لِمَنwhose الظّعائِنُthe women traveling in litters طُلَّعَpeering out of الأحْداجthe camel litters
لِمَن الظّعائِنُ طُلَّعَ الأحْداج
وقَفَتْthey halted لشأنٍfor a purpose وانثَنَتand turned aside لَمِعاجِto return
وقَفَتْ لشأنٍ وانثَنَت لَمِعاجِ
Whose are these women peering from their camel litters,
For whom have the gazelles raised their longing eyes?
who halted for some purpose, then wheeled about to return?
Standing for a cause, and bending with desire,
غَنَّتthey sang بأطْرابwith the raptures of النفوسsouls وعارَضتand answered
غَنَّت بأطْراب النفوس وعارَضت
بفنونِwith varied kinds of شَجوٍsorrowful yearning لْلمَتيمfor love’s captive شاجِgrief-stirring
بفنونِ شَجوٍ لْلمَتيم شاجِ
They sang with soul-stirring rapture, and answered
They sang the songs that delight the soul, and presented
with varied strains of grief that sadden love’s captive.
In the arts of yearning, to the lovelorn, consolation.
فأصّمso deafened سَمْعَكyour hearing رنَّةُthe ringing cry of الحاديthe camel-driver بهاamong them
فأصّم سَمْعَك رنَّةُ الحادي بها
سَحَراًbefore dawn وصَوتُand the voice of غُرابهاtheir raven الشَّحاجُraucous
سَحَراً وصَوتُ غُرابها الشَّحاجُ
The camel-driver’s cry among them deafened your ears
Deafen then your hearing to the guide calling them
before dawn, as did their raven’s raucous voice.
A magic charm, and the voice of his raven giving answer.
فبعثثthen you released أنفاساًsighs فُرادىone by one تمتَريdrawing forth
فبعثث أنفاساً فُرادى تمتَري
دُرَرthe pearls of الجُفونthe eyelids بأدْمُعٍin tears أَزْواجِpaired
دُرَر الجُفون بأدْمُعٍ أَزْواجِ
Then you released sighs, one by one, drawing forth
Then she breathed, alone, sighs that caused
the eyelids’ pearls in paired tears.
Tears to flow from the eyes in pairs.
رفَعواthey raised هوادِجَcamel litters كالسّفينlike ships وكلّةًand a canopy
رفَعوا هوادِجَ كالسّفين وكلّةً
محْفوفةًbordered بالوّشْيwith embroidery والدّيباجِand brocade
محْفوفةً بالوّشْي والدّيباجِ
They hoisted ship-like howdahs and a canopy
They raised the curtains, like ships, all together,
fringed with embroidery and brocade.
Enveloped in fine linen and brocade.
فيهنَّamong them مُعيدَةٍone who renews عُلقَthe bonds of الهوىlove
فيهنَّ مُعيدَةٍ عُلقَ الهوى
بجَمالهاwith her beauty ودلالهاand her coquetry الخَلاّجِheart-snatching
بجَمالها ودلالها الخَلاّجِ
Among them is one who renews the bonds of love
Among them is she who has ensnared my passion
with her beauty and her heart-stealing coquetry.
With her beauty and her languid grace.
وهلالand a crescent moon مبيضّbright-white الأسرةin the brow’s lines باسمٌsmiling
وهلال مبيضّ الأسرة باسمٌ
وفتورand languor مكْحولkohl-darkened المحاجرat the eye sockets ساجِtranquil
وفتور مكْحول المحاجر ساجِ
And a smiling crescent moon with a luminous brow,
A crescent moon lighting up the dark night,
and tranquil languor in kohl-rimmed eyes.
And half-asleep eyes with kohl outlined.
وفمٌand a mouth كأَنas though علىupon مُجاجةthe spittle of ريقهits saliva
وفمٌ كأَن على مُجاجة ريقه
منfrom ريقةthe juice of العنقودthe grape cluster صَفوَthe purest مزاجِadmixture
من ريقة العنقود صَفوَ مزاجِ
And a mouth whose saliva seems mingled
A mouth as though its mingled saliva
with the pure juice of the grape cluster.
