1. They said to me, "You are the mediator of things."
I said to them, "I dislike being in the middle,
١. وَقَالُوا عَلَيْكَ وَسِيْطَ الأُمُورِ
فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ أَكْرَهُ الأَوْسَطَا
2. If I am not in a towering lineage,
Nor in lowliness with short steps.
٢. إِذَا لَم أَكُنْ فِي ذُرَى شَامِخٍ
وَلاَ فِي حَضِيْضٍ وَطِيءِ الوِطَا
3. And if I tried from a tremendous slope
To mediate its middle, I'd fear I'd slip.
٣. وَحَاوَلْت مِنَ مُرْتَقًى هَائِلٍ
تَوَسُّطَهُ خِفْتُ أَنْ أَسْقُطَا
4. Better than a stretched neck
When the path goes askew is shortening one's steps.
٤. وَخَيْرٌ مِنَ العَنَقِ المُسْبَطِرِّ
إِذَا أَعْوَزَ السَّيْرُ قَصْرُ الخُطَى
5. What's the issue when abundance passes me by?
It's better than a dependent's morsel."
٥. فَمَا المَنْعُ حِيْنَ يَفُوتُ الكَثِيْ
رُ أَحْسَنَ مِنْ مُسْتَقَلِّ العَطَا