قَدindeed كانَused to طَيفُكَyour phantom مَرَّةًonce يُغرىbe drawn بيto me
قَد كانَ طَيفُكَ مَرَّةً يُغرى بي
يَعتادُhabitually visited رَكبيmy caravan طارِقاًas a night visitor وَرِكابيand my mounts
يَعتادُ رَكبي طارِقاً وَرِكابي
Your phantom once used to be drawn to me,
Your phantom once allured me,
Visiting my caravan and my mounts by night.
Accustomed to my night visit and my mounts.
فَالآنَbut now ماnot يَزدارُit visits غَيرَexcept مَغَبَّةٍa visit after an interval
فَالآنَ ما يَزدارُ غَيرَ مَغَبَّةٍ
وَمِنَand among الصُدودِforms of estrangement زِيارَةُvisiting الإِغبابِon alternate days
وَمِنَ الصُدودِ زِيارَةُ الإِغبابِ
But now it visits only at intervals,
But now naught allures save misfortune,
And visits spaced apart are a kind of estrangement.
And from aloofness comes the visit of estrangement.
جِئناwe came نُحَيّيto greet مِنof أُثَيلَةَUthaylah مَنزِلاًa dwelling
جِئنا نُحَيّي مِن أُثَيلَةَ مَنزِلاً
جُدُداًfresh مَعالِمُهُits landmarks بِذيat Dhu الأَنصابِal-Ansab
جُدُداً مَعالِمُهُ بِذي الأَنصابِ
We came to greet a dwelling of Uthaylah,
We came to greet what remains of a ruined abode,
Its landmarks fresh at Dhu al-Ansab.
Its landmarks renewed by the One of steadfastness.
أَدّىconveyed إِلَيَّto me العَهدَthe old bond مِنthrough عِرفانِهِrecognition of it
أَدّى إِلَيَّ العَهدَ مِن عِرفانِهِ
حَتّىuntil لَكادَit almost يَرُدُّreturned رَجعَthe echo جَوابيof my answer
حَتّى لَكادَ يَرُدُّ رَجعَ جَوابي
Recognizing it brought our old bond back to me,
He fulfilled the pact to me from his knowledge,
Till it almost returned the echo of my answer.
Until he almost returned the answer to my yearning.
سَدِكَclung persistently النِساءُthe women بِناto us مَلامَةَwith reproaches عانِسٍof a spinster
سَدِكَ النِساءُ بِنا مَلامَةَ عانِسٍ
نُلحىwe are rebuked عَلىfor غَزَلٍlove-talk وَصَدِّand spurning كَعابِa full-breasted maiden
نُلحى عَلى غَزَلٍ وَصَدِّ كَعابِ
The women dogged us with a spinster's reproaches:
The women blamed us, saying you prohibited us,
We are blamed for love-talk and for spurning a full-breasted maiden.
We persist in spinning though you refuse the spindle.
مازالَkept on صَرفُthe reversals الدَهرِof time يوكِسُdevaluing صَفقَتيmy bargain
مازالَ صَرفُ الدَهرِ يوكِسُ صَفقَتي
حَتّىuntil رَهَنتُI pledged عَلىagainst المَشيبِgray hair شَبابيmy youth
حَتّى رَهَنتُ عَلى المَشيبِ شَبابي
Time's reversals kept devaluing my bargain,
The turns of fate go on cheating me,
Until I pledged my youth against gray hair.
Until I pledged against old age my youth.
أَفَحَظُّwas it then the share نَفسيof my own self ظَلتُI kept أُنقِصُdiminishing أَمor عَلىat the expense of
أَفَحَظُّ نَفسي ظَلتُ أُنقِصُ أَم عَلى
نَفسيmyself غَداتَئِذٍthat morning غَدَوتُI became أُحابيshowing favor
نَفسي غَداتَئِذٍ غَدَوتُ أُحابي
Was I diminishing my own share, or at
Is it my soul’s luck that I diminished it, or have I
My own expense that morning showing favor?
Against my soul, turned my luck into misfortune?
