كَمhow many غايَةٍَa goal لَكُمof yours (plural) تَقاصَرَfell short دونَهاshort of it
كَم غايَةٍَ لَكُم تَقاصَرَ دونَها
مَنwhoever رامَهاsought it فَكَأَنَّهُso, as though he ماnot رامَهاsought it
مَن رامَها فَكَأَنَّهُ ما رامَها
How many a goal of yours has proved beyond the reach
of whoever sought it—as though he had never sought it!
يَعلوhe rises above كِرامَthe noble العالَمينَthe worlds وَإِنَّماand only
يَعلو كِرامَ العالَمينَ وَإِنَّما
يَعلوrise above كِرامُthe noble العالَمينَthe worlds لِئامَهاtheir ignoble people
يَعلو كِرامُ العالَمينَ لِئامَها
He rises above the noble of all the worlds, whereas
the noble of all the worlds rise only above the ignoble among them.
وَإِذاand when تَسامىstrove upward الأَكرَمونَthe noblest إِلىto العُلاeminence
وَإِذا تَسامى الأَكرَمونَ إِلى العُلا
نالواthey attained مَناسَمَهاits hooves وَنِلتَand you attained سَنامَهاits hump
نالوا مَناسَمَها وَنِلتَ سَنامَها
And when the noblest aspire to eminence,
they reach its hooves, while you reach its hump.
أَمِنَwere safe المَكارِمِthe noble virtues أَنthat يُبَدَّدَbe scattered شَملُهاtheir unity
أَمِنَ المَكارِمِ أَن يُبَدَّدَ شَملُها
لَمّاwhen رَأَتكَthey saw you نِظامَهits binding thread وَنِظامَهاand their binding thread
لَمّا رَأَتكَ نِظامَه وَنِظامَها
The noble virtues were safe from having their unity scattered,
when they saw you as the thread binding it and them.
ذَلَّتbowed لَهُto him نُوَبُthe calamities الزَمانِof time وَأَصبَحَتand became
ذَلَّت لَهُ نُوَبُ الزَمانِ وَأَصبَحَت
فيin عِقوَتَيهِhis two courtyards جِبالُهاtheir mountains آكامُهاtheir hillocks
في عِقوَتَيهِ جِبالُها آكامُها
Time's calamities bowed to him, and now
in his two courtyards their mountains were mere hillocks.
Sol 6.1