ياO حاديَcamel-driver الشَّدَنِيّاتِthe Shadani she-camels المَطاريبِthe song-stirred
يا حاديَ الشَّدَنِيّاتِ المَطاريبِ
أناقِلٌa bearer? أنتَyou أخْبارَnews of الأعاريبِthe Bedouin Arabs
أناقِلٌ أنتَ أخْبارَ الأعاريبِ
O camel-driver of the song-stirred Shadani she-camels,
O guide of the fragrant camels at dawn!
are you bearing news of the Bedouin Arabs?
You are a conveyor of news from the nomads.
ترفّعَتْrose aloft بكَwith you أوor بيwith me همّةٌa lofty resolve تَرَكَتْleft
ترفّعَتْ بكَ أو بي همّةٌ تَرَكَتْ
هذاthis الرُّدَيْنيَّthe Rudayni spear مَهْزوزَshaken الأنابيبِthe shaft-joints
هذا الرُّدَيْنيَّ مَهْزوزَ الأنابيبِ
A lofty resolve has borne you—or me—aloft, leaving
An ambition has risen in you or me and left
this Rudayni spear quivering through its shaft-joints.
This abject world tottering like weak-jointed camels.
فعُجْso turn aside علىto خِيَمٍtents لَفّتْentwined ولائِدُهاtheir maidservants
فعُجْ على خِيَمٍ لَفّتْ ولائِدُها
أطْنابَهُنَّtheir guy ropes بأعْرافِwith the manes of السّراحيبِthe long-bodied steeds
أطْنابَهُنَّ بأعْرافِ السّراحيبِ
So turn aside to tents whose maidservants have entwined
So move to a tent whose pegs
their guy ropes with the manes of long-bodied steeds.
Its inmates have struck in meadows of al-Sarahib.
واهاًAh! للَيْلَتِناfor our night بالجِزْعِat the valley bend إذwhen طَرَقَتْcame by night
واهاً للَيْلَتِنا بالجِزْعِ إذ طَرَقَتْ
عُفْرَthe tawny parts of الأجارِعِthe sandflats منْfrom بَطْحاءِthe gravel plain of ملْحوبِMalhub
عُفْرَ الأجارِعِ منْ بَطْحاءِ ملْحوبِ
Ah, for our night at the valley bend, when it came upon
Alas for our night of woe when there pounded
the tawny sandflats of Malhub's broad gravel plain!
The hooves of swift camels from Bat'ha plateau.
والوائِليّونَand the Wa'ilites يَسْريsteals فيin عُيونِهِمُtheir eyes
والوائِليّونَ يَسْري في عُيونِهِمُ
كَرًىdrowsiness هوَit الغُنْجُthe coy languor فيin لَحْظِthe gaze of الرّعابيبِthe tender beauties
كَرًى هوَ الغُنْجُ في لَحْظِ الرّعابيبِ
While through the Wa'ilites' eyes there stole
While the wailers strode with tears flowing
a drowsiness that is coy languor in the gaze of tender beauties.
From their eyes copiously like the mucus of the stricken.
ولاحَand appeared فيin الكِلّةِthe bed-canopy الصّفْراءِthe yellow ليto me رَشأٌa gazelle-fawn
ولاحَ في الكِلّةِ الصّفْراءِ لي رَشأٌ
يَرْميcasts دُجَىthe darkness of الليلِthe night عنْfrom أجْفانِthe eyelids of مَرْعوبِa frightened one
يَرْمي دُجَى الليلِ عنْ أجْفانِ مَرْعوبِ
And in the yellow bed-canopy a gazelle-fawn appeared to me,
And there shone for me in the yellow night a flash
casting night's darkness from a frightened one's eyelids.
Casting aside the gloom of night from frightened eyelids,
طَرَقْتُهُI visited him by night والنّجومُand the stars الزُّهْرُthe bright حائِرَةٌbewildered
طَرَقْتُهُ والنّجومُ الزُّهْرُ حائِرَةٌ
علىon مُطَهّمَةٍa well-formed mare جَرْداءَsleek-haired يَعْبوبِa swift steed
على مُطَهّمَةٍ جَرْداءَ يَعْبوبِ
I visited him by night, while the bright stars were bewildered,
I tapped at it while the stars, the flowers, wandered
on a well-formed, sleek, fleet-footed mare.
Perplexed over a bare hillside swept by the wind.