وَعَذَلتَنيand you reproached me أَنbecause أَدرَكَتنيovertook me صَبوَةٌa passion
وَعَذَلتَني أَن أَدرَكَتني صَبوَةٌ
خَلَصَتmade its way إِلىto داوُدَDavid فيin المِحرابِthe prayer chamber
خَلَصَت إِلى داوُدَ في المِحرابِ
And you reproached me for a passion that overtook me,
And you blamed me when puberty overtook me,
One that reached David in the prayer chamber.
Reaching David undefiled in the sanctuary.
وَمُلَوَّمٍand one much reproached فيfor الحُبِّlove قُلتُI said وَأَرسَلَتand sent forth
وَمُلَوَّمٍ في الحُبِّ قُلتُ وَأَرسَلَت
عَيناهُhis two eyes واكِفَstreaming أَدمُعٍtears أَسرابِin torrents
عَيناهُ واكِفَ أَدمُعٍ أَسرابِ
And to one much reproached for love I said, while
Tormented by love, I said as he sent forth
His eyes poured out streaming tears in torrents:
His eyes and abundant tears flowed in streams.
لَوif كُنتَyou were تُؤثِرُgiving precedence to بِالصَبابَةِin ardent longing أَهلَهاits people
لَو كُنتَ تُؤثِرُ بِالصَبابَةِ أَهلَها
لَتَرَكتَyou would have left ماwhat بِكَis in you مِنof جَواكَyour heartache لِماfor what بيis in me
لَتَرَكتَ ما بِكَ مِن جَواكَ لِما بي
If you gave true lovers precedence in longing,
Had you preferred one of tender age for herself,
You would set aside your own anguish for mine.
You would have left me for what defects I have.
مَنwho مُخبِريwill inform me بِابنِabout Ibn المُدَبِّرِal-Mudabbir وَالوَغىand battle
مَن مُخبِري بِابنِ المُدَبِّرِ وَالوَغى
تُزجيdrives along أَواخِرَthe last remnants قَسطَلٍof a dust-cloud مُنجابِdispersing
تُزجي أَواخِرَ قَسطَلٍ مُنجابِ
Who will tell me of Ibn al-Mudabbir, as battle
Who will inform me of the son of the schemer and the tumult?
Drives along the last of a dispersing dust-cloud?
You set out the rear of the army with its banners.
غَضبانُwrathful تُجلىare swept away عَنfrom وَقائِعِthe assaults سَيفِهِof his sword
غَضبانُ تُجلى عَن وَقائِعِ سَيفِهِ
عَكَراتُmassed troops حُمسٍof fierce warriors فيin الحَديدِiron armor غِضابِangry
عَكَراتُ حُمسٍ في الحَديدِ غِضابِ
Wrathful, he scatters with his sword's blows
Wrathful, the facts of his sword are revealed
Massed ranks of fierce warriors, angry and clad in iron.
By the stirring-up in iron of his burning anger.
خِرقٌa resourceful champion تَغَيَّبَwere absent ناصِروهُhis supporters وَأُحضِرَتand were brought in
خِرقٌ تَغَيَّبَ ناصِروهُ وَأُحضِرَت
أَعداؤُهُhis enemies وَاليَومُand the day يَومُa day غِلابِof struggle
أَعداؤُهُ وَاليَومُ يَومُ غِلابِ
A resourceful champion: his supporters were absent, while
A breach whose supporters are absent, and his foes
His enemies were mustered on a day of fierce contest.
Are present, and today is the day of defeat.
آساهُaided him نَصلُthe blade السَيفِof the sword لاصَدرُnot the breast الفَتىof the young man
آساهُ نَصلُ السَيفِ لاصَدرُ الفَتى
حَرِجاًconstricted وَلاnor صَدرُthe point الحُسامِof the keen sword بِنابِblunt
حَرِجاً وَلا صَدرُ الحُسامِ بِنابِ
The sword's blade aided him: the young man's breast was not
The edge of the sword pains not the chest of the brave youth
Constricted, nor was the keen sword's point blunt.
