ياO لَيتَif only شِعريmy knowledge بِأَنباءٍabout tidings أُنَبِّؤُهاI report them
يا لَيتَ شِعري بِأَنباءٍ أُنَبِّؤُها
قَدindeed كانَwas يَعياis baffled بِهاby them صَدريmy heart وَتَقديريand my judgment
قَد كانَ يَعيا بِها صَدري وَتَقديري
Oh, would that I knew about the tidings I relate,
Oh, if only my thoughts could bring tidings
My heart and judgment had been baffled by them.
That would gladden my heart and decree
عَنabout اِمرِئٍa man ماwhatever يَزِدهُadds to him اللَهُGod مِنof شَرَفٍhonor
عَن اِمرِئٍ ما يَزِدهُ اللَهُ مِن شَرَفٍ
أَفرَحI rejoice بِهِin it وَمُريٌّand Murayy غَيرُnot مَسرورِpleased
أَفرَح بِهِ وَمُريٌّ غَيرُ مَسرورِ
About a man—whatever further honor God grants him,
Of a man whom Allah raises in glory
I rejoice in it, while Murayy is not pleased.
I rejoice for him while foes grieve
إِنَّindeed الوَليدَal-Walid لَهُfor him عِنديwith me وَحَقَّand is rightfully due لَهُto him
إِنَّ الوَليدَ لَهُ عِندي وَحَقَّ لَهُ
وُدُّaffection الخَليلِthe close friend وَنُصحٌand sincere counsel غَيرُnot مَذخورِwithheld
وُدُّ الخَليلِ وَنُصحٌ غَيرُ مَذخورِ
Indeed, al-Walid has from me, as is his due,
Al-Walid is dear to me and deserves
A close friend's affection and counsel never withheld.
A friend’s loyalty, pure and sincere
إِنَّindeed اِمرأًa man خَصَّنيsingled me out عَمداًdeliberately مَوَدَّتهُhis affection
إِنَّ اِمرأً خَصَّني عَمداً مَوَدَّتهُ
عَلىdespite التَنائيseparation لِعِنديcertainly, in my regard غَيرُnot مَكفورِunappreciated
عَلى التَنائي لِعِندي غَيرُ مَكفورِ
Indeed, a man who deliberately singled me out for his affection,
A man who chose to befriend me
Despite our distance, is surely not unappreciated by me.
Though distant, in my eyes he's most dear
لَقَدindeed رَعانيhe cared for me وَأَدنانيand drew me close وَأَظهَرَنيand made me prevail
لَقَد رَعاني وَأَدناني وَأَظهَرَني
عَلىover الأَعاديthe enemies بِنَصرٍwith support غَيرwithout تَعذيرِhalf-heartedness
عَلى الأَعادي بِنَصرٍ غَير تَعذيرِ
He has indeed cared for me, drawn me close, and made me prevail
He supported me, drew me near, exalted me
Over my enemies, with support free of half-heartedness.
Against foes, with help unrestrained
فَشَذَّبَso he pruned away القَومَthe people عَنّيfrom me غَيرَnot مُكتَرِثٍconcerned
فَشَذَّبَ القَومَ عَنّي غَيرَ مُكتَرِثٍ
حَتّىuntil تَناهَواthey desisted عَلىunder رَغمٍcompulsion وَتَصغيرِand humiliation
حَتّى تَناهَوا عَلى رَغمٍ وَتَصغيرِ
So he pruned those people away from me, without a care,
He turned people from me, not bothering
Until they desisted, against their will and in humiliation.
Until they shunned me with disdain
نَفسيmy soul فِداءُa ransom أَبيAbu (father of) وَهبٍWahb وَقَلَّand it is little لَهُfor him
نَفسي فِداءُ أَبي وَهبٍ وَقَلَّ لَهُ
ياO أُمَّUmm (mother of) عَمرٍوAmr فَحُلّيthen make camp اليَومَtoday أَوor سيريjourney on
يا أُمَّ عَمرٍو فَحُلّي اليَومَ أَو سيري
May my soul be Abu Wahb's ransom—and even that is little for him.
My soul is ransom for Abu Wahb, tell him
O Umm Amr, then make camp today, or journey on.
O mother of Amr, adorn yourself and march on
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.