وقدand already دنَتْshe drew near منهُto him حتّىuntil أوْدَعَتْdeposited أرَجاًa fragrance
وقد دنَتْ منهُ حتّى أوْدَعَتْ أرَجاً
أحْناءَthe curves of سَرْجيmy saddle أفاوِيهٌaromatic essences منَof الطّيبِperfume
أحْناءَ سَرْجي أفاوِيهٌ منَ الطّيبِ
And she had drawn near him, till a fragrance settled
It drew near me until it lodged perfume—
in the curves of my saddle, from essences of perfume.
The saddlebags of my she-camel exuded fragrance.
وكادَand he almost يَفْتِلُbraids إكْراماًin honor لزائِرِهِfor his visitor
وكادَ يَفْتِلُ إكْراماً لزائِرِهِ
عِذارَهاher bridle منْfrom أثيثِluxuriant النّبْتِthe growth غِرْبيبِraven-black
عِذارَها منْ أثيثِ النّبْتِ غِرْبيبِ
And he almost braided, in honor of his visitor,
It almost stripped itself out of honor for its visitor
her bridle from thickly growing, raven-black hair.
Of its clothes of plants, a strange wonder.
لكنهُbut he سَتَرَveiled البَدْرَthe full moon المُنيرَthe shining بهِwith it
لكنهُ سَتَرَ البَدْرَ المُنيرَ بهِ
حتىuntil أجارَgave refuge to مُحِبّاًa lover صُدْغُthe temple-lock of مَحْبوبِa beloved
حتى أجارَ مُحِبّاً صُدْغُ مَحْبوبِ
But he veiled the shining full moon with it,
But it concealed the shining moon thereby
until a beloved's temple-lock sheltered a lover.
To give refuge like a lover shielding his beloved's cheek.
وقدand already أخَذْناwe took up بأطرافِwith the threads of الحَديثِthe conversation فكَمْso how many
وقد أخَذْنا بأطرافِ الحَديثِ فكَمْ
دَمْعٍtears علىupon مَلْعَبِthe playground of الأطْواقِnecklaces مَسْكوبِspilled
دَمْعٍ على مَلْعَبِ الأطْواقِ مَسْكوبِ
And we had taken up the threads of conversation—how many
We spoke at length. How many tears
tears were spilled where necklaces play!
Were shed in the meadow where young men gather!
واسْتُعْجِلَتْand were hastened قُبَلٌkisses مَرّتْpassed علىover شَبِمٍa cool mouth
واسْتُعْجِلَتْ قُبَلٌ مَرّتْ على شَبِمٍ
صافيclear in القَرارَةِthe depths بالصّهْباءِwith red wine مَقْطوبِblended
صافي القَرارَةِ بالصّهْباءِ مَقْطوبِ
And kisses were hurried, passing over a cool mouth,
Kisses too swift were stolen on lips—
clear in its depths, mingled with red wine.
Pure, delicate, culled from among the blond and dark-tressed.
إنيindeed I لأدَّرِعُsurely don as armor اللّيلَthe night البَهيمَthe pitch-black ولاand do not
إني لأدَّرِعُ اللّيلَ البَهيمَ ولا
أُليحُflinch منْfrom قَدَرٍa fate يأتيكَcomes to you مَجْلوبِbrought
أُليحُ منْ قَدَرٍ يأتيكَ مَجْلوبِ
Indeed, I don the pitch-black night as armor, and do not
I do not fear the brutish night but
flinch from a fate that comes borne to you.
I cannot wrest any decree destined for you.
وفيَّand in me منْamong شِيَمِthe traits of الضِّرْغامِthe lion جُرأَتُهُhis boldness
وفيَّ منْ شِيَمِ الضِّرْغامِ جُرأَتُهُ
إذاif أرابَتْكَgive you misgivings أخْلاقٌtraits منَof الذّيبِthe wolf
إذا أرابَتْكَ أخْلاقٌ منَ الذّيبِ
And of the lion's traits I have his boldness,
In me is the boldness of the hyena
if traits of the wolf give you misgivings.
If noble qualities in you have become corrupted.
أُواصِلُI meet الخِشْفَthe gazelle-fawn والغَيْرانُand the jealous one مُرْتَقِبٌwatching
أُواصِلُ الخِشْفَ والغَيْرانُ مُرْتَقِبٌ
لاno خَيْرَgood فيin الوَصْلِunion عِنديin my view غَيْرَnot مَرْقوبِwatched
لا خَيْرَ في الوَصْلِ عِندي غَيْرَ مَرْقوبِ
I meet the gazelle-fawn while the jealous one keeps watch;
I persist in caution while the spy lies in wait
to me there is no good in a union unwatched.
