

And I have indulged—though my locks were mantled

Though time may pass, as long as I live

in gray, despite my foes—in my pleasures:

Gray hairs cannot subdue my pleasure

مِن كاعِباتٍ كَالدُمى وَمَناصِفٍ

مِن كاعِباتٍ كَالدُمى وَمَناصِفٍ

وَمَراكِبٍ لِلصَّيدِ وَالنَشَواتِ

وَمَراكِبٍ لِلصَّيدِ وَالنَشَواتِ

of budding-breasted maidens like statuettes, and attendants,

In swift racer horses, fine robes

and mounts for hunting, and drunken raptures,

Hunting gear and festive joys,

في فِتيَةٍ تَأبى الهَوانَ وَجوهُهُم

في فِتيَةٍ تَأبى الهَوانَ وَجوهُهُم

شُمِّ الأُنوفِ جَحاجِحٍ ساداتِ

شُمِّ الأُنوفِ جَحاجِحٍ ساداتِ

among young men whose faces spurn humiliation,

In spirited youths whose lordly faces

lofty-nosed, mighty chieftains and lords.

Scorn baseness like hawks disdain carrion,

إِن يَطلُبوا بِتَراتِهِم يُعطَوا بِها

إِن يَطلُبوا بِتَراتِهِم يُعطَوا بِها

أَو يُطلَبوا لا يُدرَكوا بِتَراتِ

أَو يُطلَبوا لا يُدرَكوا بِتَراتِ

If they seek vengeance for wrongs done them, they obtain it;

Who when asked for favors, grant them,

or, if pursued, no vengeance can be exacted from them.

And who cannot be caught when they withhold them.