لِمَنwhose العيسthe pale camels تَختَفيvanish وَتَبينُand appear
لِمَن العيس تَختَفي وَتَبينُ
تَحتَbeneath سترthe veil الدُجىnight's darkness لَهُنَّtheirs is حَنينa plaintive cry
تَحتَ ستر الدُجى لَهُنَّ حَنين
Whose pale camels vanish and appear
For whom do the eyes hide and yet appear
Beneath night's veil, uttering plaintive cries?
Beneath the veil of darkness, yearning there?
قَدindeed تَعفتhave become indistinct شُخوصهنtheir forms مِنfrom الأَدnight travel (first fragment)
قَد تَعفت شُخوصهن مِن الأَد
لاجnight travel (final fragment) حَتّىuntil حراكهنَّtheir movement سُكونstillness
لاج حَتّى حراكهنَّ سُكون
Their forms have grown indistinct from travel
Their glances faded from sorrow and grief
By night, until their very movement is stillness.
Until their movement became stillness and calm.
وَلِمَنand whose مَنزلa dwelling تَعفتhave been effaced نَواحيهِits outskirts
وَلِمَن مَنزل تَعفت نَواحيهِ
وَأَقوىand became deserted إِذwhen بانَdeparted عَنهُfrom it القَطينthe inhabitants
وَأَقوى إِذ بانَ عَنهُ القَطين
And whose is the dwelling whose outskirts are effaced,
And for whom did the home become desolate,
Left deserted when its inhabitants departed?
When it was strongest, though empty and bare?
ظَلتI remained فيهِin it أَهيمI wander lovelorn شضوقاًin longing (likely شوقاً) وَوَجداًand in love's anguish
ظَلت فيهِ أَهيم شضوقاً وَوَجداً
وَكَأنيand as though I مِنbecause of حيرَتيmy bewilderment مَسجونam imprisoned
وَكَأني مِن حيرَتي مَسجون
I lingered there, distraught with longing and love's anguish,
I lingered there, consumed with longing and pain,
As though my bewilderment had imprisoned me.
As if imprisoned by my bewilderment.
وَكَأَنَّand as though البُكاweeping عَلىupon العَينthe eye فَرضٌa duty
وَكَأَنَّ البُكا عَلى العَين فَرضٌ
أَوor عَلىupon الدَمعthe tears لِلطُلولto the ruins دُيونdebts
أَو عَلى الدَمع لِلطُلول دُيون
And as though weeping were the eye's duty,
It seems that weeping is an obligation,
Or tears owed debts to the ruins.
Or tears are debts owed for separation.
أَيُّهاO you الركبthe caravan حَدِثونيtell me لَعَلَperhaps الthe
أَيُّها الركب حَدِثوني لَعَلَ ال
قَلبheart يَرتاحfinds relief فَالحَديثfor talk شُجونmany branches
قَلب يَرتاح فَالحَديث شُجون
O caravan, tell me, perhaps the
O people journeying, speak to me, perhaps
Heart may find relief—for talk has many branches.
My heart may find comfort; tales ease the soul's lament.
وَأَخبِرونيand tell me عَنabout التَجَلُدfortitude وَالأَلفand the beloved companion
وَأَخبِروني عَن التَجَلُد وَالأَلف
طَوَتهُengulfed him الخُطوبcalamities كَيفَhow يَكونcan it be
طَوَتهُ الخُطوب كَيفَ يَكون
And tell me of fortitude, when the beloved
Tell me of resilience and of familiarity
Has been engulfed by calamities: how can it be?
How they endure sorrows and remain content.
لَيتَif only شعريmy knowledge وَلِلمُحبand for the lover إِذكارreminders
لَيتَ شعري وَلِلمُحب إِذكار
وَحَنينand yearning وَلِلعَليلand for the ailing one أَنينgroaning
وَحَنين وَلِلعَليل أَنين
Would that I knew—with reminders for the lover,
Would that I knew if the lover recalls
And yearning, and groans for the ailing—
With longing, while the ailing moan in lament.
