وليلةand a night الربوةal-Rabwa الشماءlofty معلمةmemorable
وليلة الربوة الشماء معلمة
حتىuntil الصباحmorning بروحwith the spirit of الذكرremembrance نحييهاwe keep it alive
حتى الصباح بروح الذكر نحييها
And a night on lofty al-Rabwa is memorable;
The night at Rawdah al-Shamaa is a guiding teacher
Until morning we keep it alive with the spirit of remembrance.
Till morning, with the spirit of remembrance, we revive it
مأوىthe refuge of ابنthe son of مريمMary فيin مسرىthe course of سياحتهاher travels
مأوى ابن مريم في مسرى سياحتها
قدindeed بوركتhave been blessed بمعانيهby his spiritual qualities مغانيهاits dwelling places
قد بوركت بمعانيه مغانيها
The refuge of Mary's son along the course of her travels—
The dwelling of the Son of Mary during his journey
Its dwelling places have indeed been blessed by his spiritual qualities.
Blessed are its meanings and melodies
تحفهاencircle it سبعةseven لوif سدwere blocked مسربهاtheir channel
تحفها سبعة لو سد مسربها
لطَّمwould buffet شامخةlofty الآطامthe fortress towers طاميهاtheir swelling waters
لطَّم شامخة الآطام طاميها
Seven rivers encircle it; were their channel blocked,
Its treasures, if the outlets were blocked
Their swelling flood would buffet the lofty fortress towers.
Would have flooded over its high banks
كأنهاas though it were الحجرthe stone الملقيcasting عصاهhis staff بهagainst it
كأنها الحجر الملقي عصاه به
موسىMoses ففجرand then made gush forth للأسباطfor the tribes جاريهاits flowing water
موسى ففجر للأسباط جاريها
As though it were the stone against which his staff was cast
As if it were the rock thrown by Moses
By Moses, who then made its waters gush forth for the tribes.
So fountains sprung forth for the tribes
كأنهاas though it were درةa pearl أضحىhas become يزيدYazid لهاfor it
كأنها درة أضحى يزيد لها
خيطاًa thread بلبَّاتupon the throats of آكامhills تواليهاadjoining it
خيطاً بلبَّات آكام تواليها
As though it were a pearl for which Yazid has become
As if it were a pearl for which Yazid
A thread upon the throats of the hills adjoining it.
Added a string of dark pearls in succession
مَعينةrich in flowing water ببحارwith seas يلتطمنclash بهاagainst it
مَعينة ببحار يلتطمن بها
مُعينةa helper لخيارto the virtuous أخبتواhumbled themselves فيهاin it
مُعينة لخيار أخبتوا فيها
Rich in flowing water, with seas that clash against it,
A spring satisfied with seas against which
A helper to the virtuous who have humbled themselves there.
It dashes, satisfying the devout who prayed there
وصخرةand the rock of المزةMezzeh الغراءradiant ناطحةbutting
وصخرة المزة الغراء ناطحة
قرنthe horn of الغزالةthe gazelle-sun فيat مبداthe beginning of تجليهاher shining forth
قرن الغزالة في مبدا تجليها
And the radiant rock of Mezzeh butts
And the lofty white rock towering high
The gazelle-sun's horn at her first appearance.
Above the gazelle’s horn at the start of its rising
محلةthe quarter of السفحal-Safh ماnot شيبwas adulterated السفوحthe sweeping breeze بهاin it
محلة السفح ما شيب السفوح بها
بلrather مثلlike ماthe way that روَّقclarified الصهباءthe tawny wine ساقيهاits cupbearer
بل مثل ما روَّق الصهباء ساقيها
The al-Safh quarter—its breeze is not adulterated there;
The grounds below never turned white with age
Rather, it is like tawny wine clarified by its cupbearer.
