Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3211
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِمِنًى فَلَقِيَهُ عُثْمَانُ فَقَامَ مَعَهُ يُحَدِّثُهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَلاَ أُزَوِّجُكَ جَارِيَةً شَابَّةً فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تُذَكِّرَكَ بَعْضَ مَا مَضَى مِنْكَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَاكَ لَقَدْ قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ " .
Ahmad ibn Harb reported to us; he said: Abu Muawiyah narrated to us, from al-Amash, from Ibrahim, from Alqamah, who said: I was walking with Abd Allah at Mina when Uthman met him. Uthman stopped and spoke with him, then said: ‘Abu Abd al-Rahman, shall I marry you to a young woman? Perhaps she will remind you of some of what has passed from you.’ Abd Allah said: ‘Since you have said that, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did say to us: “Young men, whoever among you is able to marry should marry.”’
Translation notes
The source ends after the Prophet’s instruction to marry; it does not repeat the continuation of the hadith. Uthman’s phrase “remind you of some of what has passed from you” is kept close to the Arabic wording.
قَالَ كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِمِنًى فَلَقِيَهُ عُثْمَانُ فَقَامَ مَعَهُ يُحَدِّثُهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَلاَ أُزَوِّجُكَ جَارِيَةً شَابَّةً فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تُذَكِّرَكَ بَعْضَ مَا مَضَى مِنْكَ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَاكَ لَقَدْ قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ " .
The phrase تُذَكِّرَكَ بَعْضَ مَا مَضَى مِنْكَ literally says she may remind you of some of what has passed from you; the intended nuance is unclear.
Does this refer to renewing some aspect of his former youth or vitality?