إِنَّindeed بُكاءًweeping فيat الدارِthe dwelling مِنamong أَرَبِهhis desires
إِنَّ بُكاءً في الدارِ مِن أَرَبِه
فَشايِعاso you two support مُغرَماًa lovesick man عَلىin طَرَبِهhis passionate unrest
فَشايِعا مُغرَماً عَلى طَرَبِه
Indeed, weeping at the dwelling is part of his desire;
There is weeping in the house from its dwellers,
So you two support a lover in his passionate unrest.
So it has become commonplace due to their confusion.
ماnot سَجسَجُthe mildness of الشَوقِlonging مِثلَlike جاحِمِهِits blazing heat
ما سَجسَجُ الشَوقِ مِثلَ جاحِمِهِ
وَلاnor صَريحُthe pure form of الهَوىpassion كَمُؤتَشِبِهlike its tangled form
وَلا صَريحُ الهَوى كَمُؤتَشِبِه
Mild longing is not like its blazing heat,
Nothing yearns like the burning of desire,
Nor pure passion like its tangled form.
Nor is passion as explicit as its inflammation.
جيدَتwas watered by rain بِدانيby one with near-reaching الأَكنافِflanks ساحَتُهاits courtyard
جيدَت بِداني الأَكنافِ ساحَتُها
نائيfar-reaching in المَدىextent واكِفِdripping with الجَدىbounty سَرِبِهits flowing stream
نائي المَدى واكِفِ الجَدى سَرِبِه
Its courtyard was watered by one with low-hanging flanks,
Its good fortune has turned its back,
Far-reaching, its flowing stream dripping bounty:
Distance has increased and so has its misfortune.
مُزنٌa raincloud إِذاwhenever ماever (emphatic) اِستَطارَflared بارِقُهُits lightning
مُزنٌ إِذا ما اِستَطارَ بارِقُهُ
أَعطىgave البِلادَthe lands الأَمانَassurance مِنagainst كَذِبِهits false promise
أَعطى البِلادَ الأَمانَ مِن كَذِبِه
A raincloud that, whenever its lightning flares,
When its lightning glows,
Gives the lands assurance against its false promise.
It gives the country safety from its lies.
يُرجِعُrestores حَرّىthe parched التِلاعِravines مُترَعَةًbrimming
يُرجِعُ حَرّى التِلاعِ مُترَعَةً
رِيّاًwith ample water وَيَثنيand turns back الزَمانَtime عَنfrom نُوَبِهits calamities
رِيّاً وَيَثني الزَمانَ عَن نُوَبِه
It restores the parched ravines, brimming
It turns back the hot attacks wavering,
With water, and turns time back from its calamities.
And makes time refrain from its faults.
مَتىwhenever يَصِفdescribes بَلدَةًa town فَقَدthen already قُرِيَتit has been feasted
مَتى يَصِف بَلدَةً فَقَد قُرِيَت
بِمُستَهِلِّwith the bursting onset of الشُؤبوبِthe downpour مُنسَكِبِهits pouring flow
بِمُستَهِلِّ الشُؤبوبِ مُنسَكِبِه
Whenever it describes a town, that town has already been feasted
Whenever it describes a town, it has been struck
With its bursting, cascading downpour.
By the starting point of disasters pouring down.
لاnot تُسلَبُis stripped الأَرضُthe earth بَعدَafter فُرقَتِهِits departure
لا تُسلَبُ الأَرضُ بَعدَ فُرقَتِهِ
عَهدَthe memory of مَتابيعِهِits following rains وَلاnor سُلُبِهits robes
عَهدَ مَتابيعِهِ وَلا سُلُبِه
The earth is not stripped, after its departure,
The land is not robbed after its separation,
Of the memory of its following rains, nor of its robes.
Of its covenants or its plunder.
