النّائِباتُcalamities كَثيرةُfrequent in الإنذارِwarning
النّائِباتُ كَثيرةُ الإنذارِ
واليومَand today طالَبَdemanded صَرْفُهاtheir ravages بالثّارِfor blood-vengeance
واليومَ طالَبَ صَرْفُها بالثّارِ
Calamities give warning often,
The fates forebode so much calamity,
and today their ravages demanded blood-vengeance.
And this day calls for vengeance.
سُدَّتْwere barred علىto عُونِseasoned ones الرّزاياcalamities طُرْقُهاtheir paths
سُدَّتْ على عُونِ الرّزايا طُرْقُها
فسَمَتْso they advanced لناtoward us بخُطوبِهاwith their afflictions الأبْكارِvirgin
فسَمَتْ لنا بخُطوبِها الأبْكارِ
Seasoned calamities had their paths barred,
Their ways to ease our misery are blocked,
so they assailed us with their virgin afflictions.
So their events have saddened the young maidens.
عَجَباًhow strange منat القَدَرِfate المُتاحِallotted تولّعَتْbecame obsessed
عَجَباً من القَدَرِ المُتاحِ تولّعَتْ
أحْداثُهُits calamities بمُصَرِّفِwith the disposer of الأقدارِdestinies
أحْداثُهُ بمُصَرِّفِ الأقدارِ
How strange is allotted fate! Obsessed
How strange is destiny in its caprice,
are its calamities with the disposer of destinies.
Made sport of by the turner of the fates!
ولَناand we have بمُعتَرَكِin the battleground of المَناياdeath أنْفُسٌsouls
ولَنا بمُعتَرَكِ المَنايا أنْفُسٌ
وقَفَتْhave stood بمَدْرَجَةِon the path of القَضاءِdecree الجاريunfolding
وقَفَتْ بمَدْرَجَةِ القَضاءِ الجاري
And in death's battleground we have souls
And we in death's arena have souls
that stand in the path of unfolding decree.
That stand at the degree of irresistible decree
فيin كلِّevery يومٍday تعْتَريناovertakes us رَوعَةٌa terror
في كلِّ يومٍ تعْتَرينا رَوعَةٌ
تَذَرُleaves العُيونَthe eyes كَواسِفَdimmed in الأبْصارِvision
تَذَرُ العُيونَ كَواسِفَ الأبْصارِ
Every day a terror overtakes us,
Each day some shock appalls us,
leaving the eyes with their vision dimmed.
Leaving the eyes downcast in sorrow.
والموْتُand death شِرْبٌa draught ليسَdoes not يُورِدُهُleads to it الرّدىdoom
والموْتُ شِرْبٌ ليسَ يُورِدُهُ الرّدى
أحَداًanyone فيَطْمَعَso that he hopes منهُfrom it فيfor الإصدارِbeing led away
أحَداً فيَطْمَعَ منهُ في الإصدارِ
And death is a draught to which doom never brings
And death's a draught none shuns, so none
anyone who may then hope to be led away from it.
In drinking it finds cause for blame.
شرِبَdrank الأوائِلُthe first generations عُنفُوانَthe first freshness of غَديرِهِits pool
شرِبَ الأوائِلُ عُنفُوانَ غَديرِهِ
ولَنَشْربَنَّand we shall surely drink بهِat it منfrom الأسْآرِthe remnants
ولَنَشْربَنَّ بهِ من الأسْآرِ
The first generations drank its pool's first freshness,
The ancients drank its flowing bowl,
and at it we shall surely drink the remnants.
And we'll drink of its brimming cups.
ملأَتْhave filled قُبورُهُمُtheir graves الفَضاءَthe open expanse كأنّهاas though they were
ملأَتْ قُبورُهُمُ الفَضاءَ كأنّها
بُزْلُfull-grown ones الجِمالِcamels أُنِخْنَmade to kneel بالأكْوارِwith saddles
بُزْلُ الجِمالِ أُنِخْنَ بالأكْوارِ
Their graves have filled the open expanse, as though they were
Their graves have filled the earth as though
full-grown camels made to kneel with saddles on.