Were the pure extract of sweet wine.
وتُريكَand she shows you حينwhen تَرىyou see تَرائبهاher upper chest علىَagainst
وتُريكَ حين تَرى تَرائبها علىَ
لونthe hue of السجنجَلthe polished mirror مثلُthe likeness of حُقّيtwo small caskets عاجِivory
لون السجنجَل مثلُ حُقّي عاجِ
And when you see her upper chest, she shows you, against
When you look upon her braids upon
a mirror’s sheen, the likeness of two ivory caskets.
The reddish tree, they are like bunches of unripe dates.
وأُناةَand a stately woman مائِسةِswaying التّهاديin her gentle gait كلّماwhenever
وأُناةَ مائِسةِ التّهادي كلّما
قامّتshe rises تنوءshe is weighed down بِردْفهاby her haunches الرَّجراجِquivering
قامّت تنوء بِردْفها الرَّجراجِ
And a stately woman with a swaying gait; whenever
And the gait of her trailing dress, whenever
she rises, her quivering haunches weigh upon her.
She rises, stoops under its weight.
قَدindeed آنthe time has come for حلْميmy restraint بالمَشيبwith gray hair وطالماand how often
قَد آن حلْمي بالمَشيب وطالما
أَكثرتُI indulged greatly فيin طُرقِthe paths of الشَبابyouth لجاجيِmy obstinacy
أَكثرتُ في طُرقِ الشَباب لجاجيِ
With gray hair, my time for restraint has come; how often
My patience with youth has gone, for long
I indulged my obstinacy along the paths of youth!
Have I frequented the ways of passion.
وشَربتُand I drank منof صِرفunmixed المُدامwine أُعلُّهI drink it repeatedly
وشَربتُ من صِرف المُدام أُعلُّه
فيin الكأسthe cup منfrom أَرْيthe honey of المُنىwishes بمزاجِas an admixture
في الكأس من أَرْي المُنى بمزاجِ
And I drank unmixed wine, draught after draught,
And I have drunk from the cup of wine, the best of it,
mixing it in the cup with the honey of wishes.
In a glass, from the hand of the cupbearer, tempered.
وكأنّماand as though جُمعتgathered يُدَthe hand of السَّاقيthe cupbearer لناfor us
وكأنّما جُمعت يُدَ السَّاقي لنا
ضوءَthe light of الغزالةِthe sun فيin إناءa vessel زُجاجِof glass
ضوءَ الغزالةِ في إناء زُجاجِ
And as though the cupbearer’s hand had gathered for us
As though the cupbearer had brought together for us
the sun’s light in a vessel of glass.
The doe’s brightness in a glass vessel .
وتَخالand you would think إبريقَthe ewer of المُدامةِwine بينناamong us
وتَخال إبريقَ المُدامةِ بيننا
ظَبياًa gazelle ذَبيحاًslaughtered سائِلَwith streaming الأدواجِjugular veins
ظَبياً ذَبيحاً سائِلَ الأدواجِ
And you would think the wine ewer among us
And the wine flask between us was imagined
a slaughtered gazelle, its jugular veins streaming.
To be a slaughtered gazelle, seasoned with herbs.
ومُباشرٍand many an assailant بالطَّعنwith slander قارعَbattered صخْرتيmy rock
ومُباشرٍ بالطَّعن قارعَ صخْرتي
بجَبينهwith his forehead فوجأتهُso I struck him بشِجاجِwith head wounds
بجَبينه فوجأتهُ بشِجاجِ
And many an assailant with his slander struck my rock
One attacking my rock with his forehead I surprised
with his forehead; so I struck him, gashing his head.
With glass.
