أسألتdid you question رسمَthe traces of الدارِthe dwelling أمor لمnot تسألِyou ask
أسألت رسمَ الدارِ أم لم تسألِ
دِمناًold dwelling-sites عفتْwere effaced فكأنهاand as though they لمnot تُحلِلِwere inhabited
دِمناً عفتْ فكأنها لم تُحلِلِ
Did you question the dwelling's traces, or did you not?
Did you ask the house to draw its plan or did it build without asking?
Effaced dwelling-sites, as though they had never been inhabited,
It endured time gracefully as if it was never worn down.
دُرُساًworn remnants براهُنَّwore them away البِلىdecay بريَthe wearing away by الضَّناwasting sickness
دُرُساً براهُنَّ البِلى بريَ الضَّنا
جسميmy body لبينِat the parting of قطينهاtheir dwellers المتحمّلِdeparting
جسمي لبينِ قطينها المتحمّلِ
worn remnants, eroded by decay as wasting sickness erodes
The passing years left their marks clearly on my weathered body
my body at the parting of their departing dwellers.
That carried its structure and endured its burdens.
فلوand if استطاعتْthey could إذwhen بكيْتُI wept دُثُورَهاtheir obliteration
فلو استطاعتْ إذ بكيْتُ دُثُورَها
لبكتthey would have wept نُحوليmy emaciation بالدموعwith tears الهُمَّلِfreely flowing
لبكت نُحولي بالدموع الهُمَّلِ
Had they been able, when I wept for their obliteration,
If it could have wept when I wept for its dilapidation,
they would have wept for my wasting with freely flowing tears.
It would have cried for me with tears of compassion.
ولقدْand indeed عهدْتI knew عِراصَهاtheir courtyards مأنُوسةًfull of company
ولقدْ عهدْت عِراصَها مأنُوسةً
أيامَin the days when تعهدُنيthey knew me كسيفِlike the sword of الصْيَقلِthe sword-polisher
أيامَ تعهدُني كسيفِ الصْيَقلِ
And I once knew their courtyards filled with company,
I knew its wide courtyard to be familiar
in days when they knew me like a polisher's sword:
In days when it welcomed me like a polished sword.
رودُsupple الشبيبةِin youth لاnot أُعاصيI defy لذةًpleasure
رودُ الشبيبةِ لا أُعاصي لذةً
تدعوsummons هوايmy desire ولاnor أدينُI submit لعُذَّليto my reproachers
تدعو هواي ولا أدينُ لعُذَّلي
supple with youth, refusing no pleasure
The impudence of youth does not now shame me
that summoned my desire, nor submitting to my reproachers.
When my passion calls and I do not repent my audacity.
وإذاand when أشاءُI wish غدوْتُI went out in the morning غيرَnot مُنهنهٍrestrained
وإذا أشاءُ غدوْتُ غيرَ مُنهنهٍ
فأروحso I return at evening مقْتَنِصَhaving captured الغزالِthe gazelle المُطْفلِwith young
فأروح مقْتَنِصَ الغزالِ المُطْفلِ
Whenever I wished, I set out in the morning, unrestrained,
And when I desire, I walk proudly without inhibition
and returned at evening, having caught a gazelle with her young.
So I take the wandering gazelle by surprise.
بؤسىmisery الزمانof time وليسَand does not يبرحُcease آخِرٌa later turn
بؤسى الزمان وليسَ يبرحُ آخِرٌ
منof صرفهِits vicissitudes يعفوeffaces محاسنَthe beauties of أوَّلِan earlier one
من صرفهِ يعفو محاسنَ أوَّلِ
Time's misery! Always a later turn
The misery of time continues and does not cease
of its fortunes effaces the beauties of an earlier one.
To change its ways, erasing the beauty of the past.
وأناand I المقابَلُwellborn on both sides فيamong أكاسرِthe Chosroes of فارسٍPersia
وأنا المقابَلُ في أكاسرِ فارسٍ
وابنُand a son of الملوكِkings الصّيدِproud غيرwithout تنحُّلِfalsely claimed lineage
وابنُ الملوكِ الصّيدِ غير تنحُّلِ
And I am noble on both sides, of Persia's Chosroes,
Yet I face it boldly, a valiant horseman,
and a son of proud kings, with no falsely claimed descent.
The son of kings, hunting, not one to withdraw.
رفعواthey raised يفاعيmy eminence كابراًa noble forebear عنafter كابرٍanother noble forebear
رفعوا يفاعي كابراً عن كابرٍ
حتىuntil استقلَّit rose إلىto السّماكal-Simak الأعزلِthe Unarmed
حتى استقلَّ إلى السّماك الأعزلِ
They raised my eminence, noble forebear after noble forebear,
They raised my reputation, glory above glory,
until it rose to al-Simak the Unarmed,
Until I rose to the highest, most isolated peak.
