تُرىI wonder whether اللَيلُthe night يَقضيcompletes عُقبَةًa stage مِنof هَزيعِهِits night-watch
تُرى اللَيلُ يَقضي عُقبَةً مِن هَزيعِهِ
أَوِor الصُبحُdawn يَجلوunveils غُرَّةًa bright brow مِنfrom صَديعِهِits breaking light
أَوِ الصُبحُ يَجلو غُرَّةً مِن صَديعِهِ
Does the night, I wonder, complete a stage of its watch,
Does the night spend an obstacle of its decline,
or dawn unveil a bright brow from its breaking light,
Or does the dawn unveil a nut of its chirp?
أَوِor المَنزِلُthe dwelling العافيeffaced يَرُدُّturns أَنيسَهُits companion
أَوِ المَنزِلُ العافي يَرُدُّ أَنيسَهُ
بُكاءًweeping عَلىover أَطلالِهِits ruins وَرُبوعِهِand its dwelling-grounds
بُكاءً عَلى أَطلالِهِ وَرُبوعِهِ
or the effaced dwelling reduce its companion
Or does the cozy house return its companion,
to weeping over its ruins and its dwelling-grounds?
Weeping over its ruins and widenesses?
إِذاwhen اِرتَفَقَleans on his elbow المُشتاقُthe yearning lover كانَwas سُهادُهُhis sleeplessness
إِذا اِرتَفَقَ المُشتاقُ كانَ سُهادُهُ
أَحَقَّmore entitled بِجَفنَيto the two eyelids of عَينِهِhis eye مِنthan هُجوعِهِhis slumber
أَحَقَّ بِجَفنَي عَينِهِ مِن هُجوعِهِ
When the yearning lover leans on his elbow, his sleeplessness is
When the ardent is lenient, his pilow is more deserving,
more entitled to his eyelids than his slumber.
Of his eyes than his insomnia.
وَلوعَكَyour passion إِنَّindeed الصَبَّthe lovesick man إِمّاeither مُتَمِّمٌpersevering
وَلوعَكَ إِنَّ الصَبَّ إِمّا مُتَمِّمٌ
عَلىin وَجدِهِhis longing أَوor زائِدٌincreasing فيin وَلوعِهِhis ardor
عَلى وَجدِهِ أَو زائِدٌ في وَلوعِهِ
Hold to your passion: the lovesick man either persists
Your passion, if the youth is either perfecting,
in his longing or increases in his ardor.
His fervor or exceeding in his fervor.
وَلاand do not تَتَعَجَّبmarvel مِنat تَماديهِhis persistence إِنَّهاit is indeed
وَلا تَتَعَجَّب مِن تَماديهِ إِنَّها
صَبابَةُthe longing of قَلبٍa heart مُؤيِسٍgiving no hope مِنof نُزوعِهِits turning away
صَبابَةُ قَلبٍ مُؤيِسٍ مِن نُزوعِهِ
And do not marvel at his persistence: it is
Don't be surprised at its persistence, it is
the longing of a heart that leaves no hope of its turning away.
The recklessness of a desperate heart from its determination.
وَكُنتُand I was أُرَجّىled to hope فيin الشَبابِyouth شَفاعَةًintercession
وَكُنتُ أُرَجّى في الشَبابِ شَفاعَةً
وَكَيفَand how لِباغيfor one seeking حاجَةٍa favor بِشَفيعِهِaccess to his intercessor
وَكَيفَ لِباغي حاجَةٍ بِشَفيعِهِ
And in youth I was led to hope for intercession;
And I hoped in youth for intercession,
but how can one seeking a favor reach his intercessor?
How can someone in need have an intercessor?
مَشيبٌgray hair كَنَثِّlike divulging السِرِّthe secret عَيِّwas unable بِحَملِهِto bear it
مَشيبٌ كَنَثِّ السِرِّ عَيِّ بِحَملِهِ
مُحَدِّثُهُits teller أَوor ضاقَgrew narrow صَدرُthe breast of مُذيعِهِits revealer
مُحَدِّثُهُ أَو ضاقَ صَدرُ مُذيعِهِ
Gray hair is like divulging a secret whose burden defeated
Old age is like the secret's broadcaster,
its teller, or whose revealer's breast grew too narrow.
Either telling its carrier or its confessor's chest tightened.