أَذكرتمhave you remembered? صَبّاa lovesick man قَضىdied فيin هَواكُمlove of you
أَذكرتم صَبّا قَضى في هَواكُم
وَهُوَand he مَغرىenthralled بِذكرِكُمby remembrance of you مَفتونbewitched
وَهُوَ مَغرى بِذكرِكُم مَفتون
Have you remembered a lovesick man who died for love of you,
Do you remember one who spent his youth loving you
While enthralled by remembrance of you, bewitched?
Infatuated with the mention of your name?
أَوor تَرىdo you think عَهدَناour pledge بِنُعمانat Nuʿman مَرعيٌّhonored
أَو تَرى عَهدَنا بِنُعمان مَرعيٌّ
وَسرand the secret الحُبof love الكَريمnoble مَصونpreserved
وَسر الحُب الكَريم مَصون
Or do you think our pledge at Nuʿman is still honored,
Or do you see our days in Ne'man still guarded
And the secret of noble love preserved?
And the noble secret of love secure and maintained?
ياoh سَقىmay it water ذَلِكَthat الجَنابthe place وَعَهداًand a time
يا سَقى ذَلِكَ الجَناب وَعَهداً
قَدalready تَقَضىpassed بِهِthere سَحابa cloud هَتونpouring rain
قَد تَقَضى بِهِ سَحاب هَتون
Oh, may that place be watered, and a time
O you who watered that companionship and covenant
That passed there, by a cloud pouring rain.
Fulfilled by clouds pouring down in torrents.
ليI have إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) ذُكِرتُمُyou are mentioned زَفَراتdeep sighs
لي إِذا ما ذُكِرتُمُ زَفَرات
وَدُموعand tears عَمّاabout what أَجنُّI conceal تَبينreveal
وَدُموع عَمّا أَجنُّ تَبين
Whenever you are mentioned, I have deep sighs,
I have but sighs and tears for what I now suffer
And tears that reveal what I conceal.
When you are recalled, and my torment grows plain.
إِنَّماnothing but الحُبlove شَقوَةٌmisery وَعَناءٌand suffering
إِنَّما الحُب شَقوَةٌ وَعَناءٌ
وَإِذاand when ماever (emphasis) أَلَحَّpersists فَهُوَthen it is جُنونmadness
وَإِذا ما أَلَحَّ فَهُوَ جُنون
Love is nothing but misery and suffering,
Love is but misery and trouble,
And when it persists, it is madness.
And when it persists, it is madness and pain.
فَإِذاso when كانَthere is فيهِin it هَجرestrangement وَصَدٌّand rejection
فَإِذا كانَ فيهِ هَجر وَصَدٌّ
أَوor فُراقٌseparation يَطولlasts long فَهُوَthen it is المَنونdeath
أَو فُراقٌ يَطول فَهُوَ المَنون
So if there is estrangement and rejection in it,
If it brings estrangement and rejection,
Or separation that lasts long, it is death.
Or separation that lingers, then it is mortal and vain.
أَرتَجيI hope for مِنfrom يَدthe hand الحَماdeath (likely الحِمام) اِنفِلاتاًescape
أَرتَجي مِن يَد الحَما اِنفِلاتاً
وَهَوىand the passion الشَوقof yearning بِالرَدىwith death مَقرونcoupled
وَهَوى الشَوق بِالرَدى مَقرون
I hope to escape death's hand,
Can I hope to escape the claws of affliction,
Yet yearning's passion is coupled with death.
When passion is shackled to devastation and chained?
سَكنٌa beloved نازِحٌfar away وَشَوقٌand longing لِجوجٌinsistent
سَكنٌ نازِحٌ وَشَوقٌ لِجوجٌ
وَهَوىًand passion جامِحٌunbridled وَصَبرٌand patience حرونbalking
وَهَوىً جامِحٌ وَصَبرٌ حرون
A distant beloved, and insistent longing,
Restless dwelling, obstinate longing,
And unbridled passion, and balking patience,
Raging love, and patience aflame.
وَسقامٌand sickness بادٍapparent وَداءٌand an ailment دَفينٌburied
وَسقامٌ بادٍ وَداءٌ دَفينٌ
وَفُؤادٌand a heart بالٍworn out وَقَلبٌand a heart حَزينgrieving
وَفُؤادٌ بالٍ وَقَلبٌ حَزين
And apparent sickness, and a buried ailment,
Continual illness, latent disease,
And a worn-out heart, and a grieving heart,
A mind in turmoil, a sad, grieving heart.
