إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَرادَhe intended الأَمرَthe matter ناجَىhe privately consulted ضَميرَهُhis inner self
إِذا ما أَرادَ الأَمرَ ناجَى ضَميرَهُ
فَناجَىso he privately consulted ضَميراًan inner self غَيرَnot مُختلِفِwavering in العَقلِreason
فَناجَى ضَميراً غَيرَ مُختلِفِ العَقلِ
When a man resolved upon a matter, he took counsel with his conscience,
When he intended a course of action, he privately consulted his inner self;
And thus consulted a conscience whose reason was undivided.
Thus he consulted an inner self whose reason did not waver.
وَلَمand did not يُشرِكِinvolve الأدنينthose nearest فيin جُلِّmost of أَمرِهِhis affairs
وَلَم يُشرِكِ الأدنين في جُلِّ أَمرِهِ
إِذاwhen اِختَلَفَتgrew uneven بالأضعَفينَthrough the weaker ones قوىstrands الحَبلِof the rope
إِذا اِختَلَفَت بالأضعَفينَ قوى الحَبلِ
He did not involve the two lesser men in the greater part of his affair,
And he did not involve those nearest to him in most of his affairs,
When, through two weak men, the rope’s strands pull apart.
When the rope’s strands grew uneven through the weaker ones.