تَلاحَقَcame in succession حَتّىuntil كادَalmost يَأتيarrived بَطيئُهُits slowest
تَلاحَقَ حَتّى كادَ يَأتي بَطيئُهُ
بِحَثِّat the urging of اللَياليthe nights قَبلَbefore أَتيِthe arrival of سَريعِهِits fastest
بِحَثِّ اللَيالي قَبلَ أَتيِ سَريعِهِ
It came in succession, till its slowest almost arrived,
It chased until its slowness almost came,
urged on by the nights, before its fastest came.
Seeking the nights before its fast coming.
أَخَذتُI took لِهَذاfor this الدَهرِage أُهبَةَpreparations for صَرفِهِits reversals
أَخَذتُ لِهَذا الدَهرِ أُهبَةَ صَرفِهِ
وَلَمّاand not yet أُشارِكI share with عاجِزاًa helpless man فيin هُلوعِهِhis panic
وَلَمّا أُشارِك عاجِزاً في هُلوعِهِ
I have equipped myself against this age's reversals,
I took the change of this time as a gift,
and have not yet shared a helpless man's panic.
And didn't share the incapable in its weariness.
وَلَمand was not تُبنَbuilt دارُthe house of العَجزِhelplessness لِلمُحلِسِfor one who fits a saddlecloth الَّذيwhose
وَلَم تُبنَ دارُ العَجزِ لِلمُحلِسِ الَّذي
مَطِيَّتُهُhis mount مَشدودَةٌsecured بِنُسوعِهِwith his girth-straps
مَطِيَّتُهُ مَشدودَةٌ بِنُسوعِهِ
Nor was the house of helplessness built for one who saddles up, whose
The house of inability isn't built for one hosted,
mount is secured with his girth-straps.
Whose she-camel is tied with its peg.
وَلَيسَand is not اِمرَأًa man إِلّاexcept اِمرُؤٌa man ذَهَبَتwent بِهِwith him
وَلَيسَ اِمرَأً إِلّا اِمرُؤٌ ذَهَبَت بِهِ
قَناعَتُهُhis contentment مُنحازَةًturning aside عَنfrom قُنوعِهِhis begging
قَناعَتُهُ مُنحازَةً عَن قُنوعِهِ
No man is truly a man but one carried away
A man is only a man whom his contentment took away,
by his contentment, turning aside from his begging.
Inclined away from his contentment.
إِذاif صَنَعَdid الصَفّارُal-Saffar سوءًharm لِنَفسِهِto himself
إِذا صَنَعَ الصَفّارُ سوءً لِنَفسِهِ
فَلاthen do not تَحسُدِenvy الصَفّارَal-Saffar سوءَthe harm of صَنيعِهِhis deed
فَلا تَحسُدِ الصَفّارَ سوءَ صَنيعِهِ
If al-Saffar has done himself harm,
When the trumpeter does evil to himself,
then do not envy al-Saffar his harmful deed.
Don't envy the trumpeter the evil of his work.
وَكانَand was اِختِيالُthe swagger of العِلجِthe barbarian مِنfrom عَطَشِthe thirst of الرَدىdeath
وَكانَ اِختِيالُ العِلجِ مِن عَطَشِ الرَدى
إِلىfor نَفسِهِhis soul شَرِّthe worst of النُفوسِsouls وَجوعِهِand its hunger
إِلى نَفسِهِ شَرِّ النُفوسِ وَجوعِهِ
And the barbarian's swagger sprang from death's thirst
And the cure's conceit was from the thirst of perdition,
for his soul—the vilest of souls—and its hunger.
To itself the evilest of souls and its pain.
عَباmustered لِجَميعِfor all of الخَرِّruin هِمَّةَthe resolve of مائِقٍa fool
عَبا لِجَميعِ الخَرِّ هِمَّةَ مائِقٍ
وَقَدand indeed كانَwas يَكفيsufficing بَعضُهُa part of it مِنinstead of جَميعِهِall of it
وَقَد كانَ يَكفي بَعضُهُ مِن جَميعِهِ
He mustered a fool's resolve for utter ruin,
The burden of all harm preoccupied a surpassing ambition,
though a part of it would have sufficed instead of the whole.
And some of it would have sufficed from all of it.
وَرَدَّتand held back يَدَيهِhis two hands عَنfrom مُساواةِequaling رافِعٍRafi'
وَرَدَّت يَدَيهِ عَن مُساواةِ رافِعٍ
زِيادَةُthe superiority of عاليone high in القَدرِrank عَنهُabove him رَفيعِهِits loftiness
زِيادَةُ عالي القَدرِ عَنهُ رَفيعِهِ
His hands were kept from equaling Rafi'
And it returned its hands from the equality of a raiser,
by the superiority of one whose lofty rank stood high above his.
