ماجَوُّnot the valley خَبتٍof Khabt وَإِنeven though نَأَتwent far away ظُعُنُهits departing caravans
ماجَوُّ خَبتٍ وَإِن نَأَت ظُعُنُه
تارِكُناleaving us أَوunless تَشوقُناstir our longing دِمَنُهits campsite ruins
تارِكُنا أَو تَشوقُنا دِمَنُه
The valley of Khabt, though its caravans have gone far,
The ardour of love, though its firebrands are quenched,
will not leave us without its campsite ruins stirring our longing.
If we abandon it or yearn for it,
يَعودُreturns لِلصَبِّto the lover بَرحُthe torment لَوعَتِهِof his burning yearning
يَعودُ لِلصَبِّ بَرحُ لَوعَتِهِ
إِنif عاوَدَrevisited الصَبَّthe lover فيamid دَدٍdiversion دَدَنُهhis dalliance
إِن عاوَدَ الصَبَّ في دَدٍ دَدَنُه
The torment of burning yearning returns to the lover
Returns in passion to rend its vitals,
if his dalliance revisits him amid diversion.
If it rends passion in constant rending.
إِذاwhenever إِستَجَدَّتtook anew داراًa dwelling تَعَلَّقَهاhe grew attached to it
إِذا إِستَجَدَّت داراً تَعَلَّقَها
بِالإِلفِthrough familiarity حَتّىuntil كَأَنّهاas though it were وَطَنُهhis homeland
بِالإِلفِ حَتّى كَأَنّها وَطَنُه
Whenever a new dwelling is taken, he grows attached to it
When it settles in an abode, clinging
through familiarity, until it seems his homeland.
To intimacy, till it seems its own country,
تَاللَهِby God ماnot إِنat all يَنيceases يُدَلِّهُناbewilders us
تَاللَهِ ما إِن يَني يُدَلِّهُنا
سُرورُthe joy هَذاof this الغَرامِpassion أَوor حَزَنُهits sorrow
سُرورُ هَذا الغَرامِ أَو حَزَنُه
By God, it never ceases to bewilder us—
By God, neither its joy nor its sorrow
the joy of this passion or its sorrow.
Consoles us for this love-sick enslavement.
مَتىwhenever عَدِمتَyou lacked الجَوىburning lovesickness أَعارَكَهُlends it to you
مَتى عَدِمتَ الجَوى أَعارَكَهُ
مُعيدُone who renews لَحظِthe gaze مَكروةٍof Makruwah فِتَنُهhis charms
مُعيدُ لَحظِ مَكروةٍ فِتَنُه
Whenever you lack burning lovesickness, it is lent to you
When love is lost, your glance restores
by the charms of one who renews Makruwah's gaze.
The image of the beloved to unsettle you.
يَفَتَتُّtears apart فيهِbecause of him الهَوىlove إِذاwhen ثَقُلَتgrew heavy
يَفَتَتُّ فيهِ الهَوى إِذا ثَقُلَت
مَأكِمَتاهُhis two buttocks وَخَفَّand grew slight مُحتَضَنُهhis waist
مَأكِمَتاهُ وَخَفَّ مُحتَضَنُه
Love tears one apart over him, when
In it desire melts away, if the loved one's
his two buttocks are heavy and his waist slender.
Embrace grows heavy and her bosom's shelter fails.
أَبقِspare عَلىprotectively القَلبِthe heart مِنfrom تَتَيُّمِهِits lovesick bondage
أَبقِ عَلى القَلبِ مِن تَتَيُّمِهِ
وَأَيُّand which مُستَغلِقيهِof its captors يَرتَهِنُهholds it in pledge
وَأَيُّ مُستَغلِقيهِ يَرتَهِنُه
Spare the heart its bondage to love;
Leave in the heart some token of its orphanhood,
and which of its captors will hold it in pledge?
Though every close-shuttered one denies it lodging.
