شبَّهتُI likened منطِقَهُhis speech مِنfrom فوقِabove لِحيتِهhis beard
شبَّهتُ منطِقَهُ مِن فوقِ لِحيتِه
ببُومةٍto an owl حَكِتِmimicked الغِربانَthe crows فيin النَّعبِcawing
ببُومةٍ حَكِتِ الغِربانَ في النَّعبِ
I likened his speech from above his beard
His reasoning from above his beard
to an owl that mimicked the crows in cawing.
Like an owl preached to crows in the narrow pass
ياoh لاnot رعَىprotect اللهُGod مَنwhoever قدindeed راعنِيalarmed me ومضَىand went away
يا لا رعَى اللهُ مَن قد راعنِي ومضَى
ذُوpossessor of لِحيةٍa beard بسوَىthrough anything other than الإرجَافrumor-mongering لمdid not يَشِبِgrow gray
ذُو لِحيةٍ بسوَى الإرجَاف لم يَشِبِ
Oh, may God not protect whoever alarmed me and went away—
Oh how Allah did not care for he who tended me and left
a bearded man who has grown gray through nothing but rumor-mongering.
Bearded yet by merely spouting nonsense did not mature
Sol 6.1