لاlet … not يَخيبَنَّbe disappointed (emphatic) الفَتىthe young man منby أمرَدٍa beardless youth
لا يَخيبَنَّ الفَتى من أمرَدٍ
ردَّهُturned him away فيat الوقتِthe time أوor جادَلَهُargued with him
ردَّهُ في الوقتِ أو جادَلَهُ
Let no young man despair of a beardless youth
Let no young man lose heart if met
who turned him away at the time or argued with him.
By a refusal or an argument.
فهْوَfor he إنْif مانعَهُresisted him طاوعَهُyielded to him
فهْوَ إنْ مانعَهُ طاوعَهُ
وهْوَand he إنْif جادَwas generous لَهُto him جادَلَهُargued with him
وهْوَ إنْ جادَ لَهُ جادَلَهُ
For if he resists him, he yields to him;
Be he pliant, his desire is gained,
and if he is generous to him, he argues with him.
Be he hostile, he argues back again.