فيin حيثthe place where يقصرُfalls short باعُthe reach of كُلّevery مساوِرٍchallenger
في حيث يقصرُ باعُ كُلّ مساوِرٍ
دونيbelow me ويحْسرُand grows weary ناظرُthe gaze of المتأمّلِthe beholder
دوني ويحْسرُ ناظرُ المتأمّلِ
where every challenger's reach falls short
Where the reach of every rival falls short of me
below me, and the beholder's gaze grows weary.
And the onlooker stands in awe and wonder.
فضلاًan honor لهto him بكthrough you ياO ابنَson of طاحنةthe woman grinding الرَّحىthe millstone
فضلاً له بك يا ابنَ طاحنة الرَّحى
رَوْميmy aiming وبيتُكwhile your house بالحضيضِin the depths الأسفلِlowest
رَوْمي وبيتُك بالحضيضِ الأسفلِ
An honor to him through you, son of the millstone-grinder,
You are higher than me, O son of a miller,
is my targeting you, while your house lies in the lowest depths.
While my house is in the lowest ravine.
ياO ابنَson of السّفاحfornication شهادةًtestimony مقبولةًaccepted
يا ابنَ السّفاح شهادةً مقبولةً
مثلَlike الشهادةِtestimony بالكتابِby the Book المنزلِrevealed
مثلَ الشهادةِ بالكتابِ المنزلِ
O son of fornication—an accepted testimony,
O son of a wanton killer, your witness is accepted
like testimony based on the revealed Book.
Like the witness of the revealed scripture.
إنindeed التيshe who ولدتْكbore you تخبرُreports أنهاthat she
إن التي ولدتْك تخبرُ أنها
حملتْكconceived you منfrom نُطفٍsemen-drops لعدةِof several أفحُلِstuds
حملتْك من نُطفٍ لعدةِ أفحُلِ
Indeed, the woman who bore you declares that she
She who gave birth to you reports that she conceived you
conceived you from the seed of several studs.
From the sperm of countless stallions.
بظراءُlarge-clitorised لوif نطحتْshe butted بمُقدَمِwith the tip of بظرهاher clitoris
بظراءُ لو نطحتْ بمُقدَمِ بظرها
ثهلانَThahlan حلحلهit would dislodge it ولمand not يتحلحلِit would budge
ثهلانَ حلحله ولم يتحلحلِ
With a huge clitoris—if she butted with its tip,
A she-camel, if she butted with her vulva,
Thahlan, it would move the mountain without itself budging.
Would make two dreamy camel bulls collide and scatter.
بخراءfoul-breathed لوif نكهتْshe exhaled علىupon صُمّsolid الصّفاrock
بخراء لو نكهتْ على صُمّ الصّفا
صدعتْshe would split بنكهتهاwith her breath متونَthe backs of الجندلِboulders
صدعتْ بنكهتها متونَ الجندلِ
Foul-breathed—if she breathed upon solid rock,
A she-camel, if she vocally announced her heat to the deaf rock face of As-Safa,
her breath would split the backs of boulders.
Her call would crack the sturdy camel litters.
ذفراءrank-smelling لوif بلَّتْshe moistened برشْحwith the sweat of أديمِهاher skin
ذفراء لو بلَّتْ برشْح أديمِها
جسدَthe body of امرئٍa man لمnot يَنْقَbecome clean منهof it بجدولِwith a stream
جسدَ امرئٍ لم يَنْقَ منه بجدولِ
Rank-smelling—if she moistened with her skin's sweat
A she-camel, if she wetted a man’s body with the drippings of her hide,
a man's body, no stream could cleanse him of it.
One not safe from the burning thirst, with her morning dew,
خضراءُgreen لونِin the color of الريقِsaliva لوif نفثتْshe spat بهwith it
خضراءُ لونِ الريقِ لو نفثتْ به
مَيْثاءsoft ground ألقحهاfertilised it الحياthe rain لمnot تُبْقِلِit would sprout
مَيْثاء ألقحها الحيا لم تُبْقِلِ
With green saliva—if she spat it upon
A green-colored she-camel, if she blew her spittle,
rain-fertilised soft earth, it would not sprout.
Even a snake impregnated by it would not coil in lifelessness.
حرَّىburning with lust تُسَكّنshe stills نَعْظَthe erections of ألفِa thousand حَزَوَّرٍstrapping youth
حرَّى تُسَكّن نَعْظَ ألفِ حَزَوَّرٍ
شبقٍlustful وغُلَّةُand the thirst of دائِهاher disease لمnot تُبللِis quenched
شبقٍ وغُلَّةُ دائِها لم تُبللِ
Burning with lust, she stills the erections of a thousand strapping youths,
Hot enough to contain the desire of a thousand lustful poets
all lustful, yet her disease's thirst remains unquenched.
