وَالحُرُّand the noble man لاnot يَكْتَفيis content مِنْwith نَيْلِattaining مَكْرُمَةٍan honor
وَالحُرُّ لا يَكْتَفي مِنْ نَيْلِ مَكْرُمَةٍ
حَتَّىuntil يَرُومَhe seeks الَّتيthat which مِنْon دُونِهَاthis side of it الْعَطَبُruin
حَتَّى يَرُومَ الَّتي مِنْ دُونِهَا الْعَطَبُ
And the noble man is not content with attaining an honor
The free man is not content with the attainment of a single honor,
Until he seeks one with ruin barring the way to it.
Until he aspires to that which lies beyond it.
يَسْعىpresses onward بِهِwith him أَمَلٌhope مِنْon دُونهُthis side of it أَجَلٌdeath
يَسْعى بِهِ أَمَلٌ مِنْ دُونهُ أَجَلٌ
إِنْif كفَّهُrestrains him رَهَبٌfear يَسْتَدْعِهِsummons him رَغَبُdesire
إِنْ كفَّهُ رَهَبٌ يَسْتَدْعِهِ رَغَبُ
Hope urges him onward, though death lies in its path.
He is driven by a hope beyond it, hastened by a term,
If fear restrains him, desire summons him.
If satisfaction restrains him, desire calls him on.
لِذَاكَfor that reason مَاindeed (emphatic particle) سَالَasked مُوسَىMoses رَبَّهُhis Lord أَرِنيshow me [Yourself]
لِذَاكَ مَا سَالَ مُوسَى رَبَّهُ أَرِني
أَنْظُرْthat I may look إِلَيْكَupon You وَفيand in تَسْالِهِhis asking عَجَبُwonder
أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْكَ وَفي تَسْالِهِ عَجَبُ
For that reason Moses asked his Lord, “Show Yourself to me,
Therefore it was that Moses asked his Lord to show him,
That I may look upon You”—and wondrous is his request.
"Let me look upon You," though the request was bold.
يَبْغيhe seeks التَّزَيُّدَincrease فِيماin what نَالَhe has attained مِنْof كَرَمٍbounty
يَبْغي التَّزَيُّدَ فِيما نَالَ مِنْ كَرَمٍ
وَهْوَwhile he النَّجِيُّthe confidant لَدَيْهwith him الوَحْيُthe revelation والكُّتُبُand the scriptures
وَهْوَ النَّجِيُّ لَدَيْه الوَحْيُ والكُّتُبُ
He seeks an increase in the bounty he has received,
He seeks increase in favors already bestowed,
Though he is the confidant, with revelation and the scriptures in his keeping.
Though he is the chosen one, graced with revelation and scriptures.
Sol 6.1