مُزَمجِرُthundering at المِنكَبَينِboth shoulders صَهصَلِقٌloud-voiced
مُزَمجِرُ المِنكَبَينِ صَهصَلِقٌ
يُطرِقُbows its head أَزلُthe hardship of الزَمانِtime مِنbecause of صَخَبِهits din
يُطرِقُ أَزلُ الزَمانِ مِن صَخَبِه
Thundering at both shoulders, loud-voiced,
Roaring, its shoulders quaking,
Time's hardship bows its head before its din.
The eternal times cower from its clamor.
عاذَتsought refuge صُدوعُthe fissures of الفَلاthe wilderness بِهِin it وَلَقَدand indeed
عاذَت صُدوعُ الفَلا بِهِ وَلَقَد
صَحَّwas healed أَديمُthe skin of الفَضاءِthe open land مِنof جُلَبِهits scabs
صَحَّ أَديمُ الفَضاءِ مِن جُلَبِه
The wilderness's fissures sought refuge in it, and indeed
The mountain peaks sought refuge in it, and indeed,
The open land's skin was healed of its scabs.
The surface of the sky cleared from its torrents.
قَدindeed سَلَبَتهُstripped it الجَنوبُthe south wind وَالدينُand religion وَالand the (continued)
قَد سَلَبَتهُ الجَنوبُ وَالدينُ وَال
دُنياworld وَصافيand the pure essence of الحَياةِlife فيin سَلَبِهthe spoils stripped from it
دُنيا وَصافي الحَياةِ في سَلَبِه
The south wind has stripped it; religion and the
The south winds have robbed it, and debt, and the
World, and life's pure essence, lie in the spoils stripped from it.
World, and the essence of life by its robbery.
وَحَرَّشَتهُand provoked it الدَبورُthe west wind وَاِجتَنَبَتand abstained from
وَحَرَّشَتهُ الدَبورُ وَاِجتَنَبَت
ريحُthe wind of القَبولِthe east الهُبوبَblowing مِنout of رَهَبِهfear of it
ريحُ القَبولِ الهُبوبَ مِن رَهَبِه
And the west wind provoked it; abstaining
Misfortunes have scratched it, and the winds
From blowing was the east wind, in fear of it.
Of acceptance avoided blowing from fear of it.
وَغادَرَتand left وَجهَهُits face الشَمالُthe north wind فَقُلso say
وَغادَرَت وَجهَهُ الشَمالُ فَقُل
لاnot فيamong نَزورِthose scant in النَدىmoisture وَلاnor حَقِبِهits withholding of rain
لا في نَزورِ النَدى وَلا حَقِبِه
And the north wind left its face; say, then:
The north has abandoned its face, so say,
Neither scant of moisture nor withholding rain.
There is neither visitation of dew nor period for it.
دَعleave عَنكَaside from you دَعleave ذاthis إِذاwhen اِنتَقَلتَyou turn إِلىto الthe (continued)
دَع عَنكَ دَع ذا إِذا اِنتَقَلتَ إِلى ال
مَدحِpraise وَشُبand blend سَهلَهُits smoothness بِمُقتَضَبِهwith its abruptness
مَدحِ وَشُب سَهلَهُ بِمُقتَضَبِه
Leave off—leave this, when you turn to the
Leave off, leave this, when you turn
Praise, and blend its smoothness with its abrupt turns.
To praise, make its plains easy with your pruning.
إِنّيindeed I لَذوsurely possess مَيسَمٍa distinctive brand يَلوحُgleams عَلىupon
إِنّي لَذو مَيسَمٍ يَلوحُ عَلى
صَعودِthe ascent of هَذاthis الكَلامِspeech أَوor صَبَبِهits descent
صَعودِ هَذا الكَلامِ أَو صَبَبِه
Indeed, I have a brand that gleams upon
I am one with a harvest that gleams
The ascent of this speech, or its descent.
On the ascent of this discourse or its pouring.