They were camel litters laden with loads.
ألْقَواthey cast down عِصِيَّهُمُtheir staffs بدارِin an abode of إقامَةٍpermanence
ألْقَوا عِصِيَّهُمُ بدارِ إقامَةٍ
أنْضاءَworn-out ones أيّامٍdays مَضيْنَthat passed قِصارِbrief
أنْضاءَ أيّامٍ مَضيْنَ قِصارِ
They cast down their staffs in a lasting abode,
They cast down their staves in the abode of rest
worn out by days that passed so briefly.
After days short as the twinkling of an eye.
وكأنّهمُمand as though they بلَغواreached المَدىthe endpoint فتَواقَفواthen halted together
وكأنّهمُم بلَغوا المَدى فتَواقَفوا
يتَذاكَرونَrecount to one another عَواقِبَoutcomes of الأسْفارِjourneys
يتَذاكَرونَ عَواقِبَ الأسْفارِ
And as though they had reached the limit, they halted together,
And as though they had reached their goal and stopped,
recounting to one another the outcomes of their journeys.
Reminiscing on the outcomes of their travels.
لمْdid not يَذهَبواthey go سَلَفاًas forerunners لنَغْبُرَso that we might remain بَعدَهُمْafter them
لمْ يَذهَبوا سَلَفاً لنَغْبُرَ بَعدَهُمْ
أينَwhere البَقاءُlasting life ونحنُand we فيin الآثارِthe footsteps
أينَ البَقاءُ ونحنُ في الآثارِ
They did not go before us so that we might remain after them;
They did not vanish long ago, and yet we wonder -
where is lasting life, when we are on their trail?
Where is eternity? Here we are among their ruins!
حارَتْgrew bewildered وراءَهُمُbehind them العُقولُminds كأنناas though we were
حارَتْ وراءَهُمُ العُقولُ كأننا
شَرْبٌa company of drinkers تُطَوِّحُهُمْsend them reeling كُؤوسُcups of عُقارِwine
شَرْبٌ تُطَوِّحُهُمْ كُؤوسُ عُقارِ
Behind them, minds are bewildered, as though we were
The minds wandered after them as though we were
a company of drinkers sent reeling by cups of wine.
A people made drunk by cups of poisoned wine.
ياO مَنْyou whom تُخادِعُهُdeceive him المُنىhopes ولرُبّماand how often
يا مَنْ تُخادِعُهُ المُنى ولرُبّما
قطَعَتْsevered مَخائِلُهاtheir promising signs قُوىthe strands of الأعمارِlives
قطَعَتْ مَخائِلُها قُوى الأعمارِ
O you whom hopes deceive—and how often
O you beguiled by wishes, though the fates
their promising signs have severed the strands of life!
May have severed your lifeline!
والناسُand people يستَبِقونrace one another فيon مِضْمارِهاtheir racecourse
والناسُ يستَبِقون في مِضْمارِها
والمَوتُand death آخِرُthe end of ذلكَthat المِضْمارِracecourse
والمَوتُ آخِرُ ذلكَ المِضْمارِ
And people race one another on the course of hopes,
And people race in their arena
and death is the end of that racecourse.
While death is the end of that racetrack.
والعُمْرُand one's lifespan يَذْهَبُpasses away كالحياةِlike life فماso what الذيthat which
والعُمْرُ يَذْهَبُ كالحياةِ فما الذي
يُجْديbenefits عَليكَyou منَfrom الخَيالِthe phantom السّاريnight-wandering
يُجْدي عَليكَ منَ الخَيالِ السّاري
And one's span passes away, like life; what, then,
And life goes by like lifetimes, so what
can you gain from the night-wandering phantom?
Can save you from this fleeting fantasy?
بَيْناwhile الفَتىthe young man يَسِمُmarks الثّرىthe dust برِدائِهِwith his robe
بَيْنا الفَتى يَسِمُ الثّرى برِدائِهِ
إذsuddenly حَلَّhe settled فيهِin it رَهينَةَa hostage of الأحْجارِthe stones
إذ حَلَّ فيهِ رَهينَةَ الأحْجارِ
While a young man is marking the dust with his robe,
While the gallant walks the earth in his cloak
suddenly he settles within it, a hostage to stones.
