Nahj al-Balagha Hadith n. 402

Selections from The Sayings and Preaching of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him) Including His Replies to Questions and Maxims Expressed for Various Purposes.
Translated by Sayyid Ali Reza

وقال عليه السلام لبعض مخاطبيه، وقد تكلم بكلمة يُسْتَصْغَرُ مثلُه عن قول مثلها:

Someone uttered an expression above his position, then Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said to him:

لَقَدْ طِرْتَ شَكيِراً،

You have started flying soon after growing feathers (shakir)

و هَدَرْتَ سَقْباً.

and commenced grumbling before attaining youth (saqb).

قال الرضي: والشكير هاهنا: أول ما ينبت من ريش الطائر قبل أن يقوى ويستحصف، والسقب: الصغير من الاِبل ولا يهدر إلا بعد أن يستفحل.

Sayyid ar-Razi says: Here, “shakir” [in the original Arabic text] means the first feathers that grow on a bird before it is strong enough to fly. And “saqb” means the young camel who does not grumble unless it becomes mature.