ومبارزٍand many a challenger ليagainst me بالشِّبابِwith invective (probable reading) يسلُّunsheathes ليagainst me
ومبارزٍ لي بالشِّبابِ يسلُّ لي
منهfrom himself لسانَthe tongue of مْزَوِّرa fabricator سَدَّاجِa habitual liar
منه لسانَ مْزَوِّر سَدَّاجِ
And many a rival challenges me with invective, unsheathing against me
And one who rivaled me in youth pulled out
his tongue, the tongue of a lying fabricator.
For me his lying tongue.
لمdid not أرضْهُI accept him كفواًas an equal وصُنتُand I guarded مُروَتيmy honor
لم أرضْهُ كفواً وصُنتُ مُروَتي
عنfrom شَتمreviling كلِّevery مقارعٍchallenger ومُهاجيand satirist
عن شَتم كلِّ مقارعٍ ومُهاجي
I did not deem him my equal, and guarded my honor
I did not consider him my equal, so I protected my honor
from insulting every challenger and satirist.
From insulting every adversary and attacker.
وإذاand if امرؤa man صادفتُI find علّةthe cause of بغضِهِhis hatred
وإذا امرؤ صادفتُ علّة بغضِهِ
حَسَداًenvy فلَستُthen I am not مزيلَهاone to remove it بِعلاجِwith a remedy
حَسَداً فلَستُ مزيلَها بِعلاجِ
And if I find the cause of a man’s hatred
And when I meet a man the cause of whose hatred
is envy, I cannot remove it with any remedy.
Is jealousy, I do not attempt to cure it with treatment.
كيفَhow الإِقامةُcan one stay بيْنَbetween كيدِthe scheming of مباينٍan open enemy
كيفَ الإِقامةُ بيْنَ كيدِ مباينٍ
ونفاقِand the hypocrisy of آخرanother كالصدّيقlike a close friend مداجيِdissembling
ونفاقِ آخر كالصدّيق مداجيِ
How can one dwell between an open enemy’s scheming
How can I stay among the scheming of the hostile
and another’s hypocrisy, dissembling as a close friend?
And the hypocrisy of another who pretends to be a friend?
ليfor me عنfrom ملازَمةkeeping company with العدىenemies منْدوحةٌan escape
لي عن ملازَمة العدى منْدوحةٌ
فيin العيسpale camels والفَلواتِand desert wastes والإدلاجِand night travel
في العيس والفَلواتِ والإدلاجِ
I have an escape from keeping company with enemies
I have open country as an escape
in pale camels, desert wastes, and journeys by night.
From entanglements with the enemy and getting lost.
خُلقْتِwere created لتسليةِto dispel الهمومcares أَيانقٌshe-camels
خُلقْتِ لتسليةِ الهموم أَيانقٌ
خوصٌnarrow-eyed كأمثالlike the forms of القِسيbows نواجِswift
خوصٌ كأمثال القِسي نواجِ
She-camels were created to dispel cares—
You were created to console worries, gazelles
narrow-eyed, bow-like, swift.
Fleeing, like the oryx, from distress.
يَطْفونَthey bear afloat الرُكبانthe riders فيthrough لججthe deep seas of الضحىforenoon
يَطْفونَ الرُكبان في لجج الضحى
يَنصعنthey speed onward بينamid مهامهٍtrackless wastes وفجاجِand passes
يَنصعن بين مهامهٍ وفجاجِ
They bear riders afloat on the deep seas of forenoon,
They carry travelers over the floods of dawn,
speeding onward through trackless wastes and passes.
Shining among the sand dunes and emptiness.
لاnot بالقناعةِthrough contentment قدindeed رضيتُI was satisfied ولمand did not أَجُبI traverse
لا بالقناعةِ قد رضيتُ ولم أَجُب
عرضَthe breadth of البسيطةthe earth خشيةَfor fear of الإلعاجِpainful hardship
عرضَ البسيطة خشيةَ الإلعاجِ
Not mere contentment made me rest, nor have I shunned
I have not been satisfied with contentment, nor have I answered
the breadth of the earth for fear of hardship.
The call of the impoverished, fearing discomfort.
