transpose_tmp

#!/bin/awk -f

# this one reads the file once for each column, using a temp file

BEGIN {
  FS = OFS = "|";
  max = 0;

  # create temp file
  "mktemp" | getline tmp;
  close("mktemp");
}

# keep track of the maximum number of fields seen
NF > max {
  max = NF;
}

# on first read, deal with the first column and write to the temp file
{
  if (NR == 1) {
    printf("%s", $1);
  } else {
    printf("%s%s", OFS, $1);
  }

  print > tmp;
}

# at this point, we read the temp file again for columns 2 through max
END {
  # print ORS for the end of the first line
  print "";

  # store the number of lines read
  last = NR;

  # close writing to the temp file
  close(tmp);

  # loop over columns 2 through max
  for (c=2; c<=max; c++) {
    # n stores the line number for each read
    n = 0;

    # read the temp file for each col
    while ((getline < tmp) > 0) {
      printf("%s%s", $c, ++n == last ? ORS : OFS);
    }

    # close the file, to start reading again next time
    close(tmp);
  }
}