I need help paraphrasing this poem?
If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Of cruel will, and see thou keep thee free
From the foul yoke of sensual bondage;
For though thy Empire stretch to Indian sea
And for thy fear trembleth the farthest Thylee,
If thy desire have over thee the power,
Subject then art thou and no governor.
If to be noble and high thy mind be moved,
Consider well thy ground and thy beginning;
For he that hath each star in heaven fixed,
And gives the Moon her horns and her eclipsing,
Alike hath made thee noble in his working:
So that wretched no way thou may be,
Except foul lust and vice do conquer thee.
All were it so thou had a flood of gold
Unto thy thirst, yet should it not suffice;
And though with Indian stones, a thousandfold
More precious than can thy self devise
Ycharged were thy back: thy covetise
And busy biting yet should never let
Thy wretched life, ne do thy death profit.
If you seek to be mighty, avoid the wrath
Of ruthless will, and strive to stay unchained
From the base grip of carnal servitude;
For even if your empire spans the Indian sea
And fear of you shakes the farthest Thule,
If your desires hold mastery over you,
Subject you become, and no longer ruler.
If your heart aspires to nobility and height,
Reflect upon your roots and origin;
For He who placed the stars in heavenly arcs,
And granted the Moon her crescents and eclipses,
Likewise has made you noble in His design:
Thus, miserable you cannot be,
Unless vile lust and vice overwhelm you.
Even if you possessed a river of gold
To satiate your thirst, it would not suffice;
And though laden with gems from distant Ind,
A thousand times more precious than you can imagine,
Your greed and constant gnawing would not cease
To torment your wretched life, nor aid your death.
If you desire to be powerful, avoid the anger of cruel will, and make sure you remain free from the degrading chains of sensual bondage. Even if you have vast control reaching the Indian sea and causing fear in the farthest regions, if your desires have power over you, then you become subservient rather than a ruler.
If you aspire to be noble and lofty, carefully consider your origins and foundation. The same all-powerful being who fixed each star in the sky and controls the moon's phases and eclipses, has also made you noble through their creation. Therefore, you can only be wretched if you allow yourself to be conquered by lust and vice.
Even if you possessed an abundance of gold to quench your thirst, it would never be enough. Even if your back was burdened with precious Indian stones, far surpassing what you can imagine, your insatiable greed and constant craving would still not allow you to lead a content life or benefit from your own demise.
To paraphrase this poem, you can rephrase the lines using different words while maintaining the same meaning. Here's a paraphrased version:
If you want to be powerful, avoid the anger of a cruel will, and make sure you stay free from the degrading chains of sensual desires. Even if your empire expands to the Indian sea and your presence causes fear in the farthest corners of the world, if your desires control you, then you are no longer in control.
If you aspire to be noble and esteemed, reflect upon your origin and the foundation of your being. Just as the same higher power that placed every star in the sky and governs the moon's phases has made you noble through its creation, you can only be rendered wretched if you succumb to the vices of lust and immorality.
Even if you possessed a vast amount of gold to quench your thirst, it would never be enough. And even if you were burdened with a thousandfold more precious Indian jewels than you could imagine, your insatiable greed and constant craving would never allow you to live a fulfilled life or find solace in death.