He is made captive in the grip of tombs.
لوْif فاتَescaped عاديَةَthe onslaught of المَنونِdeath مُشَيَّعٌa fearless one
لوْ فاتَ عاديَةَ المَنونِ مُشَيَّعٌ
لنَجاwould surely have escaped بمُهْجَتِهِwith his lifeblood الهِزَبْرُthe lion الضّاريferocious
لنَجا بمُهْجَتِهِ الهِزَبْرُ الضّاري
If a fearless one could escape death's onslaught,
Had one escorted by death slipped past,
the fierce lion would have escaped with his life.
He'd have saved his darling from fate's torrent.
أقْعىcrouched دوَيْنَjust short of الغابِthe thicket يمنَعُprotects شِبلَهُhis cub
أقْعى دوَيْنَ الغابِ يمنَعُ شِبلَهُ
ويُجيلُand turns about نظرَةَthe gaze of باسِلٍa fearless one كَرّارِrepeatedly charging
ويُجيلُ نظرَةَ باسِلٍ كَرّارِ
Crouching just short of the thicket, he protects his cub,
He sheltered his cubs in the lairs of the wasteland
and looks about with the gaze of a fearless, relentless attacker.
And gave a fierce glance of a vicious lion.
وحَمىand would have protected الأميرَthe prince ابنَson of الخَلائِفِthe caliphs جعفَراًJa'far
وحَمى الأميرَ ابنَ الخَلائِفِ جعفَراً
إقْدامُthe daring of كُلِّevery مغَرِّرٍone who risks his life مِغْوارِintrepid raider
إقْدامُ كُلِّ مغَرِّرٍ مِغْوارِ
And the prince, Ja'far, son of caliphs, would have been shielded
And he protected the emir, Ja'far's son,
by the daring of every risk-taking raider.
From the rush of every reckless deceiver.
يمشيhe strides كماas مَشَتِstrode الأسودُlions إِلىtoward الوَغىbattle
يمشي كما مَشَتِ الأسودُ إِلى الوَغى
والخَيْلُand the horses تَعثُرُstumble بالقَناover the spears الخَطّارِswaying
والخَيْلُ تَعثُرُ بالقَنا الخَطّارِ
He strides as lions strode toward battle,
He strode like the lions stride into fray
and horses stumble over the swaying spears.
While the horses stumble into the terrible battlefield.
ويخوضُand he plunges through مُشْتَجَرَthe tangle of الرِّماحِspears بغِلْمَةٍwith young men
ويخوضُ مُشْتَجَرَ الرِّماحِ بغِلْمَةٍ
عرَبيّةٍArab نَخَواتُهاtheir chivalrous pride أغْمارِunseasoned
عرَبيّةٍ نَخَواتُها أغْمارِ
And he plunges through the tangle of spears with young men
And he plunged into the thick of the spears with a troop
Arab in their chivalrous pride, still unseasoned.
Whose mounts were Arabian thoroughbreds.
ويَجوبُand he cuts through أرديَةَmantles of العَجاجِdust clouds بجَحْفَلٍwith a mighty army
ويَجوبُ أرديَةَ العَجاجِ بجَحْفَلٍ
لَجِبٍclamorous تئِنُّgroan لهُbecause of it الرُّباthe hills جَرّارِimmense
لَجِبٍ تئِنُّ لهُ الرُّبا جَرّارِ
And he cuts through the mantles of dust with a mighty army,
And he charged the battalions of soldiers with a regiment
clamorous and immense, beneath which the hills groan.
Of intrepid warriors, at whom the hillsides roar.
والمَشْرَفيّاتُand the Mashrafi swords الرِّقاقُslender كأنّهاas though they were
والمَشْرَفيّاتُ الرِّقاقُ كأنّها
ماءٌwater أصابَreached قَرارَةًa hollow فيin نارِfire
ماءٌ أصابَ قَرارَةً في نارِ
And the slender Mashrafi swords seem
The lovely damsels watching were like
like water that has reached a hollow amid fire.
