وَلَمand did not يَطلُبseek عُلُوَّloftiness القَدرِof rank فيهاin it
وَلَم يَطلُب عُلُوَّ القَدرِ فيها
وَعِزَّand glory النَفسِof the self إِلّاexcept كُلُّevery طاغِtyrant
وَعِزَّ النَفسِ إِلّا كُلُّ طاغِ
And none has sought exalted rank in it,
None sought exalted rank or haughty pride
And glory for the self, save every tyrant.
Save every overweening tyrant vile
وَإِنand even if نالَattains النُفوسَthe souls مِنَsome of المَعاليlofty honors
وَإِن نالَ النُفوسَ مِنَ المَعالي
فَلَيسَthen there is no لِنَيلِهاfor attaining them طيبُpleasantness المَساغِof swallowing
فَلَيسَ لِنَيلِها طيبُ المَساغِ
And even if souls attain some lofty honors,
And though the souls may reach the heights sublime
There is no pleasant savor in attaining them.
No relish finds their reaching this high style
إِذاwhen بَلَغَattains المُرادthe desired goal عُلاًeminence وَعِزّاًand glory
إِذا بَلَغَ المُراد عُلاً وَعِزّاً
تَوَلّىit passes away وَاِضمَحَلَّand vanishes مَعَwith البَلاغِthe attainment
تَوَلّى وَاِضمَحَلَّ مَعَ البَلاغِ
When the desired goal is reached—eminence and glory—
When the wished goal of height and honour won
It passes away and vanishes as it is attained,
He turns away, his zeal grown cold the while,
كَقَصرٍlike a palace قَدalready تَهَدَّمَcollapsed حافَتاهُits two sides
كَقَصرٍ قَد تَهَدَّمَ حافَتاهُ
إِذاwhen صارَcomes البِناءُthe construction إِلىto الفَراغِcompletion
إِذا صارَ البِناءُ إِلى الفَراغِ
Like a palace whose two sides have collapsed
Like a palace fallen to decay whose walls
When its construction comes to completion.
When builded, seem unto their end erewhile.
أَقولُI say وَقَدand indeed رَأَيتُI have seen مُلوكَthe kings عَصريof my age
أَقولُ وَقَد رَأَيتُ مُلوكَ عَصري
ألاtake heed لاlet not يَبغِيَنَّever seek المُلكَkingship باغِa seeker
ألا لا يَبغِيَنَّ المُلكَ باغِ
I say, having seen the kings of my age:
I've seen the kings of my time and I say
Take heed: let no seeker ever seek kingship.
Let none to kingship or rule aspire!
Sol 6.1