The excess of one of high position from its eminent.
بِصَولَتِهِthrough his onslaught كانَwas اِنقِضاضُthe collapse of بِنائِهِhis edifice
بِصَولَتِهِ كانَ اِنقِضاضُ بِنائِهِ
لِأَسفَلٍto the lowest سُفلِdepth وَاِنفِضاضُand the dispersal of جُموعِهِhis hosts
لِأَسفَلٍ سُفلِ وَاِنفِضاضُ جُموعِهِ
His own onslaught brought about his edifice's collapse
With its authority, the crumbling of its structure was
to the lowest depth, and the scattering of his hosts.
To lower, lower, and the scattering of its groups.
وَلَمand did not يَنقَلِبreturn مِنfrom بُستَBust إِلّاexcept وَرَأيُهُand his judgment
وَلَم يَنقَلِب مِن بُستَ إِلّا وَرَأيُهُ
شَعاعٌscattered وَإِلّاand except that رَوعُهُhis terror شُغلُthe preoccupation of روعِهِhis mind
شَعاعٌ وَإِلّا رَوعُهُ شُغلُ روعِهِ
And he returned from Bust only with his judgment
It didn't change from a carpet unless its opinion was
scattered, and with his terror preoccupying his mind.
A ray, or its fright occupied its fright.
فَإِنso if يَحيَhe lives لاnot يُفلِحhe prospers وَإِنand if يَتوَhe perishes لاnot يَكُنbe
فَإِن يَحيَ لا يُفلِح وَإِن يَتوَ لا يَكُن
لِباكٍfor a mourner عَلَيهِover him مَوضِعٌa place لِدُموعِهِfor his tears
لِباكٍ عَلَيهِ مَوضِعٌ لِدُموعِهِ
So if he lives, he will not prosper; and if he dies, there will be no
So if it lives it won't succeed, and if it perishes it won't,
place for a mourner over him to shed his tears.
For a mourner over it, a place for its tears.
دَمٌblood إِنif يُرَقit is shed لايَقضِdoes not settle تَبلاًa blood-feud مُراقُهُits shed blood
دَمٌ إِن يُرَق لايَقضِ تَبلاً مُراقُهُ
وَلاand not يُطفِىءُextinguishes الأَوغامَrancors لُؤمُthe baseness of نَجيعِهِhis gore
وَلا يُطفِىءُ الأَوغامَ لُؤمُ نَجيعِهِ
Blood that, if shed, would settle no blood-feud,
Blood, if spilled, its pouring won't fulfill a purpose,
nor would the baseness of his gore extinguish rancor.
Nor will the injustice of its valley extinguish the oppression of its flames.
شَفىhealed بُرَحَthe anguish of الأَكبادِthe livers أَنَّthat اِبنَson of طاهِرٍTahir
شَفى بُرَحَ الأَكبادِ أَنَّ اِبنَ طاهِرٍ
هَوَتfell أُمُّthe mother of عاصيهِhis rebel بِسَيفِby the sword of مُطيعِهِhis loyal follower
هَوَت أُمُّ عاصيهِ بِسَيفِ مُطيعِهِ
It soothed the livers' anguish that Ibn Tahir's
The livers' sores were healed that Tahir's son's
rebel's mother was brought low by his loyal follower's sword.
Disobedient mother fell by the sword of his obedient one.
تُرَجّيhopes for خُراسانٌKhurasan جَلاءَthe clearing of ظَلامِهاher darkness
تُرَجّي خُراسانٌ جَلاءَ ظَلامِها
بِبَدرٍby a full moon مِنَfrom الغَربِthe west اِرتِقابُawaiting طُلوعِهِits rising
بِبَدرٍ مِنَ الغَربِ اِرتِقابُ طُلوعِهِ
Khurasan hopes for her darkness to be dispelled
Khorasan hopes for the clearing of its darkness,
by a full moon from the west, whose rising is awaited.
With a full moon from the west, expecting its rise.
مَتىwhen يَأتِهاhe comes to her يُعرَفwill be known مُقَوِّمُthe straightener of دَرئِهاher crookedness
مَتى يَأتِها يُعرَف مُقَوِّمُ دَرئِها
وَلاand not يَخفَbe hidden كافيthe one managing شَأنِهاher affairs مِنfrom مُضيعِهِthe one neglecting it
وَلا يَخفَ كافي شَأنِها مِن مُضيعِهِ
When he reaches her, the one who straightens her crookedness will be known,
When will it come to it, the straightener of its expulsion will be known,
and one who tends her affairs will not be confused with one who neglects them.