For me. No good in a connection not established furtively!
ولاand do not أُحالِفُally myself إلاexcept كلَّevery مُشْتَمِلٍone girded
ولا أُحالِفُ إلا كلَّ مُشْتَمِلٍ
علىwith حُسامٍa sharp sword منَfrom الأعْداءِthe enemies مَخْضوبِblood-stained
على حُسامٍ منَ الأعْداءِ مَخْضوبِ
Nor do I ally myself with any but one girded
And I ally myself only with every warrior
with a sharp sword dyed with the blood of enemies.
Who has a sword dyed with the blood of enemies.
يَسْتَنْزِلُsummons المَوْتَdeath فيin إقدامِهِhis advance طَرِباًexultantly
يَسْتَنْزِلُ المَوْتَ في إقدامِهِ طَرِباً
إِلىto مَدىًan extent يَدَعُleaves الشُّبّانَthe young men كالشّيبِlike the gray-haired
إِلى مَدىً يَدَعُ الشُّبّانَ كالشّيبِ
He summons death in his advance, exulting
He makes death dismount in his daring, confused,
to a point that leaves young men like graybeards.
To the point the youths are left like grey old men.
ويَستَجيشُand musters إذاwhen ماever خُطّةٌan undertaking عَرَضَتْpresents itself
ويَستَجيشُ إذا ما خُطّةٌ عَرَضَتْ
رأياًa judgment يَشيعُis suffused بأسْرارِwith the secrets of التّجاريبِexperience
رأياً يَشيعُ بأسْرارِ التّجاريبِ
And whenever an undertaking presents itself, he musters
And he rouses, whenever a stratagem presents itself,
a judgment suffused with the secrets of experience.
An opinion disseminated among proven experts—
منْof مَعْشَرٍa people يَحْمَدُpraises العافيthe suppliant لِقاحَهُمُtheir milch-camels
منْ مَعْشَرٍ يَحْمَدُ العافي لِقاحَهُمُ
إذاwhen امْتُدِرَّتْare drawn forth أفاويقُsuccessive draughts of الأحاليبِthe milkings
إذا امْتُدِرَّتْ أفاويقُ الأحاليبِ
He is of a people whose milch-camels the suppliant praises,
A group whose valiant warriors are praised
when successive draughts from the milkings are drawn.
When the steeds of misfortune are harnessed.
أعداؤُهُمْtheir enemies ومَطاياهُمْand their mounts علىin وَجَلٍfear
أعداؤُهُمْ ومَطاياهُمْ على وَجَلٍ
فهُمْfor they أعاديfoes of رؤوسٍheads أوor عَراقيبِhamstrings
فهُمْ أعادي رؤوسٍ أو عَراقيبِ
Their enemies and their mounts are in dread,
Their enemies and battle-steeds in turmoil—
for they are foes of heads or hamstrings.
They are foes of heads or light cavalry.
مَدَّraised المُعاويُّal-Mu'awi منْby أضْباعِهِمْtheir upper arms فلَهُمْso theirs is
مَدَّ المُعاويُّ منْ أضْباعِهِمْ فلَهُمْ
عِزٌّglory تَرَدَّوْاthey cloaked themselves بهِin it ضافيample الجَلابيبِthe robes
عِزٌّ تَرَدَّوْا بهِ ضافي الجَلابيبِ
Al-Mu'awi strengthened their arms, so theirs is
Al-Mu‘awiyah extended power from their ribs so they gained
a glory they have donned, its robes ample and flowing.
Glory which they repelled lowliness and servitude.
أبوfather of عَليٍّAli لهُhe has فيin خِندِفٍKhindif شَرَفٌnoble rank
أبو عَليٍّ لهُ في خِندِفٍ شَرَفٌ
لَفَّjoined العُلاhigh honor منهُfrom him مَوْروثاًinherited بمَكْسوبِwith earned
لَفَّ العُلا منهُ مَوْروثاً بمَكْسوبِ
Abu Ali has noble rank in Khindif,
Abu ‘Ali has nobility in Khindif—
uniting in him inherited honor with honor earned.
He wrapped himself in the heights through inheritance and earnings.