Nor the chest of the swordsman with its point.
لَوif أَنَّهُthat he اِستامَbargained for النَجاةَescape لِنَفسِهِfor himself
لَو أَنَّهُ اِستامَ النَجاةَ لِنَفسِهِ
وَجَدَhe would find النَجاةَescape رَخيصَةَinexpensive الأَسبابِthe means
وَجَدَ النَجاةَ رَخيصَةَ الأَسبابِ
Had he bargained for his own escape,
If only he had sought safety for himself,
He would have found the means of escape inexpensive.
He would have found safety easy to obtain.
لَوif أَسعَدَتهُaided him خَيلُهُhis horsemen لَتَتابَعَتwould have followed in succession
لَو أَسعَدَتهُ خَيلُهُ لَتَتابَعَت
آلافُthousands قَتلىof slain men بَذَّةُtattered الأَسلابِbattle-gear taken as spoil
آلافُ قَتلى بَذَّةُ الأَسلابِ
Had his horsemen aided him, there would have followed
If only his horses had brought him success,
Thousands of slain men in tattered battle-gear.
Thousands slain would lie there, stripped of their weapons.
إِنَّindeed المُشَيِّعَthe dauntless man لاdoes not يُبيرُdestroy عَدُوَّهُhis enemy
إِنَّ المُشَيِّعَ لا يُبيرُ عَدُوَّهُ
حَتّىuntil يَكونَhe is مُشَيَّعَdauntless الأَصحابِin his companions
حَتّى يَكونَ مُشَيَّعَ الأَصحابِ
Indeed, the dauntless man cannot destroy his foe
Verily, the mourner cannot defeat his foe
Until his companions, too, are dauntless.
Until he himself is mourned by his comrades.
نَصَبَتexposed جَبينَكَyour brow لِلسُيوفِto the swords حَفيظَةٌa fierce sense of honor
نَصَبَت جَبينَكَ لِلسُيوفِ حَفيظَةٌ
جَرَّتdrew عَلَيكَupon you نَفاسَةَthe envy الهُرّابِof those who fled
جَرَّت عَلَيكَ نَفاسَةَ الهُرّابِ
A fierce sense of honor set your brow before the swords;
Your brow was set against the swords, watchfully,
It drew upon you the envy of those who fled.
Drawing upon you the nobility of warriors.
وَأَبَيتَand you refused إِعطاءَyielding الدَنِيَّةِhumiliation دونَهُمunlike them
وَأَبَيتَ إِعطاءَ الدَنِيَّةِ دونَهُم
إِنَّindeed الأَبِيَّthe proud, unyielding man لِأَنto being يُعَيَّرَtaunted آبِaverse
إِنَّ الأَبِيَّ لِأَن يُعَيَّرَ آبِ
And you refused to yield to dishonor, unlike them;
And you refused to give the lowly ones before them,
The proud man is unwilling to be shamed.
Truly the high-minded disdains to be censured.
وَمُبينَةٍand a conspicuous wound شَهَرَmade plain المُنازِلُthe opponent وَسمَهاits mark
وَمُبينَةٍ شَهَرَ المُنازِلُ وَسمَها
وَالخَيلُwhile the horses تَكبوstumbled فيin العَجاجِthe dust-cloud الكابيbillowing
وَالخَيلُ تَكبو في العَجاجِ الكابي
And a conspicuous wound whose mark your opponent made plain,
And the stages of encampment were conspicuous, which he named,
While horses stumbled in the billowing dust,
While the steeds stomped in the dusty barren land.
كانَتwas بِوَجهِكَon your face دونَrather than عِرضِكَyour honor إِذsince رَأَواthey saw
كانَت بِوَجهِكَ دونَ عِرضِكَ إِذ رَأَوا
أَنَّthat الوُجوهَfaces تُصانُare guarded بِالأَحسابِby noble standing
أَنَّ الوُجوهَ تُصانُ بِالأَحسابِ
Was on your face, not your honor, for they knew
It was by your face, not your honor, when they saw
That faces are guarded by noble standing.