لكنbut بنوthe sons of عُمَرٍUmar كفانيhas sufficed me برُّهمtheir kindness
لكن بنو عُمَرٍ كفاني برُّهم
لولاهمُwere it not for them لمnot انتَفعI would benefit بلماجِfrom any morsel
لولاهمُ لم انتَفع بلماجِ
But the kindness of Umar’s sons has sufficed me;
But the people of Umar were enough for me in their nobility
without them, I would not have enjoyed a morsel.
Without them I would not have enjoyed comfort.
ضمنguaranteed الغنىwealth ليَfor me أننيthat I بمحمدٍin Muhammad
ضمن الغنى ليَ أنني بمحمدٍ
وسحاحand the lavish giver نبهانNabhan وأحمدand Ahmad راجيhopeful
وسحاح نبهان وأحمد راجي
My wealth is assured, for I place my hopes in Muhammad,
Among the wealthy they guaranteed me that I am with Muhammad
and in lavish-giving Nabhan and Ahmad.
And Suhah Nabhan and Ahmad the aspirer.
وهمُand they القرونُthe champions الغالبونthose prevailing بعزّهمthrough their might
وهمُ القرونُ الغالبون بعزّهم
للنّاسfor other people بينهُمamong them انتشارa scattering of رجَاجِweaklings
للنّاس بينهُم انتشار رجَاجِ
And they are champions, prevailing by their might;
They are the victorious generations in their glory
other men among them are a scattered, feeble throng.
Among the people - their eminence has spread.
سنَّestablished الأَوائلُthe forebears فيin المكارمnoble deeds سنّةًa tradition
سنَّ الأَوائلُ في المكارم سنّةً
أَخذواthey adopted بهاit ومَضواand proceeded علىalong المِنهاجِthe path
أَخذوا بها ومَضوا على المِنهاجِ
Their forebears established a tradition of noble deeds;
The ancients established in generosity a tradition
they embraced it and continued along that path.
Which they took and went straight upon the path.
منamong كلِّevery وَضّاحٍradiant-faced man كأنَas though جبينهُhis forehead
من كلِّ وَضّاحٍ كأنَ جبينهُ
قَمرٌa moon يلوحُgleams سَناهُits radiance تحْتَbeneath التّاجِthe crown
قَمرٌ يلوحُ سَناهُ تحْتَ التّاجِ
Each a radiant-faced man, his forehead like
You would think every bright-faced one among them
a moon whose radiance gleams beneath the crown.
Has a moon beaming from beneath his crown.
مُتَجَشّمِbraving لصعابِthe hardships of أَسبابِthe paths to العُلىeminence
مُتَجَشّمِ لصعابِ أَسبابِ العُلى
فيinto ضِيقthe straits of كلّevery كَريهةٍordeal ولاَّجِever plunging
في ضِيق كلّ كَريهةٍ ولاَّجِ
Braving the arduous paths to eminence,
Enduring the difficulties of the means to ascend,
plunging into the straits of every ordeal.
In the constriction of every hated and feared thing.
غُلبٌthick رِقابُهُمtheir necks كأنas though ثيابهمtheir garments
غُلبٌ رِقابُهُم كأن ثيابهم
منهمon their bodies لُبسنwere worn علىupon متونthe backs of حِراجِdense thickets
منهم لُبسن على متون حِراجِ
Thick are their necks, as though their garments
Their necks have overcome, as though their clothes
were draped upon the broad trunks of forest trees.
Were worn over coats of mail.
لاnot يفزعونthey resort إذاwhen دُعواthey are summoned لكريهةٍto battle
لا يفزعون إذا دُعوا لكريهةٍ
إلاّexcept إلىto الإلْجامbridling والإسراجِand saddling
إلاّ إلى الإلْجام والإسراجِ
When summoned to battle, they resort to nothing
They are not disturbed if called to horror
but bridling and saddling.
Except to firmness and saddling.