علىupon نُحورِthe chests of المُلوكِthe kings الصِّيدِthe proud مَنْشَؤُهُhis upbringing
على نُحورِ المُلوكِ الصِّيدِ مَنْشَؤُهُ
وفيand in الحُجورِthe laps منof البِيضِthe fair women المَناحيبِthe stately ones
وفي الحُجورِ من البِيضِ المَناحيبِ
He was raised upon the chests of proud kings,
The hunted prey of kings is his livelihood
and in the laps of fair, stately women.
And in his breast are the nestlings of doves.
ذوpossessor of هِمّةٍa lofty resolve تَرَكَتْleft كَعْباًKa'b وأُسْرَتَهُand his family
ذو هِمّةٍ تَرَكَتْ كَعْباً وأُسْرَتَهُ
بِغارِبٍwith a hump فيon مَراقيthe ascents of الفَخْرِglory مَجْبوبِcut off
بِغارِبٍ في مَراقي الفَخْرِ مَجْبوبِ
He has a lofty resolve that left Ka'b and his family
A man of resolve who left both mountain peak and castle
with a severed hump on the ascents of glory;
Lost in the horizons of glory, rapt and enraptured,
وشيمَةٍand a character فاحَwafted رَيّاهاits fragrance كماjust as أَرِجَتْgave off fragrance
وشيمَةٍ فاحَ رَيّاها كما أَرِجَتْ
خَميلَةٌa thicket وهْيَwhile it is نَشْوىintoxicated منْwith شآبيبِshowers
خَميلَةٌ وهْيَ نَشْوى منْ شآبيبِ
and a character whose fragrance spread as scent rose from
And noble qualities whose good odor spread like
a thicket, drunk on downpours.
The perfume that wafts from aromatic leaf.
فأسْفَرَتْso disclosed عُقَبُthe successive turns of الأيّامِthe days عنْabout مَثَلٍan example
فأسْفَرَتْ عُقَبُ الأيّامِ عنْ مَثَلٍ
بهِin him وإنْand even if رَغِمَis humbled الطّائيُّal-Ta'i مَضْروبِset
بهِ وإنْ رَغِمَ الطّائيُّ مَضْروبِ
So the turns of the days revealed a proverbial example
So the passage of days revealed an exemplar in him
embodied in him, even if al-Ta'i is humbled.
Even if the hostile critic is stricken.
لهُhe has أساليبُpaths منْof مَجْدٍglory أبَرَّsurpassed بِهاthrough them
لهُ أساليبُ منْ مَجْدٍ أبَرَّ بِها
علىabove الوَرىmankind والعُلاand eminence شتّىvaried الأساليبِthe paths
على الوَرى والعُلا شتّى الأساليبِ
He has paths of glory by which he has surpassed
He has methods of glory whereby he surpassed
mankind—and eminence has many paths.
Over both East and West manifold methods.
يهتَزُّsways مِنْبَرُهُhis pulpit عُجْباًwith pride بمَنْطِقِهِat his eloquence
يهتَزُّ مِنْبَرُهُ عُجْباً بمَنْطِقِهِ
ترَنُّحَthe reeling of الشَّرْبِthe drinkers منْfrom سُكْرٍintoxication وتَطْريبِand stirring song
ترَنُّحَ الشَّرْبِ منْ سُكْرٍ وتَطْريبِ
His pulpit sways with pride in his eloquence,
His pulpit quakes in wonder at his eloquence—
as drinkers reel from intoxication and stirring song.
The drinking of wine sways tipsily, intoxicated.
وليسَand he is not إنْif ثارَgrows animated فيin أثناءِthe midst of خُطْبَتِهِhis sermon
وليسَ إنْ ثارَ في أثناءِ خُطْبَتِهِ
كالمُهْرِlike a colt يَخْلِطُmixes أُلْهوباًa galloping burst بأُلْهوبِwith a galloping burst
كالمُهْرِ يَخْلِطُ أُلْهوباً بأُلْهوبِ
And if he grows animated in the midst of his sermon, he is not
And if in the midst of his preaching he is roused to passion
like a colt mixing one galloping burst with another.
His words do not intermix confused speech.
لكنهُbut he يَمْلأfills الأسْماعَthe ears منْwith كَلِمٍwords
لكنهُ يَمْلأ الأسْماعَ منْ كَلِمٍ
ضاحٍluminous علىupon صَفَحاتِthe pages of الدّهْرِtime مَكْتوبِinscribed
ضاحٍ على صَفَحاتِ الدّهْرِ مَكْتوبِ
But he fills the ears with words
Rather he fills all ears with convincing words
luminous, inscribed on the pages of time.