Water poured on embers giving off smoke.
ينعَوْنَthey mourn فَرْعاًa branch منfrom ذَوائِبِthe topmost boughs of دَوْحَةٍa great tree
ينعَوْنَ فَرْعاً من ذَوائِبِ دَوْحَةٍ
خَضِلَتْgrew lush حَواشِيهاits fringes عَلَيْهِabove him نُضارِflourishing
خَضِلَتْ حَواشِيها عَلَيْهِ نُضارِ
They mourn a branch from the crown of a great tree,
They were branches of the trailing train of a prestigious camel,
whose fringes grew lush above him, flourishing,
Whose edges were graced with fresh-blooming flora.
نَبَويّةِprophetic الأعراقِroots مُقْتَدَرِيّةٍof al-Muqtadir's line
نَبَويّةِ الأعراقِ مُقْتَدَرِيّةٍ
تَفْتَرُّsmiles عنْrevealing كَرَمٍgenerosity وطِيبِand nobility of نِجارِstock
تَفْتَرُّ عنْ كَرَمٍ وطِيبِ نِجارِ
prophetic in its roots, of al-Muqtadir's line,
Highborn, powerful ladies of glorious stock
smiling to reveal generosity and noble stock.
Who disclose nobility and generous birth.
ذَرَفَتْshed tears عُيونُeyes of المَكْرُماتِnoble virtues وأعْصَمَتْand clung fast
ذَرَفَتْ عُيونُ المَكْرُماتِ وأعْصَمَتْ
أسَفاًin grief بأكْبادٍto livers علَيْهِfor him حِرارِburning
أسَفاً بأكْبادٍ علَيْهِ حِرارِ
The eyes of noble virtues shed tears and clung
The eyes of the noble ladies poured forth tears
in grief to livers burning for him.
As burning sorrows cleaved their hearts.
صَبْراًpatience أميرَCommander of المؤْمنينَthe Faithful فأنْتُمُfor you
صَبْراً أميرَ المؤْمنينَ فأنْتُمُ
أسْكَنتُمُyou have lodged الأحْلامَwisdom ظِلَّthe shade of وَقارِdignity
أسْكَنتُمُ الأحْلامَ ظِلَّ وَقارِ
Patience, Commander of the Faithful! For you
Patience, Commander of the Faithful! For you
have lodged wisdom in the shade of dignity.
Have given the visions of glory a place, a dignity.
هذاthis الهِلالُcrescent وقدand already رَجَوْتَyou hoped for نُمُوَّهُits growth
هذا الهِلالُ وقد رَجَوْتَ نُمُوَّهُ
للمَجْدِtoward glory عاجَلَهُovertook it swiftly الرّدىdoom بسِرارِwith the moon's dark phase
للمَجْدِ عاجَلَهُ الرّدى بسِرارِ
This crescent—you had hoped for its growth
This crescent - though you wished its growth -
toward glory—doom hurried it into its dark phase.
Fate hurried off in secrecy.
إنif غاضَebbed مِنْsome of أنوارِهِits lights فَوراءَهُthen behind it
إن غاضَ مِنْ أنوارِهِ فَوراءَهُ
أُفُقٌa horizon تَوَشّحَgirdled itself منكَfrom you بالأقمارِwith moons
أُفُقٌ تَوَشّحَ منكَ بالأقمارِ
If some of its light has ebbed, behind it lies
If its lights have waned, beyond it still
a horizon girdled with moons from you.
Is a horizon adorned by you with moons.
كادَتْnearly تَزولُshifted الرّاسِياتُthe firmly rooted mountains لِفَقْدِهِat his loss
كادَتْ تَزولُ الرّاسِياتُ لِفَقْدِهِ
حتىuntil أذِنْتَyou gave permission لهُنَّto them فيfor استقْرارِremaining firm
حتى أذِنْتَ لهُنَّ في استقْرارِ
The firmly rooted mountains almost shifted at his loss,
The pillars were nearly toppled by his loss
until you gave them leave to stand firm.
