قُل لِلمُدِلِّ بِلِحيَةٍ مَوفورَةٍ

قُل لِلمُدِلِّ بِلِحيَةٍ مَوفورَةٍ

وَسَمادُ لِحيَةِ كُلِّ أَلحى جَهلُهُ

وَسَمادُ لِحيَةِ كُلِّ أَلحى جَهلُهُ

Tell the man who struts with a luxuriant beard:

Say to the man who boasts of a luxuriant beard:

The manure that feeds every bearded man’s beard is his ignorance.

And the manure for every thick-bearded man's beard is his ignorance.

لا يُعجِبَنَّكَ طولُ بَندِكَ إِنَّهُ

لا يُعجِبَنَّكَ طولُ بَندِكَ إِنَّهُ

مَن طالَ لِحيَتُهُ تَكَوسَجَ عَقلُهُ

مَن طالَ لِحيَتُهُ تَكَوسَجَ عَقلُهُ

Do not admire that long banner of yours—for

Let not the length of your banner impress you, for indeed,

when a man’s beard grows long, his wit grows bare.

Whoever's beard grows long, his mind becomes scant-bearded.