لاdo not تَفخَرَنَّever boast بِلِحيَةٍof a beard
لا تَفخَرَنَّ بِلِحيَةٍ
كَثُرَتhave grown numerous مَنابِتُهاits hair-roots طَويلَةlong
كَثُرَت مَنابِتُها طَويلَة
Do not ever boast of a beard
Do not boast of a beard
that grows thick and long.
Whose thick growth is lengthy
تَهويsweep بِهاwith it هُوَجُraging الرِياthe winds (first part)
تَهوي بِها هُوَجُ الرِيا
حِfinal part of 'winds' كَأَنَّهاas though it were ذَنَبُtail of الحَسيلَةthe heifer
حِ كَأَنَّها ذَنَبُ الحَسيلَة
The raging winds sweep it about,
By it pretensions are blown
as though it were a heifer's tail.
As if it were a tail of misery
قَدmay يُدرِكُattain الشَرَفَhonor الفَتىthe young man
قَد يُدرِكُ الشَرَفَ الفَتى
يَوماًone day وَلِحيَتُهُwhile his beard قَليلَةsparse
يَوماً وَلِحيَتُهُ قَليلَة
A young man may attain honor
The young man may attain glory
one day, though his beard is sparse.
One day though his beard be scanty
Sol 6.1