قلْsay لمنْto whoever سُرَّwas delighted بالولايةِwith holding office مهملاًheedlessly
قلْ لمنْ سُرَّ بالولايةِ مهملاً
ذاكَthat عيشٌa life معجَّلُhastened التنكيدِmisery
ذاكَ عيشٌ معجَّلُ التنكيدِ
Say to whoever heedlessly rejoices in office:
Tell the one who was made happy by authority, neglectfully,
That is a life whose misery is hastened.
That is a life hastened to sadness.
وتصدِّيكَand your facing up للعظائمِto weighty matters صعبٌdifficult
وتصدِّيكَ للعظائمِ صعبٌ
وَهْوَand it أشفىmore soothing لغلِّfor the rancor صدرِthe breast of الحقودِthe spiteful one
وَهْوَ أشفى لغلِّ صدرِ الحقودِ
And your facing up to weighty matters is hard,
And your prevention of great deeds is difficult,
And it better soothes the rancor in the spiteful man's breast.
And neglect is more soothing to the rancor in the chest of the envious.
غصصٌchoking griefs هذهِthese المناصبthe offices تضنيwear down
غصصٌ هذهِ المناصب تضني
وتشقُّand rend القلوبَthe hearts قبلَbefore الجلودِthe skins
وتشقُّ القلوبَ قبلَ الجلودِ
These offices are choking griefs that wear one down,
These positions pinch,
And rend hearts before skins.
And split hearts before skins.
تعبٌtoil كلُّهاall of it الحياةُlife فماso not أعI marvel (first part of أعجب)
تعبٌ كلُّها الحياةُ فما أع
جبُI marvel (completion of أعجب) إلاexcept مِنْat راغبٍone who longs فيfor المزيدِmore
جبُ إلا مِنْ راغبٍ في المزيدِ
Life is all toil; so I marvel
Life is all fatigue, so how strange
Only at one who longs for more.
Except for one desiring more.
إنَّindeed حزناًgrief فيat ساعةِthe hour of العزلِdismissal أضعاmany times (first part of أضعاف)
إنَّ حزناً في ساعةِ العزلِ أضعا
فُmany times (completion of أضعاف) سرورٍjoy فيin حالةِthe state of التقليدِappointment to office
فُ سرورٍ في حالةِ التقليدِ
Indeed, grief at the hour of dismissal is many
That a sadness in the time of isolation is weaker
Times the joy at the moment of appointment.
Than happiness in the state of appointment.