ما كُلُّ مَن طال عُثنونهُ

ما كُلُّ مَن طال عُثنونهُ

يَزدادُ فَضلاً يا أَبا الفَضلِ

يَزدادُ فَضلاً يا أَبا الفَضلِ

Not everyone whose beard has grown long

Not every one who lengthens his braids

grows in merit, O Abu al-Fadl.

Grows in merit, O Abu Al-Fadl

طَوَّلتَ عُثنونَكَ تَبغي العُلا

طَوَّلتَ عُثنونَكَ تَبغي العُلا

أَيُّ عَلا في ذَنَبِ البَغلِ

أَيُّ عَلا في ذَنَبِ البَغلِ

You have lengthened your beard, seeking eminence;

You lengthen your braids seeking glory

what eminence is there in a mule’s tail?

What glory in the tail of a mule?

وَلَستُ أَحصى كَم رَأَيتُ اِمرأً

وَلَستُ أَحصى كَم رَأَيتُ اِمرأً

الحَي وَلكِن كَوَسَجِ العَقلِ

الحَي وَلكِن كَوَسَجِ العَقلِ

And I cannot count how many a man I have seen,

And I cannot count how many a man

thick-bearded, yet beardless of mind:

I have seen learned yet lacking in reason

قَد مَلَأَت لِحيَتُهُ صَدرَهُ

قَد مَلَأَت لِحيَتُهُ صَدرَهُ

وَرَأسُهُ أَفرُغُ مِن طَبلِ

وَرَأسُهُ أَفرُغُ مِن طَبلِ

his beard has filled his chest,

With a beard filling up his chest

and his head is emptier than a drum.

And a head as empty as a drum