صُبُرٌsteadfast men إذاwhen اعتنقgrapple الكماةarmored warriors وراهجتand stir up dust
صُبُرٌ إذا اعتنق الكماة وراهجت
صمُّthe hard السّنابكhooves ايّماwhat immense إرْهاجِdust-raising
صمُّ السّنابك ايّما إرْهاجِ
Steadfast when armored warriors grapple and
Patience, when embracing thinness, and the ribs
hard hooves raise mighty clouds of dust.
Deaf to whatever anguish.
والخيلand the horses تحتbeneath النّقعthe dust فيamid زجلthe clamor of الوغىbattle
والخيل تحت النّقع في زجل الوغى
يغدونthey advance بينamong أَسنّةspearheads وزجاجِand iron spear-butts
يغدون بين أَسنّة وزجاجِ
And with horses beneath the dust amid battle’s din,
And the horses beneath armor in the clamor of war
they advance among spearheads and iron spear-butts.
They attack with bared swords and glass.
والبِيضand bright swords فوقabove البَيْضthe helmets يَلْمعgleam بينهاamong them
والبِيض فوق البَيْض يَلْمع بينها
شُهبٌmeteors تألَّقُflashing فيin سَماءa sky of عُجاجِdust
شُهبٌ تألَّقُ في سَماء عُجاجِ
And white swords above white helmets; amid them gleam
And the eggs above eggs flashing among them
meteors flashing in a sky of dust.
Meteors glittering in a gloomy sky.
وترىand you see الوفودَthe delegations علىat حياضthe pools of نوالهمtheir bounty
وترى الوفودَ على حياض نوالهم
يَردونcoming to drink أَفواجاًin throngs لدىbeside أَفواجِthrongs
يَردون أَفواجاً لدى أَفواجِ
And you see delegations at the pools of their bounty,
And you see the delegations at the basins of their hospitality
coming to drink, throng upon throng.
Coming in groups to groups.
يَردونthey come to water عَنْaway from ظَمإthe thirst of الخَصاصةpoverty شاطئاًa shore
يَردون عَنْ ظَمإ الخَصاصة شاطئاً
بحْراًa sea منof المَعْروفِkindness غَيْرnot أُجاجِbitterly salty
بحْراً من المَعْروفِ غَيْر أُجاجِ
From poverty’s thirst they come to the shore
They come, regarding the thirst of privation, to a coast
of a sea of kindness, free of bitter salt.
A sea of bounty, not brackish.
ونَدَىًand generosity يَصُوبُrains down علىupon العُفاةِpetitioners نوالُهits gifts
ونَدَىً يَصُوبُ على العُفاةِ نوالُه
عفْواًfreely كصَوبlike the downpour of العارِضِthe rain cloud الثّجَّاجِpouring torrents
عفْواً كصَوب العارِضِ الثّجَّاجِ
And generosity whose gifts rain down upon petitioners,
And the voluntary favor of their hospitality rains upon the barefoot
freely, like the downpour of a torrential cloud.
Pardon, like the raining of clouds bursting.
عِشْتُمmay you live بنِيO sons of عُمَرٍUmar لعِصْمَةto protect خائِفٍone afraid
عِشْتُم بنِي عُمَرٍ لعِصْمَة خائِفٍ
وإجابَةِand to answer المُسْتَصرخthe crier for help اللَّجَّاجِinsistent
وإجابَةِ المُسْتَصرخ اللَّجَّاجِ
May you live, sons of Umar, to protect the fearful
You have lived, O people of Umar, for the protection of the fearful
and answer the insistent caller for help.
And the answer to the fervent supplicant.
إنًّindeed البَريّةَhumankind حصنهاits fortress وغياثَهاand its succor
إنًّ البَريّةَ حصنها وغياثَها
بكمُin you وضوءَand the light of سراجهاits lamp الوهَّاجِblazing
بكمُ وضوءَ سراجها الوهَّاجِ
Truly, humankind has its fortress and succor
The wasteland, indeed its refuge and its rescue
in you, and the light of its blazing lamp.
Are through you, the flowing water of its burning torch.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.