Whose passion for her does not cool.
لاdo not تسخطنّbe angry علىwith الإلهGod فإنماfor it is only
لا تسخطنّ على الإله فإنما
أعمالُthe work of طعنِthrusting فحولهاher studs بالفَيْشلِwith the penis
أعمالُ طعنِ فحولها بالفَيْشلِ
Do not rage against God; it is merely
Do not be angry with God, for it is only
the work of her studs thrusting with their cocks.
The work of her wanton vulva against the stallions.
لوif أمهلتكَshe had spared you مدىthroughout ثوائكyour stay فيin استهاher arse
لو أمهلتكَ مدى ثوائك في استها
لسلمْتَyou would have been safe لكنْbut داؤهاher disease لمnot يُمهلِgive respite
لسلمْتَ لكنْ داؤها لم يُمهلِ
Had she spared you throughout your stay in her arse,
If He gave you time according to your hopes for survival,
you would have been safe, but her disease gave no respite.
You would be spared, but her disease did not grant you time.
ورأتكand she deemed you أيسرless grievous مهلكاًin destruction ورزيةًand in loss
ورأتك أيسر مهلكاً ورزيةً
منthan دعستينtwo thrusts بأيرِwith the penis of عيرٍan ass أغرلِuncircumcised
من دعستين بأيرِ عيرٍ أغرلِ
She deemed your destruction and loss less grievous
And she saw you an easy target for perdition and misfortune,
than losing two thrusts of an uncircumcised ass's cock.
More so than being trampled by the feet of a heavily loaded traveling camel train.
فاعْصبso fasten ملامَةthe blame for ناظريْكyour two eyes برأسِهاupon her head
فاعْصب ملامَة ناظريْك برأسِها
لاnot بالإلهupon God وبالنبيand upon the Prophet المرسلِthe sent one
لا بالإله وبالنبي المرسلِ
So fasten the blame for your two eyes upon her head,
So curb the blame of your two eyes against her head,
not upon God or the Prophet sent forth.
Not God or the Prophet—and be just in your rule.
ماnot استوجباthe two deserved منكfrom you الكُفورَingratitude بجرمهاfor her crime
ما استوجبا منك الكُفورَ بجرمها
فدعِso leave aside الهوادةَleniency فيin الحكومةِjudgment واعدلِand be just
فدعِ الهوادةَ في الحكومةِ واعدلِ
Neither deserved your ingratitude for her crime;
They did not deserve your disbelief in their crime,
so forgo leniency in judgment, and be just.
So leave aside your grudges and be equitable in your judgement.
سقياًmay she be watered لأمكfor your mother منfrom صديدِthe pus of جهنمHell
سقياً لأمك من صديدِ جهنم
لاnot منfrom صبيبِthe downpour of البارقِthe lightning-bearing cloud المتَهلِّلِbrightly flashing
لا من صبيبِ البارقِ المتَهلِّلِ
May your mother be watered with the pus of Hell,
Give your mother a drink of Hell’s pus,
not the downpour of a brightly flashing cloud.
Not from the clear sparkling heavenly wine.
لمَضَتْindeed she departed منfrom الدنياthis world وماand not أسِفتshe regretted علىfor
لمَضَتْ من الدنيا وما أسِفت على
مستمتَعٍa pleasure منfrom مَشْربٍdrink أوor مأكلِfood
مستمتَعٍ من مَشْربٍ أو مأكلِ
Indeed she left this world, regretting no
She left this world without yearning for
pleasure in drink or food,
Any pleasure of drink or food she tasted,
إلاexcept مُباضعةَintercourse with العبيدِslaves فإنهاfor she
إلا مُباضعةَ العبيدِ فإنها
عنهاof it وعنand of خَطراتهاthoughts of it لمnot تذهلِshe forgot
عنها وعن خَطراتها لم تذهلِ
except intercourse with slaves; for she
Except copulating with slaves—she did not neglect it
never forgot it, or the thoughts of it.
Or cease to think of it and its excitements.
الموتُdeath يغشاهاenvelops her وخاطرُwhile the thought of قلبِهاher heart
الموتُ يغشاها وخاطرُ قلبِها
ذِكْرُremembrance of الأيورpenises كأنهاas though she لمnot تُشغلِwere occupied
ذِكْرُ الأيور كأنها لم تُشغلِ
Death enveloped her, yet the thought within her heart
Death overtook her while her mind
was of cocks, as though nothing else occupied her.
Was on the penises, as if they preoccupied her.