لَستُI am not مِنَof العيسِthe pale camels أَوunless أُكَلِّفَهاI task them
لَستُ مِنَ العيسِ أَو أُكَلِّفَها
وَخداًa swift trot يُداويcures المَريضَthe sick man مِنof وَصَبِهhis affliction
وَخداً يُداوي المَريضَ مِن وَصَبِه
I have no use for pale camels unless I task them
I am not from the bleakness nor do I overburden it
With a swift trot that cures the sick man of his affliction.
With a cheek that treats an afflicted one from his pain.
إِلىtoward المُصَفّىthe purified one مَجداًin glory أَبيAbu (father of) الحَسَنِal-Hasan اِنthey sped (first fragment)
إِلى المُصَفّى مَجداً أَبي الحَسَنِ اِن
صَعنَthey sped (final fragment) اِنصِياعَlike the speeding of الكُدرِيِّthe dusky sandgrouse فيon قَرَبِهits night journey to water
صَعنَ اِنصِياعَ الكُدرِيِّ في قَرَبِه
Toward Abu al-Hasan, pure in glory, they
To the purified glory, my father Al-Hassan, if
Sped like the dusky sandgrouse on its night journey to water.
The turmoil humbly yields in his vicinity.
تَرميthey fling بِأَشباحِناwith our bodily forms إِلىtoward مَلِكٍa king
تَرمي بِأَشباحِنا إِلى مَلِكٍ
نَأخُذُwe take مِنfrom مالِهِhis wealth وَمِنand from أَدَبِهhis cultivated learning
نَأخُذُ مِن مالِهِ وَمِن أَدَبِه
They fling our bodily forms toward a king
Our ghosts cast towards a King,
From whose wealth and learning we take.
We take from his money and his manners.
نَجمُthe star of بَنيthe sons of صالِحٍSalih وَهُمand they are أَنجُمُthe stars of الthe (continued)
نَجمُ بَني صالِحٍ وَهُم أَنجُمُ ال
عالَمِworld مِنamong عُجمِهِits non-Arabs وَمِنand among عَرَبِهits Arabs
عالَمِ مِن عُجمِهِ وَمِن عَرَبِه
The star of Salih's sons, who are the stars of the
The stars of Bani Saleh, and they are the stars
World—among its non-Arabs and its Arabs.
Of the world, from its non-Arabs and Arabs.
رَهطُthe clan of الرَسولِthe Messenger الَّذيwho تَقَطَّعُwill be severed أَسties (first fragment)
رَهطُ الرَسولِ الَّذي تَقَطَّعُ أَس
بابُties (final fragment) البَراياof all creatures غَداًtomorrow سِوىexcept سَبَبِهhis tie
بابُ البَرايا غَداً سِوى سَبَبِه
The Messenger's clan: severed will be the ties
The clan of the Messenger whom the causes of separation
Of all creatures tomorrow, save his tie.
Will be cut off tomorrow except its cause.
مُهَذَّبٌa refined man قُدَّتِwere cut النُبُوَّةُprophethood وَالand the (continued)
مُهَذَّبٌ قُدَّتِ النُبُوَّةُ وَال
إِسلامُIslam قَدَّlike the cutting of الشِراكِa sandal strap مِنfrom نَسَبِهhis lineage
إِسلامُ قَدَّ الشِراكِ مِن نَسَبِه
A man refined: prophethood and
Refined, prophethood and Islam straightened
Islam were cut from his lineage as a sandal strap is cut.
The warp of its lineage and its origin.
لَهُhe has جَلالٌmajesty إِذاwhen تَسَربَلَهُhe robes himself in it
لَهُ جَلالٌ إِذا تَسَربَلَهُ
أَكسَبَهُgrants him البَأوَpride غَيرَwithout مُكتَسِبِهhis earning it
أَكسَبَهُ البَأوَ غَيرَ مُكتَسِبِه
He has a majesty which, when he robes himself in it,
It has majesty, if it dons it,
Gives him pride without his earning it.
It earns splendor without acquiring it.
