إذاif أَعْوزَwas beyond الْمَرْءَthe man الصُّعودُthe ascent إلىto الّتيthat which
إذا أَعْوزَ الْمَرْءَ الصُّعودُ إلى الّتي
إلَيْهاto it تَنَاهَىreached the utmost كُلُّevery أَرْوعَimposing أَصْيَدِproud
إلَيْها تَنَاهَى كُلُّ أَرْوعَ أَصْيَدِ
If a man cannot ascend to that height
If a man lacks the means to ascend
which every imposing, proud man has reached,
To where all noble game come to an end,
فمِنْthen from دُونِbelow تَحْلِيقِthe soaring of النُّسورِthe vultures مَنَازلٌstations
فمِنْ دُونِ تَحْلِيقِ النُّسورِ مَنَازلٌ
تَروحُgo at evening بِهاin them رُقْشُspeckled الْبُزاةِthe hawks وتَغْتَديand go in the morning
تَروحُ بِها رُقْشُ الْبُزاةِ وتَغْتَدي
then below the vultures’ soaring lie stations
There are, below the hovering of hawks, abodes
where speckled hawks range at evening and morning.
Wherein the bustard's chick freely struts and feeds.
وَدَعْand leave aside عَنْكَaway from you اَدْنَىthe lowest مَسْرَحِfield الْعِزِّglory إِنَّهُindeed, it is
وَدَعْ عَنْكَ اَدْنَى مَسْرَحِ الْعِزِّ إِنَّهُ
مَطارُthe flight-ground of بُغاثِweak birds الطَّيْرِthe birds عِنْدَduring التَّبَلُّدِsluggishness
مَطارُ بُغاثِ الطَّيْرِ عِنْدَ التَّبَلُّدِ
And shun the lowest field of glory, for it is
Leave off the lower stage of glory; verily
the flight-ground of feeble birds in their sluggishness.
It is a mere splash for fledglings trying out their wings.
فَهَمُّfor the ambition of الْفَتَىthe young man كُلِّin every sense الْفَتَىthe young man غَيْرُnot واقِفٍstopping
فَهَمُّ الْفَتَى كُلِّ الْفَتَى غَيْرُ واقِفٍ
عَلَىat الدُّونِwhat is low إنّindeed الدُونَwhat is low غَيْرُnot مُحَمَّدِpraiseworthy
عَلَى الدُّونِ إنّ الدُونَ غَيْرُ مُحَمَّدِ
For a man’s ambition—a true man’s—does not stop
A youth whose ambition encompasses all of youth but falls
at what is low; indeed, what is low is not praiseworthy.
Short of the heights is not praiseworthy; heights are for the elect.
وفيand in الْغَايَةِthe goal الْوُسْطَىthe middle تَعَلُّلُconsolation مُغْرَمٍa passionate lover
وفي الْغَايَةِ الْوُسْطَى تَعَلُّلُ مُغْرَمٍ
عَنِin place of الْغَايَةِthe goal الْقُصْوَىthe utmost مَقَامِthe station of التَّفَرُّدِpeerless distinction
عَنِ الْغَايَةِ الْقُصْوَى مَقَامِ التَّفَرُّدِ
And in the middle goal lies a lover’s consolation
And so one who aspires to the middle way remains
in place of the utmost goal, the station of peerless distinction.
Cut off from the ultimate station of peerless eminence;
أياO مَنْزلاًdwelling مِنْfrom دُونهbelow it مَضْربُthe station of السُّهاSuhā (a star)
أيا مَنْزلاً مِنْ دُونه مَضْربُ السُّها
وياand O مَقْعَداًseat منْfrom دُونهbelow it كُلُّevery مَقْعَدseat
ويا مَقْعَداً منْ دُونه كُلُّ مَقْعَد
O dwelling, beneath which lies Suhā’s station,
Would that, below it, there were no homes, dwelling places
and O seat, beneath which lies every seat!
Where people congregate-only places to alight and move on!
أَرَىI see دُونbefore مَرْقَىthe ascent of الْمَوْتِdeath سَلْوَكَforgetting you واقِفاًstanding
أَرَى دُون مَرْقَى الْمَوْتِ سَلْوَكَ واقِفاً
لِكُلّfor everyone الذيwho يَهْوىlongs for لِقَاكَmeeting you بمَرْصَدِin ambush
لِكُلّ الذي يَهْوى لِقَاكَ بمَرْصَدِ
I see forgetfulness of you standing before death’s ascent,
I see that, short of death's steep path, you stand still,
in ambush for everyone who yearns to meet you.
At every allure that calls you to wait in ambush.
Sol 6.1