يُهديbrings الخَيالُthe phantom لَناto us ذِكرىremembrance إِذاwhenever طافاit visits
يُهدي الخَيالُ لَنا ذِكرى إِذا طافا
وافىit came يُخادِعُناit beguiles us وَالصُبحُwhile dawn قَدalready وافىhad come
وافى يُخادِعُنا وَالصُبحُ قَد وافى
The phantom brings us remembrance whenever it visits;
Imagination brings back memories when they are evoked,
it came to beguile us when dawn had already come.
Deceiving us while dawn has arrived.
تَصدُقُناis truthful with us المَنعَin withholding سُعدىSu'da حينَwhen نَسأَلُهاwe ask her
تَصدُقُنا المَنعَ سُعدى حينَ نَسأَلُها
نَيلاًa favor وَتَكذِبُناand lies to us بَذلاًin giving وَإِسعافاand granting aid
نَيلاً وَتَكذِبُنا بَذلاً وَإِسعافا
Su'da is true to her refusal when we ask her
She grants our wishes when we ask,
for a favor, but false in her promises of giving and aid.
And denies generosity, kindness, and aid.
إِنَّindeed الغَوانيthe beauties غَداةَon the morning of البَينِparting قِضنَexchanged لَناfor us
إِنَّ الغَواني غَداةَ البَينِ قِضنَ لَنا
ماwhat أَمَّلَhoped for الدَنِفُthe lovesick man المُضنىthe exhausted one بِماfor what خافاhe feared
ما أَمَّلَ الدَنِفُ المُضنى بِما خافا
Indeed, the beauties, on the morning of parting, exchanged for us
The next morning after separation decreed for us
the sick, exhausted lover's hopes for what he feared.
What the sad heart longed for in fear.
فَتَنَّthey bewitched طَرفاًan eye وَقَدand already وَدَّعنَthey bade farewell عَنwith نَظَرٍa gaze
فَتَنَّ طَرفاً وَقَد وَدَّعنَ عَن نَظَرٍ
ساجٍlanguid وَتَيَّمنَand enslaved with love إِذwhen صافَحنَthey clasped أَطرافاfingertips
ساجٍ وَتَيَّمنَ إِذ صافَحنَ أَطرافا
They bewitched the eye, bidding farewell with a gaze
So a glance tempted while having bid farewell to sight,
languid, and enslaved us with love when they clasped fingertips.
Embraced a friendly person when taking leave.
إِذاwhen نَضَونَthey shed شُفوفَthe sheer coverings الرَيطِof robes آوِنَةًat times
إِذا نَضَونَ شُفوفَ الرَيطِ آوِنَةً
قَشَرنَthey peeled away عَنfrom لُؤلُؤِthe pearls of البَحرَينِBahrain أَصدافاshells
قَشَرنَ عَن لُؤلُؤِ البَحرَينِ أَصدافا
When at times they shed their gauzy robes,
When the lips smile, baring
they stripped shells from the pearls of Bahrain.
Pearls from the two seas’ shells.
نَواصِعٌpure white كَسُيوفِlike swords of الصَقلِpolishing مُشعَلَةٌablaze
نَواصِعٌ كَسُيوفِ الصَقلِ مُشعَلَةٌ
ضَوءًwith light وَمُرهَفَةٌand finely tapered فيin الجَدلِbodily shaping إِرهافاto exquisite slenderness
ضَوءً وَمُرهَفَةٌ في الجَدلِ إِرهافا
Pure white as polished swords, they are aflame
Swords of polished steel flaming
with light, and exquisitely slender in their well-knit forms.
With light, honed for argument.
قَضىdecreed لَناfor us اللَهُGod بَلوىa trial فيin نَواظِرِهاher eyes
قَضى لَنا اللَهُ بَلوى في نَواظِرِها
تَقضيbrings doom عَلَيناupon us وَعافىand may spare اللَهُGod مَنwhomever عافىHe spares
تَقضي عَلَينا وَعافى اللَهُ مَن عافى
God decreed for us a trial in her eyes
God decreed for us an ordeal in their glances
that brings our ruin; may God spare whomever He spares.