Inscribed on the pages of time.
والقارِحُand the mature steed المُتَمَطّيstretching itself فيin عُلالَتِهِits renewed run
والقارِحُ المُتَمَطّي في عُلالَتِهِ
يَشوبُblends فيin الحُضْرِthe gallop تَصْعيداًupward motion بتَصْويبِwith downward motion
يَشوبُ في الحُضْرِ تَصْعيداً بتَصْويبِ
And the mature steed, stretching out in its renewed run,
While the audacious, strutting boaster
blends upward with downward motion in its gallop.
Corrupts the atmosphere with haphazard shots.
ياO بنَson of الذينَthose who إذاwhen ماever أفْضَلُواgave generously غَمَرواflooded
يا بنَ الذينَ إذا ما أفْضَلُوا غَمَروا
عُفاتَهُمْtheir suppliants بعَطاءٍwith bounty غَيْرِnot مَحْسوبِcounted
عُفاتَهُمْ بعَطاءٍ غَيْرِ مَحْسوبِ
O son of those who, whenever they gave generously, flooded
O son of those who when they excel
their suppliants with bounty beyond reckoning!
Overwhelm their chastity with unlimited generosity!
إنّيindeed I بمَدْحِكَto praising you مُغْرًىdevoted غيْرُnot مُلْتَفِتٍturning
إنّي بمَدْحِكَ مُغْرًى غيْرُ مُلْتَفِتٍ
إِلىtoward ندىًbounty خَضِلِdripping with الأنْواءِseasonal rains مَطْلوبِsought after
إِلى ندىً خَضِلِ الأنْواءِ مَطْلوبِ
Indeed I am devoted to praising you, not turning
I am tempted by praising you, not looking
toward sought-for bounty, drenched with seasonal rains.
To praise of the fold that fades.
وكَمْand how many يَدٍa favor لكَof yours لاnot تَخْفىare hidden أمائِرُهاits signs
وكَمْ يَدٍ لكَ لا تَخْفى أمائِرُها
ماas long as هَيَّجَتْstirs عَرَبيّاًan Arab حَنّةُthe yearning cry of النِّيبِold she-camels
ما هَيَّجَتْ عَرَبيّاً حَنّةُ النِّيبِ
And how many favors of yours have signs that remain plain,
How many hands you have whose favors do not escape notice—
as long as the yearning cry of old she-camels stirs an Arab!
What they have aroused with gifts that the Arabs envy!
وكيفَand how أشْكُرُshall I thank نُعماكَyour bounty التيwhich هَطلَتْrained down
وكيفَ أشْكُرُ نُعماكَ التي هَطلَتْ
بهاwith it يَمينُكَyour right hand وَطْفاءَa heavy rain-cloud الأهاضيبِthe downpours
بها يَمينُكَ وَطْفاءَ الأهاضيبِ
And how shall I thank you for your bounty, poured down
How can I thank you for your boons which poured down
by your right hand—a cloud heavy with downpours?
With the outpouring of your open hand, consoling the afflicted?
لاmay you not زِلْتَcease تُلْقِحُmake conceive آمالاًhopes وتُنْتِجُهاand bring them to birth
لا زِلْتَ تُلْقِحُ آمالاً وتُنْتِجُها
مَواهِبٌgifts يَمْتَريهاmilks them كُلُّevery مَحْروبِdispossessed man
مَواهِبٌ يَمْتَريها كُلُّ مَحْروبِ
May you ever make hopes conceive, while they are brought to birth
You continue to suggest hopes and produce them—
by gifts that every dispossessed man milks,
Gifts over which every outcast gloats.
وتودِعُand you entrust الدّهْرَtime منْfrom شِعْرٍverse أحَبِّرُهُI embellish it
وتودِعُ الدّهْرَ منْ شِعْرٍ أحَبِّرُهُ
مَدائِحاًpanegyrics لمnot تُوَشَّحْwere adorned بالأكاذيبِwith lies
مَدائِحاً لم تُوَشَّحْ بالأكاذيبِ
and entrust to time, from the verse I embellish,
And you make time resonate with poetry which I adorn
panegyrics not adorned with lies.
With panegyrics never clad in lies.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.