وَرُبَّand many a صابيyearning نَفسٍsoul إِلىtoward سَكَنٍa beloved
وَرُبَّ صابي نَفسٍ إِلى سَكَنٍ
يَسومُdemands إِتواءَthe destruction نَفسِهِof his soul سَكَنُهhis beloved
يَسومُ إِتواءَ نَفسِهِ سَكَنُه
Many a man whose soul yearns toward a beloved—
How often a wearied spirit peaceful rest
his beloved demands his soul's destruction.
Renounces, choosing to endure its own unrest.
يَغتَرُّis deceived بِالدَهرِby Time ذوone with الإِضاعَةِheedlessness وَالand the
يَغتَرُّ بِالدَهرِ ذو الإِضاعَةِ وَال
دَهرُTime عَدُوٌّan enemy مَطلولَةٌunavenged إِحَنُهits grudges
دَهرُ عَدُوٌّ مَطلولَةٌ إِحَنُه
The heedless man is deceived by Time, and
The wretch is duped by fortune though
Time is an enemy whose malice goes unpunished.
Fortune's a foe, perfidious her intimacy.
فيin زَمَنٍan age رَنَّقَتgrew murky حَوادِثُهُits events
في زَمَنٍ رَنَّقَت حَوادِثُهُ
أَشبَهُmost resembling شَيءٍa thing بِحادِثٍa calamity زَمَنُهits time
أَشبَهُ شَيءٍ بِحادِثٍ زَمَنُه
In an age whose events have grown murky,
In a time when its calamities cause necks to crack,
the age itself most resembles a calamity.
A thing most like it is its time.
رَضيتُI was content مِنwith سَيِّءِthe evil الزَمانِof Time بِأَنthat
رَضيتُ مِن سَيِّءِ الزَمانِ بِأَن
يَعشُرُهُamounts to one-tenth of it غَيرَnot زائِدٍexceeding حَسَنُهits good
يَعشُرُهُ غَيرَ زائِدٍ حَسَنُه
I am content with the evil of Time if
Of evil times I consent to accept
its good amounts to one-tenth of that evil, no more.
Only the lesser part of their goodness.
يُحبىis granted الأَتاويtributes مِنfrom شُكرِناour thanks مَلِكٌa king
يُحبى الأَتاوي مِن شُكرِنا مَلِكٌ
مَعقودَةٌbound فيabout رِقابِناour necks مِنَنُهhis favors
مَعقودَةٌ في رِقابِنا مِنَنُه
A king receives the tribute of our thanks,
Gifts are bestowed on governors from our gratitude,
his favors bound about our necks.
A monarch whose favors encircle our necks.
تَصنَعُcreates صَنعاؤُهُhis Sana'a لَهُfor him شَرَفاًglory
تَصنَعُ صَنعاؤُهُ لَهُ شَرَفاً
لَمnot تَتَأَخَّرlagged behind عَنin مِثلِهِits like عَدَنُهhis Aden
لَم تَتَأَخَّر عَن مِثلِهِ عَدَنُه
His Sana'a creates glory for him;
His workmen fashion for him a nobility
his Aden has not lagged behind in matching it.
The like of which Adan's once glorious dwellings never matched.
عَلَتrose يَدٌa hand لِلعَلاءِtoward glory مُفضِلَةٌbountiful
عَلَت يَدٌ لِلعَلاءِ مُفضِلَةٌ
كَماjust as تَعَلّىrose aloft مِنfrom عارِضٍa cloudbank مُزُنُهits rainclouds
كَما تَعَلّى مِن عارِضٍ مُزُنُه
A bountiful hand has risen toward glory,
A hand is raised up high for eminence
as a cloudbank's rainclouds rise aloft.
As loftily raised as the bough of a waving pine.
إِنif هَزَّهُstirred him المادِحونَthe praise-poets سامَحَهُمhe gave them freely
إِن هَزَّهُ المادِحونَ سامَحَهُم
فَرعٌa shoot مِنَof النَبعِthe nabʿ tree طَيّعٌpliant فَنَنُهits bough
فَرعٌ مِنَ النَبعِ طَيّعٌ فَنَنُه
If praise-poets stir him, he gives freely to them—
If panegyrists shake it, it freely pardons them,
a shoot of the nabʿ tree, with a pliant bough.
