أَبلِغ أَبا الدَردامِ إِن لاقَيتَهُ

بِالرَقَّةِ البَيضاءِ أَو حَرّانِ

Deliver a message to Abul-Darda, if you meet him

In Raqqa the white or in Harrân,

الدَهرَ ماتَنفَكُّ تَندُبُ وُجنَةً

دَرَسَت وَخَدّا مُنهَجَ العِرفانِ

Time does not cease to mourn a cheek

Whose bloom has faded and the path of wisdom declined,

وَتَرى الجَلالَةَ لِلصِغارِ وَإِنَّما

أَوصى الإِلَهُ بِها إِلى الشيخانِ

And you see majesty is for the small, though

God only charged it to the two elders,

هَل تُفلِحَنَّ وَكَيفَ تُفلِحُ لِحيَةٌ

جُعِلَت حَوائِجُها إِلى الصِبيانِ

Can they succeed, and how can a beard succeed

When its needs are left to boys?