لَقَدindeed واصَلتُI kept company with سَلمىSalma فيthrough لَيالٍnights
لَقَد واصَلتُ سَلمى في لَيالٍ
وَأَيّامٍand days وَعَيشٍand a life غَيرِnot عَشِّmeager
وَأَيّامٍ وَعَيشٍ غَيرِ عَشِّ
Indeed, I kept company with Salma through nights,
I associated with Salma during nights,
and days, in a life that was not meager.
Days, and a life unlike any other,
لَقَدindeed هازَلتُهاI played with her فيon يَومِa day of دَجنٍcloudiness
لَقَد هازَلتُها في يَومِ دَجنٍ
عَلىon عُتُقٍfine مِنَof الديباجِsilk brocade فُرشِspreads
عَلى عُتُقٍ مِنَ الديباجِ فُرشِ
Indeed, I played with her on a cloudy day,
I jested with her one gloomy day,
on fine spreads of silk brocade.
On a rug made of brocade beautifully laid out,
كَأَنَّas though مُدامَةًaged wine وَرُضابَand fine particles of مِسكٍmusk
كَأَنَّ مُدامَةً وَرُضابَ مِسكٍ
وَكافوراًand camphor ذَكِيّاًfragrant لَمnot يَغَشِّadulterated
وَكافوراً ذَكِيّاً لَم يَغَشِّ
As though aged wine and grains of musk,
As if spikenard oil and pleasing musk,
and fragrant, unadulterated camphor,
And camphor, pure and unadulterated,
تُعَلُّare repeatedly moistened بِهِwith it ثَناياfront teeth بارِداتٌcool
تُعَلُّ بِهِ ثَنايا بارِداتٌ
كَلَونِlike the color of الأُقحَوانِchamomile غَداةَon the morning of طَشِّdrizzle
كَلَونِ الأُقحَوانِ غَداةَ طَشِّ
were bathing her cool front teeth,
Adorned her cool folds,
white as chamomile on a drizzling morning.
Like the color of peaches at dawn when plucked.
تُحِيرُshe confounds بِنَقشِwith the tracery of سُنَّتِهاher face إِذاwhen ماever
تُحِيرُ بِنَقشِ سُنَّتِها إِذا ما
بَدَتshe appears يَوماًone day مَحاسِنَthe beauties of كُلِّevery نَقشِdesign
بَدَت يَوماً مَحاسِنَ كُلِّ نَقشِ
With her face's tracery she confounds, whenever
Her engraved bracelets confuse, whenever
she appears, the beauties of every design.
The beauty of every engraving appeared one day.
تَبُذُّshe surpasses العِينَwide-eyed women إِنif قَعَدَتshe sits جَمالاًin beauty
تَبُذُّ العِينَ إِن قَعَدَت جَمالاً
وَتَنطِقُand makes speak مَنwhoever رَآهاsees her حينَwhen تَمشيshe walks
وَتَنطِقُ مَن رَآها حينَ تَمشي
She surpasses wide-eyed women in beauty when seated,
Eyes are dazzled if she sits in beauty,
and makes whoever sees her speak when she walks.
And anyone who sees her speaks when she walks.
إِذاwhen اِرتَجَّتquiver رَوادِفُهاher haunches تَهادَتshe walks swaying
إِذا اِرتَجَّت رَوادِفُها تَهادَت
مُبَتَّلَةًwell-proportioned شَواهاher limbs غَيرُnot حُمشِthin
مُبَتَّلَةً شَواها غَيرُ حُمشِ
When her haunches quiver, she walks with a sway,
When her pendant sways, untroubled,
well-proportioned, her limbs not thin.
Like the plaited tresses of an unmarried girl.
عَلَيهاupon her الدُرُّpearls نِيطَwere hung لَهاfor her شُنوفاًas earrings
عَلَيها الدُرُّ نِيطَ لَها شُنوفاً
كَبَيضِlike the eggs of ضَئيلَةٍa tiny bird فيin جَوفِthe hollow of عُشِّa nest
كَبَيضِ ضَئيلَةٍ في جَوفِ عُشِّ
Pearls are fastened upon her as earrings,
Pearls are strung on her like eggs
like a tiny bird's eggs within a nest.