وَخَطوبand calamities تَتَرىcome in succession وَقَلبand a heart عَلىtoward الأَحthe freeborn (first fragment)
وَخَطوب تَتَرى وَقَلب عَلى الأَح
رارfreeborn (final fragment) قاسharsh وَبِالكِرامand toward the noble ضَنينgrudging
رار قاس وَبِالكِرام ضَنين
And calamities in succession, and a heart
Suffering appears, while my heart is hardened against heat,
Harsh toward the freeborn and grudging toward the noble.
Yet stingy towards the generous and disdained.
لاdo not تَلُمنيblame me عَلىfor مُجانَبةshunning الناthe people (first fragment)
لا تَلُمني عَلى مُجانَبة النا
سpeople (final fragment) فَعُذريfor my excuse فيin ذاكَthat عُذرٌan excuse مُبينclear
س فَعُذري في ذاكَ عُذرٌ مُبين
Do not blame me for shunning
Do not blame me for avoiding people,
People: my excuse in this is plain.
My excuse for this is clear and explained.
رَبmany a خَلfriend قَدindeed عفتI have shunned لُقياهُmeeting him إِذاwhen ضَclamored (first fragment)
رَب خَل قَد عفت لُقياهُ إِذا ضَ
جَclamored (final fragment) فيin وَجهthe face ودهِhis affection تَلوينfickleness
جَ في وَجه ودهِ تَلوين
Many a friend whose company I have shunned, when
My Lord created me disgusted with their essence,
Fickleness clamored in the face of his affection.
When the mask slips from their fake display.
لاmay not عَدانيpass me by الهَوانhumiliation إِنif كانَis عوديmy bough
لا عَداني الهَوان إِن كانَ عودي
مَعdespite ماwhat بيails me لِلغامِزينbefore the detractors يَلينbends
مَع ما بي لِلغامِزين يَلين
May humiliation not spare me if my bough,
Familiarity has not made me docile, though I yield
Despite all that ails me, bends before detractors.
To the critic’s remarks, softly restrained.
لاdo not تَسمنيdemand from me فيfor مَطمعa hoped-for gain بذلsacrificing وَجهيmy face (my honor)
لا تَسمني في مَطمع بذل وَجهي
كُلevery صَعبhardship سِواهُother than it عِنديto me يَهونis easy
كُل صَعب سِواهُ عِندي يَهون
Do not demand that I abase my face for gain;
Do not name me among those hoping to gain favor
Every hardship but that is easy for me.
By selling their dignity; all else seems simple and plain.
تَكتَفيare content الأَنفُسthe souls الأَبيةproud بِالقوتwith sustenance
تَكتَفي الأَنفُس الأَبية بِالقوت
إِذاwhen خانَهاbetrays them الزَمانtime الخَؤُونever-treacherous
إِذا خانَها الزَمان الخَؤُون
Proud souls are content with sustenance
Proud souls suffice themselves with sustenance
When treacherous time betrays them.
When they are betrayed by fickle time’s waning.
وَالغِنىand wealth فيin القُنوطgiving up hope مِنof مَددaid العاthe world (first fragment)
وَالغِنى في القُنوط مِن مَدد العا
لمworld (final fragment) وَالفُقرand poverty فيin الرَجاءِhope كَمينlurking
لم وَالفُقر في الرَجاءِ كَمين
And wealth lies in expecting no aid from
Wealth lies in despairing of the world’s support,
The world, while poverty lurks in hope.
While poverty dwells in hopeful anticipation and strained.
وَإِذاand if بِعتُI sold ماءwater (here, honor) وَجهَكyour face بِالخُلدfor immortality
وَإِذا بِعتُ ماء وَجهَك بِالخُلد
لِخُلقto a creature (likely لِخَلْق) فَإِنَّكَthen indeed you المَغبونthe cheated one
لِخُلق فَإِنَّكَ المَغبون
And if I sold the honor of your face for immortality
If I sell the water of your face for eternity,
To a creature, you would be the one cheated.
Then I am the one cheated and pained.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.