A rivulet from the spring, compliant its branches.
تَكرُمُgain honor أَذواؤُهُhis Dhu-lords إِذاwhen جَعَلَتbegan
تَكرُمُ أَذواؤُهُ إِذا جَعَلَت
تَحظُرُهاreserves them قُصرَةًexclusively لَهُfor him يَمَنُهhis Yemen
تَحظُرُها قُصرَةً لَهُ يَمَنُه
His Dhu-lords gain honor when
Its injuries, when you appoint them,
his Yemen reserves them for him alone.
Are confined by a barrier kept from its right hand.
وِزارَتاهُhis two vizierates فيماin what نُشاهِدُwe witness أَوor
وِزارَتاهُ فيما نُشاهِدُ أَو
نُواسُهُhis Nuwas فيin القَديمِancient times أَوor يَزَنُهhis Yazan
نُواسُهُ في القَديمِ أَو يَزَنُه
His two vizierates, as we witness them, or
Whether we regard his present deputies
his Nuwas of old, or his Yazan.
Or judge by those of old, his good judgment,
ساقَguided أُمورَthe affairs السُلطانِof the sovereign يُسلِكُهاleading them
ساقَ أُمورَ السُلطانِ يُسلِكُها
نَهجاًalong a path مِنَof الرُشدِsound judgment واضِحاًclear سَنَنُهits course
نَهجاً مِنَ الرُشدِ واضِحاً سَنَنُه
He guides the sovereign's affairs, leading them
Who managed the Sultan's affairs, guiding them
along a path of sound judgment whose course is clear.
In the path of probity, clear his precedents.
يَغبىfail to understand رِجالٌmen عَنهاthem وَقَدand already ضُرِبَتwere arrayed
يَغبى رِجالٌ عَنها وَقَد ضُرِبَت
مُحيطَةًencircling مِنfrom وَرائِهاbehind them فِطَنُهhis keen perceptions
مُحيطَةً مِن وَرائِها فِطَنُه
Men fail to grasp them, though already arrayed
Some men are oblivious of them, yet there is struck around them
all around them from behind are his keen perceptions.
A circle of intelligence, behind them his insight.
إِنif شَذَّescaped عَنfrom عَينَيهِhis two eyes مُغَيَّبُهاtheir hidden side
إِن شَذَّ عَن عَينَيهِ مُغَيَّبُها
كانَتwas وَفاءًfull compensation مِنfor عَينِهِhis eye أُذُنُهhis ear
كانَت وَفاءً مِن عَينِهِ أُذُنُه
If their hidden side escapes his eyes,
If, concealed from his eyes, they are absent from him,
his ear fully compensates for his eye.
His hearing attentive to him is their fidelity.
إِنif خاتَلَتهُtry to deceive him الرِجالُmen فيunder خَمرٍcover
إِن خاتَلَتهُ الرِجالُ في خَمرٍ
فَسِرُّهُthen his inner self المُستَشارُthe one consulted لاnot عَلَنُهhis outward self
فَسِرُّهُ المُستَشارُ لا عَلَنُه
If men try to deceive him under cover,
If the great ensnare him over wine,
his inner self is consulted, not his outward show.
His intimate counsellor is his secret, not his declaration.
وَالسَيفُand the sword فيin نَصلِهِits blade خُشونَتُهُits harshness
وَالسَيفُ في نَصلِهِ خُشونَتُهُ
لَيسَis not الَّتيthat which يَستَعيرُهاborrows it سَفَنُهits shagreen covering
لَيسَ الَّتي يَستَعيرُها سَفَنُه
A sword's harshness lies in its blade,
The sword in its scabbard retains its sharpness;
not the borrowed roughness of its shagreen covering.
It does not borrow what arms his ships.
نَذُمُّwe blame عَجزَthe inability العُقولِof minds عَنto grasp خَطَرٍa greatness
نَذُمُّ عَجزَ العُقولِ عَن خَطَرٍ
نَكيلُهُwe measure it بِالعُقولِwith minds أَوor نَزِنُهwe weigh it
نَكيلُهُ بِالعُقولِ أَو نَزِنُه
We blame minds for failing to grasp a greatness
We blame the impotence of minds to gauge a grave concern,
which we measure with minds, or weigh.