واستخْلفتكَand she appointed you her successor وماand what نَسلتْshe bore مكانهاin her place
واستخْلفتكَ وما نَسلتْ مكانها
فابذلْso offer لناكتهاto her fuckers عجانَكyour perineum وابذلِand offer it
فابذلْ لناكتها عجانَك وابذلِ
She left you, and those she bore, to take her place;
She left you as her successor but did not produce
so offer her fuckers your perineum—offer it!
Anyone to replace her, so exert your powers to the utmost!
ولقدand indeed حبوتَهمُyou gifted them بفاعلةِwith a woman doing التيshe who
ولقد حبوتَهمُ بفاعلةِ التي
ذاعتْspread abroad لهاfor her مِدحُpraises of الجوادِthe generous one المفضلِthe lavish giver
ذاعتْ لها مِدحُ الجوادِ المفضلِ
Indeed, you have gifted them a woman acting like the one
You were endowed with the traits of the one whose fame
whose praises as a generous, lavish giver spread abroad.
Spread for her generous gifts.
أزناةَO fornicators of بابِthe Gate of الشامal-Sham طرّاًall أبْشرواrejoice
أزناةَ بابِ الشام طرّاً أبْشروا
منfrom بنتِthe daughter of شاعركمyour poet بخيرِwith the finest مُقبّلِone to kiss
من بنتِ شاعركم بخيرِ مُقبّلِ
O fornicators of Bab al-Sham, all of you, rejoice
O people of Damascus, rejoice!
in your poet's daughter—the finest one to kiss.
For the daughter of your poet brings you auspicious news.
خلفتshe succeeded عليكمamong you أمهُhis mother وتكفّلتْand took responsibility
خلفت عليكم أمهُ وتكفّلتْ
بكُمُfor you وعِدّةُwhile the count of عشرهاher ten years لمnot تُكْملِis complete
بكُمُ وعِدّةُ عشرها لم تُكْملِ
She has taken his mother's place for you, and undertaken
She left you a mother who took care of you all
your care, though she has not yet completed ten years.
And her pregnancy reached full term.
أَأُبَيَّO little Abu يوسفَYusuf دعوةًa call منfrom حاقرٍone who scorns
أَأُبَيَّ يوسفَ دعوةً من حاقرٍ
مستصغرٍone who belittles يأبىrefuses دعاءكto call you منfrom علِon high
مستصغرٍ يأبى دعاءك من علِ
O little Abu Yusuf—a call from one who scorns you,
Shall the invitation of a lowly despised one
who belittles you and refuses to address you from on high.
Be refused, one who spurns your call from on high?
خذهاtake it إليكto yourself تذودit drives away غاشيةَthe covering of الكرىsleep
خذها إليك تذود غاشيةَ الكرى
عنfrom أهلهاthose it concerns وتُضيقand it narrows رحبَthe spaciousness of المنزلِthe dwelling
عن أهلها وتُضيق رحبَ المنزلِ
Take this: it drives sleep's enveloping veil
Take her to yourself, to drive away the overpowering fate
from those it targets, and makes a spacious home feel cramped.
From her people, and narrow the breadth of the abode.
وتُخيلكand it makes you imagine الماءَwater النقاحَpure كأنهas though it
وتُخيلك الماءَ النقاحَ كأنه
فيin فيكyour mouth مازجهmingled with it نقيعُan infusion of الحنظلِcolocynth
في فيك مازجه نقيعُ الحنظلِ
And it makes pure water seem to you as though,
Make the brackish water seem to her
in your mouth, it were mixed with an infusion of colocynth.
Like it was sweetened for you by steeping lote leaves.
ولقدand indeed وزعتُI restrained الشعرَpoetry عنكfrom you تعظُّماًout of pride
ولقد وزعتُ الشعرَ عنك تعظُّماً
وتنزهاًand out of fastidiousness وكففتُand I restrained غربَthe sharp edge of المِقولِthe tongue
وتنزهاً وكففتُ غربَ المِقولِ
I had indeed kept my verse away from you, out of pride
I have apportioned poetry about you sparingly,
and fastidiousness, holding back my tongue's sharp edge.
Out of reverence and piety, holding myself back.
فأبتْbut refused جوامحُheadstrong steeds للقريضِof verse غوالبٌoverpowering
فأبتْ جوامحُ للقريضِ غوالبٌ
جاشseethed الضميرُthe inward mind بهنwith them جيشَthe seething of المِرجلِthe cauldron
جاش الضميرُ بهن جيشَ المِرجلِ
But headstrong, overpowering steeds of verse refused;
But wild poetry forces insisted upon composing poems
my mind seethed with them like a boiling cauldron.
Whose tide flooded forth like a raging torrent.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.