إنindeed شرخَprime الشبابyouth والشَّعرand the hair الأسblack (first part of the split word)
إن شرخَ الشباب والشَّعر الأس
ودَblack (completion of the split word) ماso long as لمnot يُعاصis resisted كانwas جنوناmadness
ودَ ما لم يُعاص كان جنونا
Indeed, youth’s prime and black hair,
The madness of youth and morning’s fresh dreams
unless resisted, are madness.
Are not felt by those asleep at life’s noon
إنif يكنshould be غثَّlean منfrom رَقاشٍRaqāsh حديثtalk
إن يكن غثَّ من رَقاشٍ حديث
فبماthen often نأكلwe eat الحديثthe talk سميناfat
فبما نأكل الحديث سمينا
If some talk from Raqāsh is lean,
Though made of mere words, tales newly told
then often we eat talk that is fat.
With sharing, we’re nourished, we grow and bloom