أخْبَرُوني غَضْبَةً وصَلفَا

أنكم رُحْتُمُ إليهِ مَرصَفا

They spoke to me angrily and rudely

That you went to him seeking refuge

ثُمَّ قالوا عَنْ ذُقون حُلِقَت

قُلْتُ لا بَدَّ لها أن تُخلَفا

Then they said his beard had been shaven

I said it must inevitably be replaced

إنّ حَلْقَ الذَّقْنِ خيرٌ لِلفَتَى

يا بَنِي الأَعْمَامِ مِنْ أنْ تُنتَفا

Surely, shaving the beard is better for the youth

Oh nephews, than having it plucked out

وَالّذي حَلَقَ أنصافَ اللِّحَى

كانَ في الأَحكامِ عَدْلاً مُنْصِفا

And he who shaved half of his beard

Was equitable and just in his judgments

حَلَقَ النِّصْفَ بِذَنْبٍ حاضِرٍ

وَعَفا بالنصفِ عَمَّا سَلَفَا

He shaved half for a present sin

And pardoned with the half what was past