That destroys us―God give well-being to whom He gives it.
كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they وَقَدand already قارَبنَthey brought close مِنfrom طَرَفَيthe two extremes of
كَأَنَّهُنَّ وَقَد قارَبنَ مِن طَرَفَي
ضِدَّينِtwo opposites فيin الحُسنِbeauty تَبتيلاًfullness of form وَإِخطافاand slenderness of waist
ضِدَّينِ في الحُسنِ تَبتيلاً وَإِخطافا
As though, having brought together the two extremes
As if, when they came close to the two opposites
of beauty's opposites—fullness and slenderness—
In beauty, tempting and snatching away,
رَدَدنَthey transferred ماwhat خُفِّفَتwere lightened مِنهُof it الحُضورُthe waists [uncertain reading] إِلىto
رَدَدنَ ما خُفِّفَت مِنهُ الحُضورُ إِلى
ماwhat فيin المَآزِرِthe waist-wraps فَاِستَثقَلنَso they grew heavy أَردافاin the hips
ما في المَآزِرِ فَاِستَثقَلنَ أَردافا
they transferred what their waists [uncertain reading] had lost to
They gave back what ease had lightened
what their wraps enclosed, and so grew heavy in the hips.
To what burdens the hindparts, making them heavy.
ماno لِلسَحابِthe clouds have خَلاقٌa share of good أَوunless يَصوبُit rains عَلىupon
ما لِلسَحابِ خَلاقٌ أَو يَصوبُ عَلى
عُلياthe uplands of سُوَيقَةَSuwayqa أَجزاعاًvalley bends وَأَخيافاand foothills
عُليا سُوَيقَةَ أَجزاعاً وَأَخيافا
The clouds have no merit unless they pour upon
The clouds have no creator, or do they aim
upper Suwayqa, its valley bends and foothills.
At the heights, stalks and dry plants?
إِذاwhen أَرَدتُI seek لِراقيfor the withheld الدَمعِtears مُنحَدَراًa downward course
إِذا أَرَدتُ لِراقي الدَمعِ مُنحَدَراً
ذَكَرتُI recall مُرتَبَعاًa springtime dwelling فيهاin it وَمُصطافاand a summer retreat
ذَكَرتُ مُرتَبَعاً فيها وَمُصطافا
When I seek a downward course for tears held back,
When I wanted a flowing tear
I recall a springtime dwelling there and a summer retreat.
I remembered her sitting, conversing.
إِنif أُتبِعِI follow up الشَوقَlonging إِزراءًwith contempt عَلَيهِfor it فَقَدthen indeed
إِن أُتبِعِ الشَوقَ إِزراءً عَلَيهِ فَقَد
جافىit drove away مِنَof النَومِsleep عَنfrom عَينَيَّmy two eyes ماwhat جافىit drove away
جافى مِنَ النَومِ عَن عَينَيَّ ما جافى
If I heap reproach on longing, it has indeed
If I pursue longing spitefully
driven sleep from my eyes—how far it has driven it!
It has deprived my eyes of what it deprived of sleep.
أَزاجِرٌshall I urge on أَناI جُردَthe sleek الخَيلِhorses أَجشِمُهاI make them endure
أَزاجِرٌ أَنا جُردَ الخَيلِ أَجشِمُها
سَيراًa journey إِلىto الشامِal-Sham إِغذاذاًin haste وَإيجافاand galloping
سَيراً إِلى الشامِ إِغذاذاً وَإيجافا
Shall I urge on the sleek horses, forcing them to endure
I am a horseman, driving the bare horses,
a journey to al-Sham, in haste and at a gallop?
Heading to Syria, feeding and denying them water.