Weighing it with minds or evaluating its consequence.
يَشرَهُcraves greedily حِرصاًwith eagerness حَتّىuntil يَثوبَaccrues لَهُto him
يَشرَهُ حِرصاً حَتّى يَثوبَ لَهُ
ذُخرٌa treasure مِنَof المُعلَياتِennobling deeds يَختَزِنُهhe stores it
ذُخرٌ مِنَ المُعلَياتِ يَختَزِنُه
He hungers with eager zeal until he gains
He craves it avidly until stores from the heights amass,
a treasure of ennobling deeds to store away.
Hoarded riches he treasures and garners.
لاnot يَتَأَنّىdallies with العَدُوَّthe enemy يُمهِلُهُgrants him respite
لا يَتَأَنّى العَدُوَّ يُمهِلُهُ
وَلاand does not يُباديopenly confront الصَديقَthe friend يَمتَهِنُهhumiliates him
وَلا يُبادي الصَديقَ يَمتَهِنُه
He does not dally with a foe, granting him respite,
No enemy does he indulge with delays;
nor confront a friend to humiliate him.
No friend does he drive away by suspicion.
أُذكُرrecall هَداكَmay He guide you الإِلَهُGod أَغثَرَa grimy fool لاnot
أُذكُر هَداكَ الإِلَهُ أَغثَرَ لا
يُغسَلُis washed away بِالبَحرِby the sea طامِياًswelling دَرَنُهhis grime
يُغسَلُ بِالبَحرِ طامِياً دَرَنُه
Recall—may God guide you—a filthy oaf whose
I remember, O God, that guidance which cannot
grime cannot be washed away by the swelling sea.
Be washed away though plunged in a swollen sea.
إِبنَson وَضيعٍof a baseborn man مِنَamong اليَهودِthe Jews إِذاwhen إِسbeginning of 'asked to speak'
إِبنَ وَضيعٍ مِنَ اليَهودِ إِذا إِس
تُنطِقَcompletion of 'asked to speak' لَمnot يَرتَفِعrose بِهِwith him لَسَنُهhis eloquence
تُنطِقَ لَم يَرتَفِع بِهِ لَسَنُه
the son of a baseborn Jew, who, when asked
A son of some wretched Jew, when allowed to speak,
to speak, gains no stature through his eloquence.
Nothing of worth comes from his tongue.
تَرَبَّبَتهُreared him قُرىthe villages السَوادِof the Sawad وَلَمand not
تَرَبَّبَتهُ قُرى السَوادِ وَلَم
تُبنَwere built عَلىupon أُمَّهاتِهِhis mothers مُدُنُهits cities
تُبنَ عَلى أُمَّهاتِهِ مُدُنُه
The villages of the Sawad reared him, and
He was nurtured in the villages of the Sa'd; no cities arose
its cities were not built upon his mothers.
On their mother-sites or were founded by his hands.
أَلكَنُtongue-tied مِنfrom عُجمَةِthe foreign speech البِلادِof the land إِذاwhen
أَلكَنُ مِن عُجمَةِ البِلادِ إِذا
أَرادَmeant مِنهُminhu ('from him') يُقالُto be said قالَhe said مِنهminh ('from him')
أَرادَ مِنهُ يُقالُ قالَ مِنه
His tongue falters from the land's foreign speech: when
Secluded in the boorishness of provinces, if
he means to say 'minhu,' he says 'minh.'
Speech is wanted from him, only babbled nonsense emerges.
لَمnot يَضرِبِcontributed ancestry الهَرمُزانُal-Hurmuzan فيهِto him وَلاnor
لَم يَضرِبِ الهَرمُزانُ فيهِ وَلا
مارَمَّةٌMarammah خالُهُhis maternal uncle وَلاnor خَتَنُهhis in-law
مارَمَّةٌ خالُهُ وَلا خَتَنُه
Al-Hurmuzan contributed nothing to his lineage; nor
Neither Maramma his uncle's clan nor the Harmuzan struck roots in him
is Marammah his maternal uncle or his in-law.
