فَهَلّاso why not إِذwhen عَجَزتَyou fell short عَنof المَعاليlofty deeds
فَهَلّا إِذ عَجَزتَ عَن المَعالي
وَعَمّاand of what يَفعَلُdoes الرَجُلُthe man القَريعُdistinguished
وَعَمّا يَفعَلُ الرَجُلُ القَريعُ
Why, then, when you fell short of lofty deeds
Since you've failed to reach the heights
And of what a distinguished man does,
Or do what noble men will do,
أَخَذتَyou acted برأيon the advice of عَمروٍAmr حينَwhen ذَكّىhe kindled
أَخَذتَ برأي عَمروٍ حينَ ذَكّى
وَشَبَّand stoked لِنارِهِfor his fire الشَرَفُhonor الرَفيعُlofty
وَشَبَّ لِنارِهِ الشَرَفُ الرَفيعُ
Did you not follow Amr’s counsel when he kindled the flame,
Why not take the advice of Amr
And lofty honor stoked his fire?
When he wisely lit a fire, tall and bright,
إِذاif لَمnot تَستَطِعyou can شَيئاًsomething فَدَعهُthen leave it
إِذا لَم تَستَطِع شَيئاً فَدَعهُ
وَجاوِزهُand pass beyond it إِلىto ماwhat تَستَطيعُyou can do
وَجاوِزهُ إِلى ما تَستَطيعُ
If you cannot do something, leave it,
Saying if a task's too big to master,
And pass beyond it to what you can do.
Leave it be, move on to what you can.
Sol 6.1