بصرت به باكيا ساهيا

يقصّص لحيته بالجلم

I caught sight of him, weeping and distracted,

trimming his beard with shears.

فأحزنني ذاك من فعله

وقلت صراحا ولم أحتشم

So that act of his saddened me,

and I said frankly, without holding back:

إلى كم تقصّصُها عامدا

نبات اللحى كزوال النعم

How long will you deliberately keep trimming it?

The growth of beards is like the loss of blessings.