سَقىmay water اللَهGod فيin مَصرEgypt السَعيدةthe fortunate مَنزِلاًa dwelling
سَقى اللَه في مَصر السَعيدة مَنزِلاً
قَضىordained اللَهُGod فيهِin it بِاجتِماعfor the gathering of ذَويthose possessed of اللُبunderstanding
قَضى اللَهُ فيهِ بِاجتِماع ذَوي اللُب
May God water a dwelling in fortunate Egypt,
God quenched in blessed Egypt a dwelling
where God ordained the gathering of people of understanding.
Wherein He decreed the gathering of kindred souls
مَحلa dwelling لِمَعسولfor one honey-sweet in السَجاياcharacter لِقاؤُهُmeeting him
مَحل لِمَعسول السَجايا لِقاؤُهُ
أَحبdearer إِلىto الظاميthe thirsty person مِنthan الحَضرunclear here; perhaps water العَذبthe sweet
أَحب إِلى الظامي مِن الحَضر العَذب
A home for one of honey-sweet character: meeting him is
A place for honeyed conversation, its meeting
dearer to the thirsty than sweet water.
Dearer to the thirsty than fresh, sweet water
وَإِخوانand brothers صدقsincerity مُستَقيمsteadfast وَدادهمtheir affection
وَإِخوان صدق مُستَقيم وَدادهم
وَشَرّand the worst of الاخلاءclose friends المُقوَّمone set straight بِالعَتبby reproach
وَشَرّ الاخلاء المُقوَّم بِالعَتب
And for true brothers whose affection is steadfast—
And true, upright friends whose affection is straight
and the worst of friends is one set straight by reproach.
Better than the intimate who only brings blame
نَعمناwe lived happily بِهِin it حيناًfor a while مِنof الدَهرtime نَحتَسيwe sip
نَعمنا بِهِ حيناً مِن الدَهر نَحتَسي
سَلافةthe choicest wine آدابliterature and culture تَجمّgrows abundant عَلىwith الشُربdrinking
سَلافة آداب تَجمّ عَلى الشُرب
We lived happily there for a while, sipping
With them we enjoyed some days of life
the choicest wine of culture, which grows fuller with drinking:
Manners refined over the tradition of drink
أَرقmore delicate وَأَشهىand more delightful مِنthan تَنصلan apology مُغرَمa lovestruck lover
أَرق وَأَشهى مِن تَنصل مُغرَم
وَأَعذَبand sweeter مِنthan عَتبreproach الحَبيبthe beloved عَلىtoward الصَبthe lovesick lover
وَأَعذَب مِن عَتب الحَبيب عَلى الصَب
more delicate and more delightful than a lover's apology,
More gentle and delightful than a lover's discontent
and sweeter than the beloved's reproach to the lovesick.
Sweeter than a beloved's rebuke on wakefulness
بِحَيثwhere تَراناyou see us لِلوجوهof faces صَيارِفاًmoney-changers
بِحَيث تَرانا لِلوجوه صَيارِفاً
وَلَستَand you do not تَراناyou see us نَصرفwe direct الهَمour concern لِلكسبtoward gain
وَلَستَ تَرانا نَصرف الهَم لِلكسب
There you see us as money-changers, appraising faces,
Where you see us turn our faces
yet you do not see us turn our thoughts toward gain.
But not turn our cares towards gain
هُوَit is الدَهرTime قَدmay يَسخوbe generous بِأَسباغby lavishing نعمةbounty
هُوَ الدَهر قَد يَسخو بِأَسباغ نعمة
وَلَكنهاbut they (the days) الأَيّامthe days تُسرعhasten بِالسَلبto deprivation
وَلَكنها الأَيّام تُسرع بِالسَلب
Such is Time: it may generously lavish bounty,
Life may be generous with abundant bounty
but the days hasten to snatch it away.
Yet days are quick to despoil
وَأَبرحand the most grievous ماwhat يُبلىwears away السُرورjoy فراقparting from ذيone possessed of
وَأَبرح ما يُبلى السُرور فراق ذي
وِدادaffection صَحيحtrue فيin التَباعُدdistance وَالقُربand closeness
وِداد صَحيح في التَباعُد وَالقُرب
And the bitterest thing to wear away joy is parting from one
Never does the joy of one cease
whose affection is true, in distance and in closeness.
Whose true affection stays fast in union and separation
سَلامpeace مِنfrom الرَحمَنthe Most Merciful يَصحبaccompanies رَحمةmercy
سَلام مِن الرَحمَن يَصحب رَحمة
عَلىupon كُلevery مَنone who يَرعىhonors العُهودthe pledges مِنamong الصَحبthe companions
عَلى كُل مَن يَرعى العُهود مِن الصَحب
Peace from the Most Merciful, together with mercy,
Greetings from the Compassionate accompany mercy
upon every friend who honors the pledges.
On all who keep faith with companionship
أَلاAh لاlet not يَلُمنيblame me بَعدَكُمafter you عِندَat غَفلةa moment of distraction
أَلا لا يَلُمني بَعدَكُم عِندَ غَفلة
عَشيرa companion فَماfor ... not فارقتكُمI parted from you وَمَعيand with me قَلبيmy heart
عَشير فَما فارقتكُم وَمَعي قَلبي
Ah, after parting from you, let me not be blamed for a moment's distraction
Do not blame me, my people, if after you
by any companion: I did not leave you with my heart still with me.
I wander, for my heart remains with you
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.