تَحَكَّمواthey ruled arbitrarily فَاِستَطالواso they grew overbearing فيin تَحَكُّمِهِمtheir arbitrary rule
تَحَكَّموا فَاِستَطالوا في تَحَكُّمِهِم
وَعَمّاand after قَليلٍa little while كَأَنَّas though الأَمرَthe affair لَمdid not يَكُنِexist
وَعَمّا قَليلٍ كَأَنَّ الأَمرَ لَم يَكُنِ
They ruled arbitrarily and grew overbearing in their rule.
And before long, it is as though the affair had never been.
وَلَوand if أَنصَفواthey acted justly أنُصِفواthey were treated justly لَكِنbut بَغَواthey oppressed فَبَغىso it oppressed
وَلَو أَنصَفوا أنُصِفوا لَكِن بَغَوا فَبَغى
عَلَيهِمُagainst them الدَهرُtime بِالأَحزانِwith sorrows وَالمِحَنِand trials
عَلَيهِمُ الدَهرُ بِالأَحزانِ وَالمِحَنِ
And had they acted justly, they would have been treated justly; but they oppressed, so
time oppressed them with sorrows and trials.
فَأَصبَحواso they ended up وَلِسانُand the tongue الحالِthe plight يُنشِدُهُمrecites to them
فَأَصبَحوا وَلِسانُ الحالِ يُنشِدُهُم
هَذاthis بِذاكَin return for that وَلاand no عَتبٌblame عَلىupon الزَمَنِtime
هَذا بِذاكَ وَلا عَتبٌ عَلى الزَمَنِ
So they ended up with the tongue of their plight reciting to them:
“This for that, and no blame upon time.”
Sol 6.1