وَالحَظُّand fortune يُعطاهُis given it غَيرُone not طالِبِهِseeking it
وَالحَظُّ يُعطاهُ غَيرُ طالِبِهِ
وَيُحرِزُand wins الدَرَّthe flowing milk غَيرُone not مُحتَلِبِهmilking it
وَيُحرِزُ الدَرَّ غَيرُ مُحتَلِبِه
And fortune is given to one who does not seek it,
And providence gives him without his request
And the milk is won by one who has not milked it.
And attains wealth without seeking it.
كَمhow much أَعطَبَتhave destroyed راحَتاهُhis two palms مِنof نَشَبٍwealth
كَم أَعطَبَت راحَتاهُ مِن نَشَبٍ
سَلامَةُthe welfare of المُعتَفينَseekers of bounty فيin عَطَبِهits destruction
سَلامَةُ المُعتَفينَ في عَطَبِه
How much wealth his two palms have destroyed!
How his comfort has been troubled by ambition,
The welfare of seekers of bounty lies in its destruction.
While the well-being of the weak relies on its impairment.
أَيُّwhat a مُداوٍhealer لِلمَحلِof drought نائِلُهُhis bounty
أَيُّ مُداوٍ لِلمَحلِ نائِلُهُ
وَهانِئٍand one applying healing tar لِلزَمانِfor time مِنagainst جَرَبِهits mange
وَهانِئٍ لِلزَمانِ مِن جَرَبِه
What a healer of drought is his bounty,
What healer is there for the situation, its attainer,
And an anointer of time against its mange!
And one who congratulates the time from its trials?
مُشَمِّرٌgirded for effort ماnot يَكِلُّhe tires فيin طَلَبِseeking الthe (continued)
مُشَمِّرٌ ما يَكِلُّ في طَلَبِ ال
عَلياءِheights وَالحاسِدونَand the enviers فيin طَلَبِهpursuit of him
عَلياءِ وَالحاسِدونَ في طَلَبِه
Girded for effort, he never tires in seeking the
Dedicated, never faltering in seeking
Heights, while his enviers pursue him.
The most high, while the envious ones seek him.
أَعلاهُمُtheir highest دونَهُbeneath him وَأَسبَقُهُمand their foremost
أَعلاهُمُ دونَهُ وَأَسبَقُهُم
إِلىtoward العُلىglory واطِئٌtreading عَلىupon عَقِبِهhis heel
إِلى العُلى واطِئٌ عَلى عَقِبِه
Their highest is beneath him, and their foremost
Higher than them, below him,
Toward glory treads upon his heel.
And more progressive to the heights, pressing on their heels.
يُريحُtake their rest قَومٌsome people وَالجودُand generosity وَالحَقُّand justice وَالand the (continued)
يُريحُ قَومٌ وَالجودُ وَالحَقُّ وَال
حاجاتُneeds مَشدودَةٌbound إِلىto طُنُبِهhis tent-rope
حاجاتُ مَشدودَةٌ إِلى طُنُبِه
Others rest, while generosity, justice, and
Some rest, generosity, truth and needs
Needs are bound to his tent-rope.
Are stretched towards its branches.
وَهَلand does يُباليhe mind إِقضاضَthe gritty roughness of مَضجَعِهِhis bed
وَهَل يُبالي إِقضاضَ مَضجَعِهِ
مَنone whose راحَةُthe rest of المَكرُماتِnoble deeds فيin تَعَبِهhis toil
مَن راحَةُ المَكرُماتِ في تَعَبِه
And does he mind the grit in his bed,
Does he care about disturbing his rest,
He whose toil gives noble deeds their rest?
When the comfort of the generous is in their fatigue?
تِلكَthose بَناتُdaughters of المَخاضِpregnant she-camels راتِعَةًgrazing
تِلكَ بَناتُ المَخاضِ راتِعَةً
وَالعَودُand the old camel فيin كورِهِits riding saddle وَفيand in قَتَبِهits pack-saddle
وَالعَودُ في كورِهِ وَفي قَتَبِه
Those yearling she-camels are grazing,
Those are the daughters of childbirth, pausing,
While the old camel bears its riding saddle and its pack-saddle.