خوصَsunken العُيونِof eye إِذاwhen أَبدَتthey displayed سُرىًnight travel مَثَلَتthey inflicted mutilation
خوصَ العُيونِ إِذا أَبدَت سُرىً مَثَلَت
بِالأَرضِupon the earth أَوor أَجحَفَتthey inflicted harm بِاللَيلِupon the night إِجحافاruthlessly
بِالأَرضِ أَو أَجحَفَت بِاللَيلِ إِجحافا
Sunken-eyed, when they set out by night, they mutilate
Eyes lose their moisture when they show happiness
the earth, or do ruthless violence to the night.
By fixing on earth or staring harshly at night.
دَوافِعٌpushing onward فيin اِنخِراقِcleaving البَرِّthe wilderness مَوعِدُهاtheir appointed destination
دَوافِعٌ في اِنخِراقِ البَرِّ مَوعِدُها
مَدافِعُwave-beaten shores of البَحرِthe sea مِنat بَيروتَBeirut أَوor يافاJaffa
مَدافِعُ البَحرِ مِن بَيروتَ أَو يافا
Surging onward, cleaving the wilderness, their appointed goal
Incursive when meeting their tryst to penetrate the land―
is the sea's wave-beaten shores at Beirut or Jaffa,
The coastal defenders from Beirut or Jaffa.
حَتّىuntil تَحُلَّthey alight وَقَدand already حَلَّbecame lawful الشَرابُwine لَناfor us
حَتّى تَحُلَّ وَقَد حَلَّ الشَرابُ لَنا
جَنّاتِgardens of عَدنٍEden عَلىbeside الساجورِthe Sajur أَلفافاdensely intertwined
جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ عَلى الساجورِ أَلفافا
until they alight, with wine now lawful for us,
Until, while wine was ready for us, the gardens
in densely tangled gardens of Eden beside the Sajur.
Of Eden disported with goblets.
نَضيفَwe become guests of نازِلَةًan encamped company تَقريthat serves hospitably النَوالَbounty كَماjust as
نَضيفَ نازِلَةً تَقري النَوالَ كَما
كُنّاwe were نُزولاًlodging عَلىwith الطائِيِّal-Ta'i أَضيافاas guests
كُنّا نُزولاً عَلى الطائِيِّ أَضيافا
We would be guests of a company whose hospitality is bounty, as
We host a guest who drinks from the cup as
we once lodged as guests with al-Ta'i.
We were guests hosted by loss.
إِنَّindeed لِقَوميmy people have عَلىabove الأَقوامِthe peoples مَنزِلَةًa rank
إِنَّ لِقَومي عَلى الأَقوامِ مَنزِلَةً
يُعطَونَthey are granted فيهاin it عَلىabove الأَشرافِthe nobles إِشرافاeminence
يُعطَونَ فيها عَلى الأَشرافِ إِشرافا
Indeed, my people hold a rank above other peoples,
My people have precedence over all peoples
in which they are granted precedence over the noble.
Such that nobles are given precedence.
مَنwhoever يَنأَgoes far كِبرٌpride بِهِwith him عَنّاfrom us وَأُبَّهَةٌand pomp
مَن يَنأَ كِبرٌ بِهِ عَنّا وَأُبَّهَةٌ
نَحمَدwe praise أَباAbu جَعفَرٍJa'far قُرباًfor nearness وَإِنصافاand fairness
نَحمَد أَبا جَعفَرٍ قُرباً وَإِنصافا
If pride and pomp keep any man aloof from us,
Whoever disdains us in his pride
we praise Abu Ja'far for his nearness and fairness.
We praise Abu Ja‘far in kinship and fairness.
رَدَّhe repelled الحَوادِثَcalamities مُلقاةًflung أَوائِلُهاtheir beginnings
رَدَّ الحَوادِثَ مُلقاةً أَوائِلُها
عَلىupon أَواخِرِهاtheir ends رَدعاًrestraining وَإيقافاand halting
عَلى أَواخِرِها رَدعاً وَإيقافا
He repelled calamities, their beginnings thrown
He repelled events, throwing back their first
back upon their ends, checked and brought to a halt.