Of a small bird in the midst of a nest.
أَجادَdid finely بِهاin her making بُحورٌa sea of generosity مِنfrom بُحورٍseas of generosity
أَجادَ بِها بُحورٌ مِن بُحورٍ
وَعَينٌand a choice woman مِنfrom نِساءٍwomen غَيرِnot عُمشِbleary-eyed
وَعَينٌ مِن نِساءٍ غَيرِ عُمشِ
A sea of a man, sprung from seas, fashioned her well,
With it, seas of seas and an eye
and a choice woman, from women not bleary-eyed.
From women unlike any other boasted.
كَشَمسِlike the sun of الصَيفِsummer غُرَّتُهاher brow ضِياءin radiance
كَشَمسِ الصَيفِ غُرَّتُها ضِياء
يَكادُalmost شُعاعُهاits radiance فيin البَيتِthe house يُعشيblinds
يَكادُ شُعاعُها في البَيتِ يُعشي
Her brow shines like the summer sun,
Like the summer sun, her face glows,
its radiance in the house can almost blind.
Her rays in the house almost make it dark.
كَأَنّيas though I شارِبٌwere drinking يَومَon the day اِستَقَلَّتshe departed
كَأَنّي شارِبٌ يَومَ اِستَقَلَّت
دِماءَblood of ذَرارِحٍblister beetles وَسِمامَand venoms of رُقشِspeckled snakes
دِماءَ ذَرارِحٍ وَسِمامَ رُقشِ
As though I drank, on the day she departed,
As if I was drinking the day she left,
blister-beetles' blood and speckled snakes' venom.
The blood of my veins and poison of deadly nightshade.
فَأَضحَتso became دارُهاher dwelling مِنهاof her قِفاراًa desolate waste
فَأَضحَت دارُها مِنها قِفاراً
قَطوعُa frequent severer of الوُدِّaffection لاnot تُرشيyields to bribery لِمُرشيto a briber
قَطوعُ الوُدِّ لا تُرشي لِمُرشي
Her dwelling became a waste, emptied of her;
So her house became desolate because of her,
a breaker of affection, she yields to no briber.
Severed affection does not shelter a shelterer.
وَغَيَّرَand changed آيَthe traces of دِمنَتِهاher old campsite غُيوثٌrainstorms
وَغَيَّرَ آيَ دِمنَتِها غُيوثٌ
تُعِجُّmake roar التَلعَthe ravines مِنfrom وَبلٍtorrential rain بِحَفشِwith a rush
تُعِجُّ التَلعَ مِن وَبلٍ بِحَفشِ
Rains changed the traces of her old campsite,
And change afflicted the signs of her abode,
making the ravines roar with rushing downpours.
Sweeping away the ridges with torrential rain.
سَقىwatered ماءُwater of النَدىmoisture مِنهاfrom them رِياضاًmeadows
سَقى ماءُ النَدى مِنها رِياضاً
وَسارَحَةًand grazing herds مَعَwith اليَومِthe day المُرِشِّdrizzling
وَسارَحَةً مَعَ اليَومِ المُرِشِّ
Moisture from those rains watered meadows,
The water of dew irrigated from it gardens,
and grazing herds, with the drizzling day.
And an open plain along with a rainy day.
بِهاin them نَورٌflowers مِنَof الأَزواجِkinds شَتّىvarious
بِها نَورٌ مِنَ الأَزواجِ شَتّى
تَجولُroam بِهاthrough them أَوابِدُwild creatures of كُلِّevery وَحشِkind of wild beast
تَجولُ بِها أَوابِدُ كُلِّ وَحشِ
There are flowers of many kinds there;
With it is a light from diverse spouses
wild creatures of every kind roam through them.
Wandering in it are the lonely of every wilderness.