With the lute at its curves and its fractions.
مَنwho ذاis there كَعَبّاسِهِlike his 'Abbas إِذاwhen اِصطَكَّتِclashed الthe (continued)
مَن ذا كَعَبّاسِهِ إِذا اِصطَكَّتِ ال
أَحسابُpedigrees أَمor مَنwho كَعَبدِlike 'Abd (name part) مُطَّلِبِهhis al-Muttalib (name part)
أَحسابُ أَم مَن كَعَبدِ مُطَّلِبِه
Who is like his 'Abbas when they clash—
Who is like Abbas when the accounts clash
The pedigrees—or who like his 'Abd al-Muttalib?
Or like Abd al-Muttalib’s servant?
هَيهاتَfar from it أَبدىshowed اليَقينُcertainty صَفحَتَهُits face
هَيهاتَ أَبدى اليَقينُ صَفحَتَهُ
وَبانَand was distinguished نَبعُthe bow-wood of الفَخارِglory مِنfrom غَرَبِهits willow
وَبانَ نَبعُ الفَخارِ مِن غَرَبِه
Far from it! Certainty has shown its face,
Far from it! Certainty always shows its surface,
And glory's bow-wood is distinct from its willow.
And the spring of pride is evident from its west.
عَبدُ'Abd (servant of) المَليكِal-Malik (the Sovereign) بنِson of صالِحِSalih بنِson of عَلِي'Ali (first fragment)
عَبدُ المَليكِ بنِ صالِحِ بنِ عَلِي
يِ'Ali (final fragment) بنِson of قَسيمِone sharing with النَبِيِّthe Prophet فيin نَسَبِهhis lineage
يِ بنِ قَسيمِ النَبِيِّ في نَسَبِه
'Abd al-Malik, son of Salih, son of 'Ali,
Abdul Malik son of Saleh son of Ali
Son of him who shares the Prophet's lineage.
Son of Qaseem the prophet in his ancestry.
أَلبَسَهُhe clothed him in المَجدَglory لاnot يُريدُhe intends بِهِby it
أَلبَسَهُ المَجدَ لا يُريدُ بِهِ
بُرداًa mantle وَصاغَand fashioned السَماحَgenerosity مِنهُfrom him وَبِهand through him
بُرداً وَصاغَ السَماحَ مِنهُ وَبِه
He clothed him in glory, meaning by it
Glory dressed him, he does not want
No mantle, and fashioned generosity from him and through him.
A cloak with it, and extracted generosity from it and with it.
لُقمانُLuqman صَمتاًin silence وَحِكمَةًand wisdom فَإِذاthen when
لُقمانُ صَمتاً وَحِكمَةً فَإِذا
قالَhe speaks لَقَطناwe gather المُرجانَcoral مِنfrom خُطَبِهhis speeches
قالَ لَقَطنا المُرجانَ مِن خُطَبِه
Luqman in silence and wisdom; then, when
Luqman, silent and wise, so if
He speaks, we gather coral from his speeches.
He speaks we pick up pearls from his speeches.
إِنif جَدَّhe is earnest رَدَّhe sends back الخُطوبَmisfortunes تَدمىbleeding وَإِنand if
إِن جَدَّ رَدَّ الخُطوبَ تَدمى وَإِن
يَلعَبhe plays فَجِدُّthen the earnestness of العَطاءِgiving فيin لَعِبِهhis play
يَلعَب فَجِدُّ العَطاءِ في لَعِبِه
If he is earnest, he sends misfortunes back bleeding; and if
If he is solemn, he repels afflictions, bleeding,
He plays, his giving is earnest in his play.
And if he jokes, serious is his generosity in his play.
