إِنif كُنتَyou would تَقبَلُaccept مِنّيfrom me
إِن كُنتَ تَقبَلُ مِنّي
فَاِرحَلthen depart وَفيكَwhile in you بَقِيَّهremaining strength
فَاِرحَل وَفيكَ بَقِيَّه
If you will take my advice,
Then depart while some strength remains in you.
دَعِgive up اِنتِظارَكَyour waiting for قَوماًpeople
دَعِ اِنتِظارَكَ قَوماً
لَهُمthey have أُمورٌaffairs بَطِيَّهslow
لَهُم أُمورٌ بَطِيَّه
Give up waiting for people
Whose affairs move slowly.
وَلاand do not تُقِمstay فيin مَكانٍa place
وَلا تُقِم في مَكانٍ
وَكُنand be كَأَنَّكَas though you were حَيَّهa snake
وَكُن كَأَنَّكَ حَيَّه
And do not stay in one place;
And be as though you were a snake.
وَلاand do not تَرَshow الناسَpeople إِلّاexcept
وَلا تَرَ الناسَ إِلّا
عَيناًa man of distinction وَنَفساًand a soul أَبِيَّهunbowed
عَيناً وَنَفساً أَبِيَّه
And let people see you only as
A man of distinction with an unbowed soul.
وَاِقنَعand be content بِكِسرَةِwith a morsel of خُبزٍbread
وَاِقنَع بِكِسرَةِ خُبزٍ
وَهِمَّةٍand an ambition كِسرَوِيَّهlike Khosrow's
وَهِمَّةٍ كِسرَوِيَّه
And be content with a morsel of bread
And an ambition like Khosrow's.
وَلاand do not تَكُنbe كَعَجوزٍlike an old woman
وَلا تَكُن كَعَجوزٍ
مُقيمَةٍdwelling فيin حَنِيَّهan arched recess
مُقيمَةٍ في حَنِيَّه
And do not be like an old woman
Dwelling in an arched recess.