إِنif كُنتَyou are يَعسوبَchief أَقوامٍpeoples فَخَفthen fear قَدَراًfate
إِن كُنتَ يَعسوبَ أَقوامٍ فَخَف قَدَراً
ماnot زالَceased كَالطِفلِlike a child يَصطادُit hunts اليَعاسيباthe dragonflies
ما زالَ كَالطِفلِ يَصطادُ اليَعاسيبا
If you are a chief of peoples, fear fate:
If you're a sparrow amidst a folk then live humbly,
Like a child, it has never ceased to catch dragonflies.
He's remained as a child chasing sparrows,
وَإِنand if تَكُنyou are بِمِناon paths (first fragment of بِمِناسيبٍ) سيبٍcompletion of بِمِناسيبٍ ('paths') لِمَهلَكَةٍto destruction
وَإِن تَكُن بِمِنا سيبٍ لِمَهلَكَةٍ
فَكَمfor how many طَوىhas folded away الدَهرُTime أَقيالاًprinces مَناسيباof noble lineage
فَكَم طَوى الدَهرُ أَقيالاً مَناسيبا
And if you are on paths to destruction,
And if you're to blame for a calamity,
How many high-born princes has Time folded away!
Then how much has time concealed heavy calamities.
Sol 6.1