But were watered, like a maiden’s leg, by its streams
يغذىis nourished بهاthere القلبthe heart أنفاساًwith breaths بلاwithout كدرimpurity
يغذى بها القلب أنفاساً بلا كدر
فلنso will never يحلَّlodge in الوباpestilence أطرافthe limbs of ثاويهاits resident
فلن يحلَّ الوبا أطراف ثاويها
The heart is nourished there with breaths free of impurity,
It nurtures the heart with untroubled breaths
So pestilence will never lodge in the limbs of one who dwells there.
So grief shall not beset its wanderers
إنindeed الهواءthe air إذاwhen رقتgrow gentle مناسمهits breezes
إن الهواء إذا رقت مناسمه
فيin بلدةa town لطفتgrow refined أخلاطthe bodily humors of أهليهاits inhabitants
في بلدة لطفت أخلاط أهليها
Indeed, when the air's breezes grow gentle
When the air is gently scented
In a town, its people's bodily humors grow refined.
In a city, it refines the temperaments of its people
واذكرand recall ضحىthe forenoon of الشرفal-Sharaf الأعلىUpper إذاwhen طلعتrises
واذكر ضحى الشرف الأعلى إذا طلعت
ذكاءDhuka, the sun منfrom أفقthe horizon of أشجارtrees تواريهاveil her
ذكاء من أفق أشجار تواريها
And recall the forenoon at Upper al-Sharaf, when rises
Recall the dawn at the highest nobility when the light appears
Dhuka, the sun, from a horizon of trees that veil her.
Intellectually from the horizon of its concealing trees
ومنظراًand a view يستبيtakes captive الألبابminds رائعهits splendor
ومنظراً يستبي الألباب رائعه
ويشتغلand engrosses النفسthe soul عنfrom أشهىthe dearest of أمانيهاits wishes
ويشتغل النفس عن أشهى أمانيها
And a view whose splendor takes minds captive,
With a wondrous scene that captivates minds
And engrosses the soul, turning it from its dearest wishes.
And distracts the soul from its fondest wishes
يرنوgazes إلىtoward بردىBarada ينسابglides فيamid بَرَدhail
يرنو إلى بردى ينساب في بَرَد
فيin بُردتيtwo robes of سندسfine silk خضرgreen حواشيهاtheir hems
في بُردتي سندس خضر حواشيها
It gazes toward Barada, gliding amid hail,
It gazes towards a cool stream flowing in the cold
In two robes of fine silk whose hems are green.
In my coat of two layers of green silk
تكسرshatters الماءthe water بلوراًinto crystal وراكدهand its still water
تكسر الماء بلوراً وراكده
كالفضةlike silver الحوقpure مصقولburnished عواليهاits upper surfaces
كالفضة الحوق مصقول عواليها
The water shatters into crystal, while its still water
Breaking the water into crystals and eddies
Is like pure silver, its upper surfaces burnished.
Like polished silver spikes rising high
وحيثand wherever شئتyou wish فأشجارthen trees تمدspread علىover الthe
وحيث شئت فأشجار تمد على ال
أنهارrivers ظلاًa shade يُغشِيenvelops منwhoever يوافيهاcomes to them
أنهار ظلاً يُغشِي من يوافيها
And wherever you wish, trees spread over the
And wherever you wish, trees extend
Rivers a shade that envelops whoever comes to them.
Shade over rivers covering those who seek them
فكلso every صورةform of أنسdelight فيin منازلهاits dwelling places
فكل صورة أنس في منازلها
وكلand every نزهةrecreation of نفسthe soul فيin روابيهاits hillocks
وكل نزهة نفس في روابيها
So every form of delight is in its dwelling places,
So every picture delights in its places
And every recreation of the soul is on its hillocks.
And every soul finds bliss in its meadows
لولاwere it not for أمورaffairs وأرزاقand livelihoods مقدرةordained
لولا أمور وأرزاق مقدرة
لمwould not يرتحلdepart عنfrom دمشقDamascus حاضرa resident فيهاin it
لم يرتحل عن دمشق حاضر فيها
Were it not for affairs and livelihoods ordained,
If it were not for ordained matters and provisions
No one dwelling in Damascus would depart from it.
No resident would leave Damascus
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.