Upon their last, restraining and stopping them.
إِنif تَرمِshoot آلاؤُهُhis favors فيat الدَهرِfate عَنfrom وَتَرٍa bowstring
إِن تَرمِ آلاؤُهُ في الدَهرِ عَن وَتَرٍ
تَكُنbecome لَهاfor them نُوَبُthe vicissitudes of الأَيّامِthe days أَهدافاtargets
تَكُن لَها نُوَبُ الأَيّامِ أَهدافا
If his favors shoot at fate from a bowstring,
If his great deeds miss their mark in time
the vicissitudes of days become their targets.
The days will be their revolving targets.
عَزَّhe subdued العِراقَينِthe two Iraqs حَتّىuntil ظَلَّremained مُختَتِياًhumbled
عَزَّ العِراقَينِ حَتّى ظَلَّ مُختَتِياً
لَهُbefore him العِراقانِthe two Iraqs أَقلاماًin pens وَأَسيافاand swords
لَهُ العِراقانِ أَقلاماً وَأَسيافا
He subdued the two Iraqs, till humbled
He strengthened Iraq until it remained supported
before him were both Iraqs, in pens and swords.
By the two Iraqs, pens, and swords.
كَمhow many مِنof أَبِيِّa defiant man أُناسٍof people فيunder وِلايَتِهِhis rule
كَم مِن أَبِيِّ أُناسٍ في وِلايَتِهِ
قَدindeed ذَلَّgrew meek عارِضَةًin mettle أَوor لانَgrew pliant أَعطافاin his flanks
قَد ذَلَّ عارِضَةً أَو لانَ أَعطافا
How many a defiant man among those he governs
How many fathers of men in his rule
has yielded in spirit or grown pliant in bearing!
Have been abased, or yielded their determination!
ساسَhe governed البِلادَthe lands بِتَدبيرٍwith a policy يُطَبِّقُهاthat encompasses them
ساسَ البِلادَ بِتَدبيرٍ يُطَبِّقُها
أَبَدَّhe provided equally for واسِطَةًthe center مِنهاof them وَأَطرافاand the borders
أَبَدَّ واسِطَةً مِنها وَأَطرافا
He governed the lands with a policy embracing them all,
He governed the lands with management, matching them
providing equally for their center and their borders.
In eternity, differentiation, and extremes.
لَمdid not يَرتَفِعrise عَنabove مُراعاةِcaring for الصَغيرِthe lowly وَلَمand did not
لَم يَرتَفِع عَن مُراعاةِ الصَغيرِ وَلَم
يَنزِلdescend إِلىinto الطَمَعِgreed المَخسوسِdebased إِسفافاabjectly
يَنزِل إِلى الطَمَعِ المَخسوسِ إِسفافا
He was never above caring for the lowly, nor
He did not rise above considering the insignificant
did he sink abjectly into base greed.
Nor descend to covetous, disappointing greed.
باسِطُextending عَدلٍjustice عَلىover الأَعداءِthe enemies لَوif عَصِبواthey attached themselves
باسِطُ عَدلٍ عَلى الأَعداءِ لَو عَصِبوا
بِغَيرِهِto someone else لَتَوَخّىhe would have sought الجورَinjustice أَوor حافاacted unjustly
بِغَيرِهِ لَتَوَخّى الجورَ أَو حافا
He extends justice to foes; had they depended
The just, though enemies are prejudiced
on another, that man would have pursued oppression or been unjust.
Against other than him, avoid tyranny and swerve from it.
لَمdid not يَتَّسِعallow latitude لِلأَدانيto the base فيin أَمانَتِهِhis stewardship
لَم يَتَّسِع لِلأَداني في أَمانَتِهِ
وَقَدand already رَأىhe saw خِلَلاًfriends مِنهُمamong them وَأُلّافاand intimates
وَقَد رَأى خِلَلاً مِنهُم وَأُلّافا
He allowed the base no indulgence in his stewardship,
No treacherous person feels safe with him
though he recognized friends and intimates among them.