Until you allowed them to be firm.
ومتىand whenever أصابَstruck ولاand may not أصابَكَit strike you حادِثٌa calamity
ومتى أصابَ ولا أصابَكَ حادِثٌ
مِماof those that يُطامِنُhumble نَخوةَthe pride of الجبّارِthe tyrant
مِما يُطامِنُ نَخوةَ الجبّارِ
And whenever a calamity strikes—may it never strike you—
And whenever some accident befalls or bypasses you
of those that humble a tyrant's pride,
Of what alerts the pride of the Almighty,
فاذْكُرْthen remember مُصابَكَyour bereavement بابنِof the son of عمّكَyour paternal uncle أحْمَدٍAhmad
فاذْكُرْ مُصابَكَ بابنِ عمّكَ أحْمَدٍ
والغُرِّand the radiant ones منْamong آبائِكَyour forefathers الأخْيارِthe virtuous
والغُرِّ منْ آبائِكَ الأخْيارِ
then remember your loss of your cousin Ahmad,
Recall your loss in Ahmad, your cousin,
and of the radiant, virtuous ones among your forefathers.
And the cave at the mountainside, a sanctuary for your noble fathers.
كانواthey were بُدورَfull moons of أسِرَّةٍthrones ومَنابِرٍand pulpits
كانوا بُدورَ أسِرَّةٍ ومَنابِرٍ
يتهلّلونَthey beam بأوْجُهٍwith faces أحْرارِnoble
يتهلّلونَ بأوْجُهٍ أحْرارِ
They were full moons of thrones and pulpits,
They were circles of intimacy and pulpits
beaming with noble faces.
Where they gleamed with faces noble and free.
قومٌa people إذاwhen ذَكَرَتْrecounted قُرَيْشٌQuraysh فضْلَهُمْtheir excellence
قومٌ إذا ذَكَرَتْ قُرَيْشٌ فضْلَهُمْ
أصْغىlistened attentively إليهاto her البَيتُthe House ذوpossessing الأسْتارِthe coverings
أصْغى إليها البَيتُ ذو الأسْتارِ
A people—when Quraysh spoke of their excellence,
They were a people, when Quraysh mentioned their merit,
the curtained House inclined its ear to her.
To whom the esteemed house bowed its curtains.
بلغَreached السّماءَthe sky بهِمْthrough them كِنانَةُKinanah وارْتَدىand robed themselves
بلغَ السّماءَ بهِمْ كِنانَةُ وارْتَدى
بالفَخْرِin pride حَيّاthe two tribes of يَعْرُبٍYa'rub ونِزارِand Nizar
بالفَخْرِ حَيّا يَعْرُبٍ ونِزارِ
Through them Kinanah reached the sky, and clad
Through them the heaven was reached by reverence, and clothed itself
in pride were the two tribes of Ya'rub and Nizar.
In glory, greeting honored Arabs and chivalry.
فاسْلَمْso be safe رَفيعَexalted among النّاظِرينَthose looking إِلىtoward العُلاthe heights
فاسْلَمْ رَفيعَ النّاظِرينَ إِلى العُلا
تُهْدىare offered إليكَto you قَلائِدُnecklaces of الأشْعارِpoems
تُهْدى إليكَ قَلائِدُ الأشْعارِ
So remain safe, exalted among those who gaze toward the heights;
So surrender, O highest of all beholders, to the most high,
necklaces of verse are offered to you.
That necklaces of verse may be bestowed upon you.
والدّهْرُand time عَبْدٌa slave والأوامِرُand commands طاعَةٌobedience
والدّهْرُ عَبْدٌ والأوامِرُ طاعَةٌ
والمُلْكُand sovereignty مُقْتَبَلٌyouthful وزَنْدُكَand your fire-stick وارِsparking
والمُلْكُ مُقْتَبَلٌ وزَنْدُكَ وارِ
And time is a slave, and commands are obeyed;
For Time is a slave, commands obeyed,
and sovereignty is youthful, and your fire-stick sparks.
The kingdom received, and your glory a citadel.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.