Or Khattab his paternal uncle or Circumcision.
أَدّىbrought إِلَيناto us خِنزيرَa pig مَزبَلَةٍof a dungheap
أَدّى إِلَينا خِنزيرَ مَزبَلَةٍ
فاحِشَةًoutrageous إِنif عَدَدتُهاI counted them أُبَنُهhis vices
فاحِشَةً إِن عَدَدتُها أُبَنُه
They have brought us a pig from a dungheap—
He conveyed to us a repulsive pig from the garbage heap;
his vices, outrageous if I were to count them.
It would shame his idols if I recounted its abominations.
إِذاwhen اِلتَقىmet وَالشُروطُand the contracts أَقبَلَturned قُبbeginning of 'toward'
إِذا اِلتَقى وَالشُروطُ أَقبَلَ قُب
لَcompletion of 'toward' الأَرضِthe earth حَتّىuntil يُصيبُهاtouches it ذَقَنُهhis chin
لَ الأَرضِ حَتّى يُصيبُها ذَقَنُه
When he and the contracts meet, he turns toward
When the rules of decency prevailed, he proceeded
the ground, till his chin touches it.
Prone to the ground until his beard swept the soil.
أُنظُرlook إِلىat الأَصهَبِthe red-haired one العَنَطنَطِthe lanky one مِنamong
أُنظُر إِلى الأَصهَبِ العَنَطنَطِ مِن
مُعَلِّليهِhis comforters فَعِندَهُso with him شَجَنُهhis sorrow
مُعَلِّليهِ فَعِندَهُ شَجَنُه
Look at the red-haired, lanky one among
I look to that misshaped, humpbacked invalid
his comforters: with him lies his sorrow.
Among his supporters, and in him find my lament.
أَفرَطَbecame excessive إِدلالُهُhis presumption وَطالَand grew prolonged عَلىdespite
أَفرَطَ إِدلالُهُ وَطالَ عَلى
سُخطِكَyour anger مِنfrom أَفنِthe feebleness رايِهِof his judgment وَسَنُهhis drowsiness
سُخطِكَ مِن أَفنِ رايِهِ وَسَنُه
His presumption is excessive, and prolonged, despite
His coddling went too far, and against your wrath
your anger, is his stupor, born of feeble judgment.
His banner's blazon and his age overreached.
وَكَمand many a جَريءٍbold man عَلىin عِنادِكَdefying you قَدhas
وَكَم جَريءٍ عَلى عِنادِكَ قَد
عادَturned into هُزالاًemaciation فيupon مَتنِهِhis back سِمَنُهhis fatness
عادَ هُزالاً في مَتنِهِ سِمَنُه
And many a man bold in defying you has
How oft the arrogant provoked your enmity
seen the fat upon his back turn to emaciation.
Then wasted away in their saddles, their fat melting!
وَغدٌa wretch يَعُدُّreckons الإِفضالَbounty يُمنَحَهُgranted to him
وَغدٌ يَعُدُّ الإِفضالَ يُمنَحَهُ
حِقداًa grudge عَلىagainst المُفضِلينَthe benefactors يَضطَغِنُهhe harbors it
حِقداً عَلى المُفضِلينَ يَضطَغِنُه
A wretch who reckons the bounty granted him
Tomorrow he counts favors bestowed and is vexed by them,
a grudge against his benefactors, which he nurses.
He seethes with spite against the generous.
لَمnot يَعبَrendered in full لِلنِعمَةِfor the favor الجَزاءَrecompense لَمnot
لَم يَعبَ لِلنِعمَةِ الجَزاءَ لَم
يَقدُرappraised جَليلَgreat المَعروفِkindness ماwhat ثَمَنُهits worth
يَقدُر جَليلَ المَعروفِ ما ثَمَنُه
He has not rendered full recompense for favor, nor
He who shows no gratitude for a boon
judged what great kindness is worth.