And the sufficient of its matter won't fear its loss.
مَتىwhenever قِظتُI spend summer فيin شَرقِthe east of البِلادِthe lands فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
مَتى قِظتُ في شَرقِ البِلادِ فَإِنَّني
زَعيمٌa guarantor بِأَنَّthat قَيظَهُits summer heat مِنpart of رَبيعِهِits spring
زَعيمٌ بِأَنَّ قَيظَهُ مِن رَبيعِهِ
Whenever I spend summer in the eastern lands, I am
When I wake up in the east of the countries, I
prepared to vouch that its summer heat is part of its spring.
Am the leader that its heat is from its spring.
لَقَدindeed جَشِمَbraved الأَعداءُthe enemies وِردَthe watering-place of نَفاسَةٍenvy
لَقَد جَشِمَ الأَعداءُ وِردَ نَفاسَةٍ
عَلَيكَof you يُلاقونَthey meet الرَدىdeath فيin شُروعِهِentering its waters
عَلَيكَ يُلاقونَ الرَدى في شُروعِهِ
The enemies have indeed braved the watering-place of envy
The enemies have sensed and met the freshness of a bouquet,
of you, meeting death as they wade into it.
Upon you they meet perdition in its inception.
وَكَمand how much ظَهَرَتappeared بَعدَafter اِستِتارِthe concealment of مَكانِهاits place
وَكَم ظَهَرَت بَعدَ اِستِتارِ مَكانِها
شَناةٌhatred خَباهاhe hid it كاشِحٌa secret foe فيwithin ضُلوعِهِhis ribs
شَناةٌ خَباها كاشِحٌ في ضُلوعِهِ
And how much has emerged, after its hiding-place lay concealed—
And how many times after being hidden did
hatred a secret foe hid within his ribs!
Vicious ones appear a concealer hid in his chests.
وَمَرضىand sick men مِنَamong الحُسّادِthe envious قَدalready كانَhad شَفَّهُمworn them thin
وَمَرضى مِنَ الحُسّادِ قَد كانَ شَفَّهُم
تَوَقُّعُthe expectation of هَذاthis الأَمرِaffair قَبلَbefore وُقوعِهِits occurrence
تَوَقُّعُ هَذا الأَمرِ قَبلَ وُقوعِهِ
And sick men among the envious had already been worn thin
And diseased from envy, their healing was
by anticipating this affair before it came to pass.
Anticipating this matter before its occurrence.
وَماand what عُذرُهُمtheir excuse فيin أَنthat تَغِلَّharbor rancor صُدورُهُمtheir breasts
وَما عُذرُهُم في أَن تَغِلَّ صُدورُهُم
عَلىagainst ناشِرِthe spreader of الإِحسانِkindness فيهِمamong them مُشيعِهِthe one disseminating it
عَلى ناشِرِ الإِحسانِ فيهِم مُشيعِهِ
And what excuse have they for their breasts to harbor rancor
What's their excuse that their chests boil
against one who spreads kindness among them, making it widespread?
Upon the spreader of kindness among them, its conveyor?
لَئِنif indeed شَهَرَunsheathed السُلطانُthe sovereign أَمضىthe keenest of سُيوفِهِhis swords
لَئِن شَهَرَ السُلطانُ أَمضى سُيوفِهِ
وَرَشَّحَand put forward عودُthe trunk of المُلكِkingship أَزكىthe finest of فُروعِهِits branches
وَرَشَّحَ عودُ المُلكِ أَزكى فُروعِهِ
If indeed the sovereign has unsheathed the keenest of his swords,
If the Sultan brandished his swords, he fulfilled them,
and kingship's trunk has put forth its finest branch,
And the authority's stick bore its purest branches.
فَلاthen no عَجَبٌwonder أَنthat يَطلُبَseeks السَيلُthe torrent نَهجَهُits course
فَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يَطلُبَ السَيلُ نَهجَهُ
وَأَنand that يَستَقيمَresumes direct motion المُشتَريJupiter مِنafter رُجوعِهِits retrogression
وَأَن يَستَقيمَ المُشتَري مِن رُجوعِهِ
then it is no wonder that the torrent seeks its course,
No wonder the torrent seeks its course,
and that Jupiter resumes direct motion after its retrogression.
And the buyer goes straight in his return.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.