That faces are preserved by reputations.
وَلَئِنand even if أُسِرتَyou were captured فَماthen not الإِسارُcaptivity عَلىfor اِمرِئٍa man
وَلَئِن أُسِرتَ فَما الإِسارُ عَلى اِمرِئٍ
نَصَرَfavored الإِسارَcaptivity عَلىover الفَرارِflight بِعابِa disgrace
نَصَرَ الإِسارَ عَلى الفَرارِ بِعابِ
And though you were captured, captivity, for a man
And even if you are captured, what capture is there of a man
Who chose captivity over flight, is no disgrace.
Who aided capture over fleeing with shame?
لَوif كانَit were غَيرُكَsomeone other than you كانَhe would be مُنخَزِلَdrained of القُوىstrength
لَو كانَ غَيرُكَ كانَ مُنخَزِلَ القُوى
عَمّاby what مَضىbefell بِكَyou ضَيِّقَconstricted in التِلبابِthe breast
عَمّا مَضى بِكَ ضَيِّقَ التِلبابِ
Had it been another, his strength would have given way
If other than you, he would be one who diminishes strength
At what befell you, his breast tight with distress.
From what has passed with you in straits of trial.
نامَslept المُضَلَّلُthe deluded man عَنunaware of سُراكَyour night journey وَلَمand did not يَخَفfear
نامَ المُضَلَّلُ عَن سُراكَ وَلَم يَخَف
سِنَةَthe drowsiness الرَقيبِof the watchman وَنَشوَةَand the intoxication البَوّابِof the gatekeeper
سِنَةَ الرَقيبِ وَنَشوَةَ البَوّابِ
The deluded man slept through your night journey, not fearing
The deceived one slept from guarding you and did not fear
The watchman's drowsiness or the gatekeeper's drunkenness.
The wakefulness of the guard and the rigor of gatekeepers;
وَرَأىand he thought بِأَنَّthat البابَthe gate مَذهَبُكَyour route الَّذيwhich
وَرَأى بِأَنَّ البابَ مَذهَبُكَ الَّذي
يُخشىwas feared وَهَمُّكَbut your purpose كانَwas غَيرَother than البابِthe gate
يُخشى وَهَمُّكَ كانَ غَيرَ البابِ
And he thought the gate was your way out, the one
And he saw that the gate was your intended way
To be feared; but your purpose lay away from the gate.
Which is feared while your fancy was other than the gate.
فَرَكَبتَهاso you braved it هَولاًa terror مَتىwhenever تُخبِرyou tell بِهاof it
فَرَكَبتَها هَولاً مَتى تُخبِر بِها
يَقُلِwill say الجَبانُthe coward أَتَيتَyou did غَيرَother than صَوابِwhat was right
يَقُلِ الجَبانُ أَتَيتَ غَيرَ صَوابِ
So you braved that terror; whenever you recount it,
So you climbed it fearfully, when will you inform
The coward says, 'What you did was unwise.'
The coward, you came not wisely?
ماnothing راعَهُمstartled them إِلّاexcept اِمتِراقُكَyour darting out مُصلِتاًwith sword drawn
ما راعَهُم إِلّا اِمتِراقُكَ مُصلِتاً
مِنfrom مِثلِsomething like بُردِthe cloak الأَرقَمِof the speckled serpent المُنسابِgliding
مِن مِثلِ بُردِ الأَرقَمِ المُنسابِ
Nothing startled them but your darting out, sword drawn,
They were not on guard save for your penetration,
From what resembled the cloak of a gliding speckled serpent.
Like the piercing cold of a pouring flood.
تَحميyou protect أُغَيلِمَةًlittle boys وَطائِشَةَand a woman unsteady in الخُطىher steps
تَحمي أُغَيلِمَةً وَطائِشَةَ الخُطى
تَصِلُkeeps up التَلَفُّتَlooking back خَشيَةَfor fear of الطُلّابِthe pursuers
تَصِلُ التَلَفُّتَ خَشيَةَ الطُلّابِ
You shielded little boys and a woman with faltering steps,
Defending a timid, wild-stepping she-camel,
Who kept looking back in fear of the pursuers.