Cannot value glorious favors or know their price.
يَسرِقُكَrobs you of الشُكرَthanks ثُمَّthen أَنتَyou عَلىover
يَسرِقُكَ الشُكرَ ثُمَّ أَنتَ عَلى
سَيحِthe running waters دُجَيلٍof Dujayl وَالسوسِand al-Sus تَأتَمِنُهyou entrust him
سَيحِ دُجَيلٍ وَالسوسِ تَأتَمِنُه
He robs you of thanks, yet you entrust him with
He steals away your thanks, while you trust that long-tailed
the running waters of Dujayl and al-Sus.
Vile one, the mouse, and rely on him.
وَلَمand did not أَجِدI find قَبلَهُbefore him قَصيرَshort يَدٍof hand
وَلَم أَجِد قَبلَهُ قَصيرَ يَدٍ
فازَwon بِمالِthe wealth of الأَهوازِal-Ahwaz يَحتَجِنُهhe hoards it
فازَ بِمالِ الأَهوازِ يَحتَجِنُه
Never before him have I found a tightfisted man
Before him I found no one so deficient in merit
who won the wealth of al-Ahwaz and hoarded it.
Who gained possession of Ahvaz' wealth and clutched it.
ماno رابَaroused doubt رَأيٌopinion إِلّاexcept that جَعَلتُكَI made you ميزاbeginning of 'a balance'
ما رابَ رَأيٌ إِلّا جَعَلتُكَ ميزا
ناًcompletion of 'a balance' عَلَيهِover it فيin الحَزمِsound judgment أَمتَحِنُهI test it
ناً عَلَيهِ في الحَزمِ أَمتَحِنُه
No opinion aroused doubt but I made you a balance
No opinion differs but I have made you the measure,
by which I test it for sound judgment.
Testing it against your wisdom and discretion.
وَماand not إِختِياريmy choosing جاراًa protector سِواكَother than you سِوىanything but الthe
وَما إِختِياري جاراً سِواكَ سِوى ال
عَجزِhelplessness أَجَنَّتhave concealed رَوِيَّتيmy deliberation جُنَنُهits coverings
عَجزِ أَجَنَّت رَوِيَّتي جُنَنُه
And my choice of a protector other than you is nothing but
None but you is my choice of an intimate, apart from
helplessness, whose coverings have hidden my deliberation.
Incapacity whose madness my reason has harvested.
إِنَّindeed المُوَلّىthe departing one عَنكُمfrom you وَمُهجَتُهُand his lifeblood
إِنَّ المُوَلّى عَنكُم وَمُهجَتُهُ
فيكُمwith you لَعانٍsurely a captive وَثيقَةٌsecure رُهُنُهhis pledges
فيكُم لَعانٍ وَثيقَةٌ رُهُنُه
He who goes away from you, while his lifeblood
The Master is bound to you, his spirit
remains with you, is surely a captive, his pledges firmly held.
Among you an indissoluble pledge and hostage.
لَهُhe has إِلَيكُمtoward you نَفسٌa soul مُشَرِّقَةٌheading eastward
لَهُ إِلَيكُم نَفسٌ مُشَرِّقَةٌ
إِنif راحَdeparted عَنكُمfrom you مُغَرِّباًheading westward بَدَنُهhis body
إِن راحَ عَنكُم مُغَرِّباً بَدَنُه
His soul journeys eastward toward you,
To you his soul inclines,
even if his body leaves you journeying west.
Though his body departs estranged.
وَالبُعدُand distance إِنif تاجَرَtrades المَشوقُthe yearning lover بِهِin it
وَالبُعدُ إِن تاجَرَ المَشوقُ بِهِ
قَيضٌa substitute مِنَfor القُربِnearness بَيِّنٌclear غَبَنُهits loss in the bargain
قَيضٌ مِنَ القُربِ بَيِّنٌ غَبَنُه
And distance, if a yearning lover trades in it,
If longing travels its distance,
is a substitute for nearness at an evident loss.
Lucrative the bargain, its profit manifest.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.