Though he knows them to be allies.
تَناذَرَتهُthey warned one another of him أَعاريبُthe Bedouins of السَوادِal-Sawad فَماso no
تَناذَرَتهُ أَعاريبُ السَوادِ فَما
شَتاwintered بِهِin it قاطِنٌa resident مِنهُمamong them وَلاnor صافاsummered
شَتا بِهِ قاطِنٌ مِنهُم وَلا صافا
The Bedouins of al-Sawad warned one another of him, so no
The ruffians of the Steppe threatened him but
resident of theirs wintered there, nor summered.
No settled person there resented him.
وَكُنتُand I used to أَعهَدُknow عَينَAyn التَمرِal-Tamr جامِعَةًgathering
وَكُنتُ أَعهَدُ عَينَ التَمرِ جامِعَةً
مِنَfrom الخَليطَينِthe two allied groups أَزياداًthe Zayds وَأَعوافاand the Awfs
مِنَ الخَليطَينِ أَزياداً وَأَعوافا
I used to know Ayn al-Tamr as a gathering place
I used to notice the berry’s eye collecting
for the two allied groups, the Zayds and the Awfs.
Good and bad sorts.
مامِنnot from هَوىًa whim مِنهُof his باتَspent the night السَيفُthe sword مُلتَهِماًdevouring
مامِن هَوىً مِنهُ باتَ السَيفُ مُلتَهِماً
أَواصِراًbonds of kinship وَشَجَتthat intertwined مِنهُمamong them وَأَحلافاand alliances
أَواصِراً وَشَجَت مِنهُم وَأَحلافا
It was no whim of his that set the sword devouring through the night
No love of his has the sword consuming
their interwoven bonds of kinship and their alliances.
Bonds by night, cleaving leagues.
مُنخَرِقُwide open اليَدِof hand بِالمَعروفِin generosity يَخبِطُhe plunges فيinto
مُنخَرِقُ اليَدِ بِالمَعروفِ يَخبِطُ في
عُرضٍan expanse مِنَof المالِwealth لاnot يَألوهُhe spares it إِتلافاdissipation
عُرضٍ مِنَ المالِ لا يَألوهُ إِتلافا
Open-handed in kindness, he plunges into
Free with wealth, his hand strikes
an expanse of wealth, sparing none from lavish spending.
Atmeans he does not deplete, destroying.
إِذاwhen وَعَدتُI promise التَجافيkeeping away عَنfrom مَواهِبِهِhis gifts
إِذا وَعَدتُ التَجافي عَن مَواهِبِهِ
دافَعتُI procrastinate بِالنُجحِover fulfillment أَوor أَخلَفتُI break my promise إِخلافاoutright
دافَعتُ بِالنُجحِ أَو أَخلَفتُ إِخلافا
When I promise to keep away from his gifts,
When I threaten to abandon his gifts
I delay fulfilling it, or break the promise outright.
I rebut with success or fail to fulfil.
آلَيتُI swore لاnot أَجهَدُto burden الطائِيَّal-Ta'i مُلتَمِساًseeking
آلَيتُ لا أَجهَدُ الطائِيَّ مُلتَمِساً
جَدوىbounty وَلاand not أَسأَلُI ask الطائِيَّal-Ta'i إِلحافاinsistently
جَدوى وَلا أَسأَلُ الطائِيَّ إِلحافا
I have sworn not to burden al-Ta'i while seeking
I determined not to trouble Loss seeking
bounty, nor to ask al-Ta'i insistently.
Usefulness or ask Loss for favour.