وَمِنand among جَأبِcoarse النُسالَةِthe coat أَخدَرِيٌّan Akhdari wild ass
وَمِن جَأبِ النُسالَةِ أَخدَرِيٌّ
وَمِنand among شَخصٍa tall female تَرودُroaming وَأُمِّand a mother of جَحشِa donkey foal
وَمِن شَخصٍ تَرودُ وَأُمِّ جَحشِ
Among coarse-coated beasts is an Akhdari wild ass,
And from a fawn of soft skin, a black one,
and a tall roving female, and a mother with a foal;
And from a gazelle that turns away and a mother ostrich.
وَمِنand among عَيناءَa wide-eyed wild cow راتِعَةٍgrazing وَأُخرىand another
وَمِن عَيناءَ راتِعَةٍ وَأُخرى
إِذاwhen رَبَضَتshe lies down تَرُدُّshe brings back رَجِيعَthe cud of كِرشِa rumen
إِذا رَبَضَت تَرُدُّ رَجِيعَ كِرشِ
and a wide-eyed wild cow at pasture, and another
And from a one-eyed female camel, and another
that, lying down, brings back the cud of her rumen.
Who when she kneels down, turns back the calves of a barren camel.
وَظُلمانand male ostriches تَقودُleading لَهاof their own رِئالاًostrich chicks
وَظُلمان تَقودُ لَها رِئالاً
كَأَنَّas though نَعامَهُنَّtheir ostriches سَبِيُّwere captives of حُبشِthe Abyssinians
كَأَنَّ نَعامَهُنَّ سَبِيُّ حُبشِ
And male ostriches lead their chicks,
And darkness leads for it does,
as though their ostriches were Abyssinian captives.
As if their ostriches are booty of Abyssinia.
وَلَستَand you are not إِذاwhen عَراbefalls ظُلميmy wrongdoing صَديقيmy friend
وَلَستَ إِذا عَرا ظُلمي صَديقي
إِذاwhile مادامَhe still remains مِنin وُدّيmy affection بِبَشِّcheerful
إِذا مادامَ مِن وُدّي بِبَشِّ
And you are not, when my wrongdoing befalls my friend,
You are not, when the darkness of my friend covers me,
while he remains in my affection, cheerful.
If his affection for me remains bashful.
وَأَنصَحُand I counsel لِلنَّصيحِto the sincere man إِذاwhen اِستَرانيhe chooses me
وَأَنصَحُ لِلنَّصيحِ إِذا اِستَراني
وَأُرفِدُand I supply ذاthe one with الضَغينَةِresentment شَرَّthe worst غِشِّdeceit
وَأُرفِدُ ذا الضَغينَةِ شَرَّ غِشِّ
I counsel the sincere man when he chooses me,
And I advise the adviser when he seeks refuge in me,
and supply the resentful man with the worst deceit.
And I refrain the resentful from the worst treachery.
وَتَأتينيand reach me قَوارِصُbiting remarks عَنfrom رِجالٍmen
وَتَأتيني قَوارِصُ عَن رِجالٍ
فَأُبلِغُso I attain حاجَتيmy aim فيin غَيرِthe absence of فَحشِobscenity
فَأُبلِغُ حاجَتي في غَيرِ فَحشِ
Biting remarks from men reach me,
And women come to me covertly on behalf of men,
so I achieve my purpose without obscenity.
So I fulfill my need without any shamelessness.
وَأُدرِكُand I obtain صالِحَfitting الأَوتارِvengeance عَفواًeffortlessly
وَأُدرِكُ صالِحَ الأَوتارِ عَفواً
بِعَونِwith the aid of اللَهِGod فيin طَلَبيmy pursuit وَنَجشيand my rousing
بِعَونِ اللَهِ في طَلَبي وَنَجشي
And I exact fitting vengeance with ease,
And I attain mature strings through pardon,
with God's help in my pursuit and rousing.
With God's help in my request and success.
أَبيforbids abasement ليfor me ماthat which غَلِبتُI defeated بِهِwith it الأَعاديthe enemies
أَبي لي ما غَلِبتُ بِهِ الأَعادي
عَطاءُthe gift of اللَهِGod مِنof شِعريmy poetry وَبَطشيand my force
عَطاءُ اللَهِ مِن شِعري وَبَطشي
What I have defeated foes with forbids me abasement:
My father denied me what I used to defeat enemies,
God's gift of my poetry and my force.
A gift from God of my poetry and might.
