عداكyour enemies للسيفfor the sword أصبحواthey have become أجزراbeasts for slaughter
عداك للسيف أصبحوا أجزرا
فافنهمso annihilate them ثمthen عشlive لناfor us وزراa refuge
فافنهم ثم عش لنا وزرا
Your foes have become beasts for the sword to slaughter.
For you, swords have become useless,
So annihilate them, then live on as our refuge.
So sheathe them, and live honorably for us.
أصبحتyou have become أورىreadiest to kindle الورىmankind زنادfire-striking implements ندىgenerosity
أصبحت أورى الورى زناد ندى
طراall without exception وأنداهمand the most generous of them وئراunclear in this text
طرا وأنداهم وئرا
You have become the readiest of mankind to strike bounty's flints,
You have become the light that illuminates all,
of them all, and their most generous [final word unclear].
A high mountain, an ever-flowing spring.
لوif وهبتgave كفاكyour two hands الدناthe worlds لمرجيto one who hopes in—
لو وهبت كفاك الدنا لمرجي
كyou لقيناwe found بعدstill; afterward معذراoffering excuses
ك لقينا بعد معذرا
If your two hands gave the worlds to one who hopes in
If your palm granted wishes to supplicants,
you, we would still find you offering excuses [wording uncertain].
We would have found ample excuses.
ياO غرةbright brow; crowning glory الدهرTime منwhoever رجانيلhopes to attain مسunclear word-fragment
يا غرة الدهر من رجانيل مس
عاتاunclear continuation نالattained الخطارthe stakes والغرارand the blade's edge
عاتا نال الخطار والغرار
O bright brow of Time, whoever hopes to attain [unclear fragment—]
O jewel of time, o flower of youth,
[—unclear continuation] wins the stakes and the blade's edge.
You attained glory and splendor early on.
كمhow many لكَare yours منof منهa favor ومأثرةand a noble deed
كم لكَ من منه ومأثرة
تحمدpraise منهاof them عفاتكyour petitioners الأثراthe effect
تحمد منها عفاتك الأثرا
How many favors and noble deeds are yours,
How much honor and nobility you have
whose effects your petitioners praise!
That highlight your virtuous qualities.
عودكyour bough صلبhard علىagainst العداthe enemies فإذاbut when
عودك صلب على العدا فإذا
هززتyou shook للمجدfor glory لأنbecause (probably intended: it softened) مهتصراbent
هززت للمجد لأن مهتصرا
Your bough is hard against your foes; but when
Your principles are firm against enemies, so if
you shake it for glory, it softens and bends [reading uncertain].
You brandish your sword for glory, you will triumph.
ماnot زالceased يحيYahya يحيrevives بأنعمهthrough his favors
ما زال يحي يحي بأنعمه
منof سننtraditions المكرماتnoble deeds مادثراwhat has faded
من سنن المكرمات مادثرا
Yahya keeps reviving, through his favors,
Yahya continues to revive us with his favors,
the faded traditions of noble generosity.
Distributing graciousness abundantly.
صدرa leading dignitary يعيدsends back الوفودthe delegations حامدةpraising
صدر يعيد الوفود حامدة
لديهin his presence وردarrival at water السماحgenerosity والصدراand departure from water
لديه ورد السماح والصدرا
A chief who sends delegations home praising
A chest that sends back envoys full of praise
their coming to his bounty and their departing.
To him, carrying gifts and friendship.
طودa mountain حلومforbearance سامlofty لمعتلقfor one who clings
طود حلوم سام لمعتلق
بحرa sea علومknowledge طامoverflowing إذاwhen زخراit surged
بحر علوم طام إذا زخرا
A mountain of forbearance, lofty for whoever clings to it;
A towering mountain of vast knowledge,
a sea of knowledge, overflowing when it surges.
An ocean brimming over when stirred.
أعفmost self-restrained أهلthe people الزمانof the age قاطبةall without exception
أعف أهل الزمان قاطبة
نفساin soul وأعفاهمand the most forgiving of them وقدand indeed قدراhe had power
نفسا وأعفاهم وقد قدرا
The most self-restrained of all the people of his age,
He pardoned all people entirely,
in soul, and their most forgiving when he has power.
While they wronged him and plotted.
تفريقscattering أموالهhis wealth المجمعwhat gathers منfrom among
تفريق أمواله المجمع من
عفاتهhis petitioners حولaround بابهhis gate زمراin throngs
عفاته حول بابه زمرا
The scattering of his wealth brings together
He distributed his gathered wealth
throngs of his petitioners around his gate.
Freely around his court in throngs.
قدindeed ألفgrew accustomed السائلونthe petitioners منfrom يدهhis hand الthe (continued next line)
قد ألف السائلون من يده ال
جودbounty وألفواand they grew accustomed فيupon عودهhis bough ثمراfruit
جود وألفوا في عوده ثمرا
Petitioners have grown accustomed to his hand's
Seekers have become accustomed to his generosity,
bounty, and to finding fruit upon his bough.
And to the fruits always found at his door.
أشجعthe bravest منof those who قلَّبتwielded أناملهhis fingers
أشجع من قلَّبت أنامله
بيضاwhite swords وهزتand brandished خطيةKhatti spears سمراdusky
بيضا وهزت خطية سمرا
The bravest of those whose fingers have wielded
Braver than one whose white fingers
white swords and brandished dusky Khatti spears.
Wield a sword, stirring conflict.
ترىyou see النتدىgenerosity (probable correction) ضدهagainst him (perhaps intended: with him) معاينةfirsthand
ترى النتدى ضده معاينة
ومنand from سواهanyone other than him تخالهyou suppose it خبراhearsay
ومن سواه تخاله خبرا
You see generosity with him firsthand [reading uncertain];
You see allegiance to him intimate,
from anyone else, you take it for hearsay.
While others seem to him mere rumors.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.