وَقَالُواand they said عَلَيْكَyou should keep to وَسِيْطَthe middle course of الأُمُورِaffairs
وَقَالُوا عَلَيْكَ وَسِيْطَ الأُمُورِ
فَقُلْتُso I said لَهُمْto them أَكْرَهُI dislike الأَوْسَطَاthe middle
فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ أَكْرَهُ الأَوْسَطَا
And they said: Keep to the middle course in affairs.
They said to me, "You are the mediator of things."
So I said to them: I dislike the middle.
I said to them, "I dislike being in the middle,
إِذَاif لَمnot أَكُنْI am فِيon ذُرَىthe heights of شَامِخٍa towering mountain
إِذَا لَم أَكُنْ فِي ذُرَى شَامِخٍ
وَلاَnor فِيin حَضِيْضٍa low hollow وَطِيءِsoft الوِطَاthe footing
وَلاَ فِي حَضِيْضٍ وَطِيءِ الوِطَا
If I am not on a towering mountain’s heights,
If I am not in a towering lineage,
nor in a hollow with soft footing,
Nor in lowliness with short steps.
وَحَاوَلْتand I attempt مِنَof مُرْتَقًىan ascent هَائِلٍfearsome
وَحَاوَلْت مِنَ مُرْتَقًى هَائِلٍ
تَوَسُّطَهُreaching its middle خِفْتُI fear أَنْthat أَسْقُطَاI may fall
تَوَسُّطَهُ خِفْتُ أَنْ أَسْقُطَا
and attempt, on a fearsome ascent,
And if I tried from a tremendous slope
to reach its middle, I fear I may fall.
To mediate its middle, I'd fear I'd slip.
وَخَيْرٌand better مِنَthan العَنَقِthe swift pace المُسْبَطِرِّlong-striding
وَخَيْرٌ مِنَ العَنَقِ المُسْبَطِرِّ
إِذَاwhen أَعْوَزَproves difficult السَّيْرُtravel قَصْرُshortening الخُطَىthe steps
إِذَا أَعْوَزَ السَّيْرُ قَصْرُ الخُطَى
And better than a swift, long-striding pace,
Better than a stretched neck
when travel proves difficult, is shortening one’s steps.
When the path goes askew is shortening one's steps.
فَمَاfor … not المَنْعُwithholding حِيْنَwhen يَفُوتُis beyond reach الكَثِيْmuch (continued next line)
فَمَا المَنْعُ حِيْنَ يَفُوتُ الكَثِيْ
رُcompletion of “much” أَحْسَنَbetter مِنْthan مُسْتَقَلِّwhat is deemed little of العَطَاgiving
رُ أَحْسَنَ مِنْ مُسْتَقَلِّ العَطَا
For withholding, when much is beyond reach,
What's the issue when abundance passes me by?
is no better than giving a little.
It's better than a dependent's morsel."
Sol 6.1