فَلاso not يَخشىfear ذَووthose possessing الأَحلامِsound judgment جَهليmy rashness
فَلا يَخشى ذَوو الأَحلامِ جَهلي
وَلاand not أُرعيdo I show mercy عَلىtoward البَذِخِthe haughty الغِطَمشِoppressor
وَلا أُرعي عَلى البَذِخِ الغِطَمشِ
Men of judgment do not fear my rashness,
So the ignorant do not fear my ignorance,
and I spare no haughty oppressor.
Nor do I mind prodigal wastefulness.
أَهَشُّI delight لِحَمدِin praising قَوميmy people كُلَّevery يَومٍday
أَهَشُّ لِحَمدِ قَومي كُلَّ يَومٍ
وَلَستُand I am not إِلىtoward مَلامَتِهِمreproaching them بِهَشِّeager
وَلَستُ إِلى مَلامَتِهِم بِهَشِّ
I gladly praise my people every day,
I applaud my people everyday,
and have no eagerness to reproach them.
And I am not harsh to their criticism.
وَجَدتُand I found أَباAbu (father of) رَبيعَةَRabi'a فَوقَabove بَكرٍBakr
وَجَدتُ أَبا رَبيعَةَ فَوقَ بَكرٍ
كَماas عَلَتِrose above البِلادَthe lands بَناتُthe Daughters of نَعشِNa'sh (the Bier)
كَما عَلَتِ البِلادَ بَناتُ نَعشِ
I have found Abu Rabi'a above Bakr,
I found Abu Rabee'ah above Bakr,
as the Daughters of Na'sh rise above the lands.
As highlands tower above the daughters of Na'sh.
نُغَدّيwe give breakfast to الضَعيفَthe weak مِنfrom قَمَعِthe hump-tops of المَتاليnursing she-camels
نُغَدّي الضَعيفَ مِن قَمَعِ المَتالي
سَديفاًhump-fat مُشبِعاًsating مِنهُfrom it يُعَشّيhe provides supper
سَديفاً مُشبِعاً مِنهُ يُعَشّي
We feed the weak at breakfast from nursing camels' hump-tops,
We host the weak from the oppression of aggressors,
filling cuts of fat that provide supper too.
Giving them a satisfying dinner after which we supper.
وَنَحمِلُand we bear كُلَّevery مُضلِعَةٍcrushing burden وَعَقلٍand blood-money
وَنَحمِلُ كُلَّ مُضلِعَةٍ وَعَقلٍ
وَنَضرِبُand we strike فيin الكَتيبَةِthe battle-line كُلَّevery كَبشِchampion (ram)
وَنَضرِبُ في الكَتيبَةِ كُلَّ كَبشِ
We bear every crushing burden and blood-price,
And we carry every pregnant and rational being,
and strike every champion in the battle-line.
And strike in the army every billy goat.
وَنَضرِبُand we strike مَنwhoever تَعَرَّضَconfronts us مُوضِحاتٍbone-baring wounds
وَنَضرِبُ مَن تَعَرَّضَ مُوضِحاتٍ
عَلانِيَّةًopenly جِهاراًpublicly غَيرَnot in غُطشِdarkness
عَلانِيَّةً جِهاراً غَيرَ غُطشِ
We deal those who confront us bone-baring wounds,
And we strike whoever openly attacks modesty,
openly, publicly, not in darkness.
Publicly and openly without any covering.
هُمُthey المُستَقدِمونَthose advancing إِلىالمَناياtoward death
هُمُ المُستَقدِمونَ إِلىالمَنايا
وَقَدand already لَبِسواthey have donned سِلاحاًarms غَيرَnot وَخشِinferior
وَقَد لَبِسوا سِلاحاً غَيرَ وَخشِ
They are the ones who advance toward death,
They are the first to the fate,
having donned arms of no mean quality.
And they have worn armor unlike any padding.
سَأَعنيI shall target مَنwhoever عَنىtargets قَوميmy people بِسوءٍwith harm
سَأَعني مَن عَنى قَومي بِسوءٍ
وَلاand not يَبلىfades إِذاwhen رَجَمتُI pelt خَدشيmy wounding
وَلا يَبلى إِذا رَجَمتُ خَدشي
I shall target whoever targets my people with harm,
I will help those who intended evil against my people,
and the scar I leave, when I pelt him, never fades.