Joining glances fearing the searchers;
تَرتاعُshe is terrified مِنfrom وَهَلٍdread وَتَأنَسُand takes comfort أَنto تَرىsee
تَرتاعُ مِن وَهَلٍ وَتَأنَسُ أَن تَرى
قَمَراًa moon يَنوءُbearing the weight بِباتِكٍof a severing sword قَضّابِkeenly cutting
قَمَراً يَنوءُ بِباتِكٍ قَضّابِ
She trembled with dread, yet took comfort in seeing
She startles at desolation but is comforted to see
A moon bearing a sharp, cleaving sword.
A moon bending with a swaying howdah.
شَهِدَتهُshe witnessed him يَومَon the day الهِندُوانَof al-Hinduwan وَلَمand would not تَكُنbe
شَهِدَتهُ يَومَ الهِندُوانَ وَلَم تَكُن
لِتَبيعَهُto trade it بِاليَومِfor the day فيat دولابِDulab
لِتَبيعَهُ بِاليَومِ في دولابِ
She witnessed him on the day of al-Hinduwan, and would not
It witnessed him the day of India and was not
Exchange that day for the day at Dulab.
To sell him today in the cycles of time.
وَرَأَتand she saw جِلادَthe swordplay مُحَبَّبٍof a beloved man لَمnot تُخزِهِdisgrace him
وَرَأَت جِلادَ مُحَبَّبٍ لَم تُخزِهِ
يَوماًever مَواقِفُهُhis stands لَدىbefore الأَحبابِhis loved ones
يَوماً مَواقِفُهُ لَدى الأَحبابِ
And she saw the swordplay of a beloved man, never shamed
And it saw the executioner of a beloved who was never
By his stands before those he loved.
Shamed by him in days of companionship.
قَدalready كانَwas يَومُa day نَدىof generosity بِطَولِكَthrough your bounty راهِنٌassured
قَد كانَ يَومُ نَدى بِطَولِكَ راهِنٌ
حَتّىuntil أَضَفتَyou added إِلَيهِto it يَومَa day ضِرابِof sword-fighting
حَتّى أَضَفتَ إِلَيهِ يَومَ ضِرابِ
A day of giving was already assured by your bounty,
The day of dew was guaranteed by your valor
Until you added to it a day of swordplay.
Until you added to it the day of striking.
ذِكرٌrenown مِنَfor البَأسِvalor اِستَعَرتَyou borrowed إِلىin addition to الَّذيwhat
ذِكرٌ مِنَ البَأسِ اِستَعَرتَ إِلى الَّذي
أُعطيتَyou were granted فيin الأَخلاقِcharacter وَالآدابِand refinement
أُعطيتَ في الأَخلاقِ وَالآدابِ
Renown for valor you borrowed to add to what
A mention of might you borrowed for the one
You were granted in character and refinement.
To whom you were given in morals and manners.
وَجَديدُand new شُغلٍwork لِلقَوافِيَfor the rhymes زائِدٌadding
وَجَديدُ شُغلٍ لِلقَوافِيَ زائِدٌ
فيماto what اِبتَغَيتَyou sought لَهاfor them مِنَof الإِسهابِexpansiveness
فيما اِبتَغَيتَ لَها مِنَ الإِسهابِ
And fresh work for the rhymes, adding
And new material for poems additionally
To the expansiveness you sought for them.
In what you have sought of elaboration.
وَفَريضَةٌand a duty أَنتَyou اِستَنَنتَinstituted بَديئَهاits beginning
وَفَريضَةٌ أَنتَ اِستَنَنتَ بَديئَها
لَولاكَbut for you ماكُتِبَتit would not have been prescribed عَلىfor الكُتّابِthe scribes
لَولاكَ ماكُتِبَت عَلى الكُتّابِ
And a duty whose beginnings you instituted:
And a duty you delicately began,
But for you, it would never have been prescribed for scribes.
Without you it would not be written by the scribes.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.