بِحَسبِناenough for us مِنهُfrom him ماwhat يَزدادُhe gains مِنin حَسَبٍhonor
بِحَسبِنا مِنهُ ما يَزدادُ مِن حَسَبٍ
وَماand what قَضىhe fulfilled مِنof فُروضِthe obligations of القَومِthe people أَوor كافاhe repaid
وَما قَضى مِن فُروضِ القَومِ أَو كافا
Enough for us from him is his ever-growing honor,
His prestige suffices us, ever increasing,
and the duties to his people he fulfills, or the favors he repays.
And what he performed of his people’s duties, or sufficed.
قَضَيتَyou repaid عَنّيon my behalf اِبنَIbn بِسطامٍBistam صَنيعَتَهُhis kindness
قَضَيتَ عَنّي اِبنَ بِسطامٍ صَنيعَتَهُ
عِنديto me وَضاعَفتَand you multiplied ماwhat أَولاهُhe bestowed it أَضعافاmany times over
عِندي وَضاعَفتَ ما أَولاهُ أَضعافا
You repaid Ibn Bistam on my behalf for his kindness
You spared me the son of Bistam his conduct
to me, multiplying many times what he had bestowed.
With me, multiplying what he first gave manifold,
وَكانَand was مَعروفُهُhis kindness قَصداًmeasured إِلَيَّtoward me وَماand what
وَكانَ مَعروفُهُ قَصداً إِلَيَّ وَما
جازَيتُهُI repaid him عَنهُfor it تَبذيراًprodigally وَإِسرافاand extravagantly
جازَيتُهُ عَنهُ تَبذيراً وَإِسرافا
His kindness to me had been measured, whereas what
And though his kindness was intended for me without
I repaid him for it was prodigal and extravagant.
My rewarding him for it, wasting and squandering.
مِئونَhundreds عَيناًin gold تَوَلَّيتَyou undertook الثَوابَrepayment بِهاfor them
مِئونَ عَيناً تَوَلَّيتَ الثَوابَ بِها
حَتّىuntil اِنثَنَتthey returned لِأَبيto Abu العَبّاسِal-Abbas آلافاas thousands
حَتّى اِنثَنَت لِأَبي العَبّاسِ آلافا
Hundreds in gold, whose repayment you undertook,
A tearful eye whose reward you took upon yourself
till they returned to Abu al-Abbas as thousands.
Until it poured for Abu ’l-‘Abbas thousands,
قَدindeed كانَwould have been يَكفيهِenough for him مِمّاfor what قَدَّمَتhad offered يَدُهُhis hand
قَد كانَ يَكفيهِ مِمّا قَدَّمَت يَدُهُ
رِباًan increase يَزيدُthat adds إِلىto الآحادِthe units أَنصافاhalves
رِباً يَزيدُ إِلى الآحادِ أَنصافا
For what his hand had given, it would have sufficed him
What he had already presented would suffice
to earn a return adding half again to each unit.
To add thousands more to one half.
تِلكَthose المَدائِحُpoems of praise أَحرارُfree الرِقابِof neck بِهاfor them
تِلكَ المَدائِحُ أَحرارُ الرِقابِ بِها
أَرىI see عَلَيهِincumbent on him دُيوناًdebts ليto me وَأَسلافاand loans advanced
أَرى عَلَيهِ دُيوناً لي وَأَسلافا
Those poems of praise are free of bondage; for them
Those eulogies, sung by freed slaves thereby,
I reckon debts and advances owed by him to me.
I see as debts I owe him and my forebears.
فَلاso do not تَزَلcease مُرصِداًpoised لِلخَيرِfor good تَفعَلُهُyou do it
فَلا تَزَل مُرصِداً لِلخَيرِ تَفعَلُهُ
وَثابِتاًand steadfast دونَbefore ماwhat تَخشاهُyou fear it وَقّافاstanding firm
وَثابِتاً دونَ ما تَخشاهُ وَقّافا
So may you always be poised to do good,
So persist performing good works, steadfast
and steadfast before what you fear, standing your ground.
Against what you fear, stopping.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.