What he told those who could not yet afford it
Two instructions, and the second is for everyone left out of the first.
يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ
Yā maʿshara-sh-shabāb, mani-staṭāʿa minkumu-l-bāʾata fa-l-yatazawwaj
Young people, whoever among you can manage the means, let him marry.
Where this comes from
It goes on: it lowers the gaze and guards the private parts. And whoever cannot, let him fast, for it is a shield for him. The second half is addressed to the ones the first half does not solve.
The full narration
Narrated 'Alqama:While I was with `Abdullah, `Uthman met him at Mina and said, "O Abu `Abdur-Rahman ! I have something to say to you." So both of them went aside and `Uthman said, "O Abu `Abdur-Rah. man! Shall we marry you to a virgin who will make you remember your past days?" When `Abdullah felt that he was not in need of that, he beckoned me (to join him) saying, "O 'Alqama!" Then I heard him saying (in reply to `Uthman), "As you have said that, (I tell you that) the Prophet (ﷺ) once said to us, 'O young people! Whoever among you is able to marry, should marry, and whoever is not able to marry, is recommended to fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 5065
- Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)