يَتلوfollows رِضاهُhis favor الغِنىwealth بِأَجمَعِهِin its entirety
يَتلو رِضاهُ الغِنى بِأَجمَعِهِ
وَتُحذَرُand are feared الحادِثاتُcalamities فيin غَضَبِهhis wrath
وَتُحذَرُ الحادِثاتُ في غَضَبِه
Wealth in its entirety follows his favor,
His approval is followed by wealth entirely,
And calamities are feared when he is angry.
And misfortunes are cautioned by his anger.
تَزِلُّslip away عَنfrom عِرضِهِhis honor العُيوبُflaws وَقَدthough it may
تَزِلُّ عَن عِرضِهِ العُيوبُ وَقَد
تَنشَبُbecome caught كَفُّthe hand of الغَنِيِّthe wealthy man فيin نَشَبِهhis wealth
تَنشَبُ كَفُّ الغَنِيِّ في نَشَبِه
Flaws slide away from his honor, though
Flaws slip away from his integrity, and
A rich man's hand may stick fast in his wealth.
The hand of the wealthy can grip in his fury.
تَأتيهِcome to him فُرّاطُناour advance scouts فَتَحكُمُand hold sway فيover
تَأتيهِ فُرّاطُنا فَتَحكُمُ في
لُجَينِهِhis silver تارَةًat one time وَفيand over ذَهَبِهhis gold
لُجَينِهِ تارَةً وَفي ذَهَبِه
Our advance scouts come to him and hold sway over
Our knights come to him, so they judge
His silver at one time, and over his gold.
At times on his nature, and at times on his gold.
بِأَيِّwith what a سَهمٍarrow رَمَيتَyou shot فيin نَصلِهِits blade الthe (continued)
بِأَيِّ سَهمٍ رَمَيتَ في نَصلِهِ ال
ماضيkeen-edged وَفيand in ريشِهِits feathers وَفيand in عَقِبِهits sinew binding
ماضي وَفي ريشِهِ وَفي عَقِبِه
What an arrow you have shot—in its blade,
With which arrow have you shot in its past
So keen, in its feathers, and in its sinew binding!
And in its feathers and in its notch?
لاnot يُكمِنُhe conceals الغَدرَtreachery لِلصَديقِfor a friend وَلاnor
لا يُكمِنُ الغَدرَ لِلصَديقِ وَلا
يَخطوhe steps past اِسمَthe name of ذيone possessing وُدِّهِhis affection إِلىto لَقَبِهhis nickname
يَخطو اِسمَ ذي وُدِّهِ إِلى لَقَبِه
He does not conceal treachery for a friend, nor
He does not harbor betrayal for a friend,
Pass beyond a loved one's name to his nickname.
Nor treads the name of an intimate near his title.
يَأبِرُhe pollinates غَرسَthe sapling of الكَلامِspeech فيكَwithin you فَخُذso take
يَأبِرُ غَرسَ الكَلامِ فيكَ فَخُذ
وَاِجتَنِand gather مِنfrom زَهوِهِits ripening dates وَمِنand from رُطَبِهits fresh ripe dates
وَاِجتَنِ مِن زَهوِهِ وَمِن رُطَبِه
He pollinates speech's sapling within you; so take
Make its discourse's roots thrive in you, so take
And gather from its ripening dates and its fresh ripe dates.
And avoid its vanity and its moisture.
أَماdo you not تَرىsee الشُكرَgratitude مِنfrom رَبائِطِهِhis tethered steeds
أَما تَرى الشُكرَ مِن رَبائِطِهِ
جاءَhas come وَسَرحُand the grazing herd of المَديحِpraise مِنfrom جَلَبِهhis driven-in livestock
جاءَ وَسَرحُ المَديحِ مِن جَلَبِه
Do you not see that gratitude, from his tethered steeds,
Do you not see gratitude from his necklaces
Has come, and praise's grazing herd from his driven-in stock?
That came, and the frolicking of praise from its pulling?
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.