And my skin does not wear out if I pelt my enemies.
وَلَيلٍand many a night قَدindeed قَطَعتُI crossed وَخَرقِand a vast expanse of تِيهٍtrackless waste
وَلَيلٍ قَد قَطَعتُ وَخَرقِ تِيهٍ
عَلىamid هَولٍdread بِذيon one possessing خُصَلٍlocks of mane لِجُشِّstoutly built
عَلى هَولٍ بِذي خُصَلٍ لِجُشِّ
Many a night I have crossed, and a trackless waste,
By night I crossed and tore through lost wandering,
amid dread, on a sturdy steed with locks of mane.
Through fearsome darkness with shameful traits.
أُقَدِّمُهُI urge him forward يَجوبُhe traverses بِيَwith me الحُدابىthe rugged hills
أُقَدِّمُهُ يَجوبُ بِيَ الحُدابى
عَلىupon ثَبَجٍa swell مِنَof الظَلماءِdarkness جَرشِdense and rough
عَلى ثَبَجٍ مِنَ الظَلماءِ جَرشِ
I urge him forward; he bears me across the rugged hills,
I lead it, it wanders with me through the darkness,
on a dense, rough swell of darkness.
Through intense darkness like pulling hides.
لَولاwere it not for اللَهُGod لَيسَthere is no لَهُfor Him شَريكٌpartner
لَولا اللَهُ لَيسَ لَهُ شَريكٌ
إِلَهُthe God of الناسِhumankind ذوpossessing مُلكٍdominion وَعَرشِand a throne
إِلَهُ الناسِ ذو مُلكٍ وَعَرشِ
Were it not for God, who has no partner,
If it not for God, who has no partner,
the God of humankind, possessing dominion and a throne,
The God of mankind, possessing dominion and throne.
نَباكَرَنيwould greet me at dawn مِنَof الخُرطومِfine wine كَأسٌa cup
نَباكَرَني مِنَ الخُرطومِ كَأسٌ
تَكادُalmost سُؤورُthe remnants of نَفحَتِهاits aroma تُنَشّيintoxicate
تَكادُ سُؤورُ نَفحَتِها تُنَشّي
a cup of fine wine would greet me at dawn,
A cup from the vine intoxicated me,
the remnants of whose aroma almost intoxicate.
Its breaths almost make one drowsy.
تَدِبُّcreeps لَهاfrom it حُمَياintoxicating heat حينَwhen تَنميit grows
تَدِبُّ لَها حُمَيا حينَ تَنمي
وَيَنفَحُand wafts ريحُهاits scent عِندَupon التَجَشّيbelching
وَيَنفَحُ ريحُها عِندَ التَجَشّي
Its fiery strength creeps in as it mounts,
Bees buzz around it when it grows,
and its scent wafts out when one belches.
And its fragrance blows when branches burst.
يُباعُis sold الكَأسُa cup مِنهاof it غَيرَnot صِرفٍunmixed
يُباعُ الكَأسُ مِنها غَيرَ صِرفٍ
بِصافِيَةٍfor a pure coin مِنَof الأَوراقِsilver coins حُرشِrough-surfaced
بِصافِيَةٍ مِنَ الأَوراقِ حُرشِ
A cup of it is sold, even diluted,
From it the cup is sold without any addition,
for a pure, rough-surfaced silver coin.
With a strainer made of leaves and twigs.
وَإِنَّand indeed خَلائِقيmy traits حَسُنَتhave become good وَطابَتand wholesome
وَإِنَّ خَلائِقي حَسُنَت وَطابَت
كِرامٌnoble لاnot يُسَبُّis reviled بِهِنَّbecause of them نَعشيmy bier
كِرامٌ لا يُسَبُّ بِهِنَّ نَعشي
Indeed, my qualities are good and wholesome,
And my manners have become good and pure,
noble—my bier is not reviled because of them.
Nobility that does not bring shame upon my bier.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.