أَذنear النَّدَىgenerosity عنto نِدَاءِthe call of الشّعرpoetry صَمّاءُdeaf
أَذن النَّدَى عن نِدَاءِ الشّعر صَمّاءُ
فَليسَso does not يُجْديكbenefit you إنشادُrecitation وإنشاءُand composition
فَليسَ يُجْديك إنشادُ وإنشاءُ
The ear of generosity is deaf to poetry's call.
The dew refused to listen to poetry's call, deafened
So reciting and composing bring you no benefit.
So neither reciting nor composing will avail you
ياO قالَةَspeakers of الشَّعرpoetry مَهْلاًgently لاno أَباًfather لكمُfor you all
يا قالَةَ الشَّعر مَهْلاً لا أَباً لكمُ
رويدَكمْtake your time مَاno لِزَندِfor the fire-stick of المدْحِpraise إيراءُkindling
رويدَكمْ مَا لِزَندِ المدْحِ إيراءُ
O speakers of poetry, gently now—may you have no father!
O poetry reciters, go slowly, do not hurry
Take your time: praise's fire-stick yields no flame.
Restrain yourselves, for praise yields no prosperity
إنّاindeed we لَفِيsurely in زَمنٍan age ودّwishes الفَصيحُthe eloquent man بهin it
إنّا لَفِي زَمنٍ ودّ الفَصيحُ به
لوif only أنّهthat he ألْكَنٌinarticulate فيin القولِspeech فأفاءُa stammerer
لو أنّه ألْكَنٌ في القولِ فأفاءُ
We are indeed in an age in which the eloquent man wishes
We live in a time when eloquence is loved
he were inarticulate in speech, a stammerer.
If only it whispered gently, discreet and wise
كَمْhow often تمدَحُونyou praise ولاand not تعطونyou are given جائزةًa reward
كَمْ تمدَحُون ولا تعطون جائزةً
كأنّماas though مَدحكمyour praise بالمنْعِto withholding إغراءُan inducement
كأنّما مَدحكم بالمنْعِ إغراءُ
How often you praise and are given no reward,
How much you praise yet give no reward
as though your praise were an inducement to withhold.
As if your praise itself should suffice
لوif كَانَwere فيin الطِّينِclay أوor فيin الماءِwater رزقكمُyour sustenance
لو كَانَ في الطِّينِ أو في الماءِ رزقكمُ
يوماًone day لأَعجزَwould surely fail حتّىeven الطينُclay والماءُand water
يوماً لأَعجزَ حتّى الطينُ والماءُ
If your sustenance lay in clay or in water
If your livelihood was in clay or water
one day, even clay and water would fail you.
Even clay and water would fail you one day
وياand O مُرجّىone looked to نوالاًbounty أنتَyou فيin زَمنٍan age
ويا مُرجّى نوالاً أنتَ في زَمنٍ
فيهِin it المكارمُnoble deeds والعَلياءُand eminence أسماءُnames
فيهِ المكارمُ والعَلياءُ أسماءُ
And, O you whose bounty is hoped for, you are in an age
O you who hope for gifts, you live in a time
in which noble deeds and eminence are mere names.
Where nobility and excellence are but names
إيّاكَbeware إيّاكَbeware أَنthat تُدليyou put forward بسابقةٍwith prior merit
إيّاكَ إيّاكَ أَن تُدلي بسابقةٍ
فإنّfor indeed ذلكthat إنْif حققتَهyou ascertain it الداءُthe malady
فإنّ ذلك إنْ حققتَه الداءُ
Beware, beware of pleading prior merit,
Beware, beware of showing arrogance
for that, if you examine it closely, is the malady.
For that, if realized, is disease itself
ولاand do not تَقُلْsay إنif أردتَyou seek النّجحَsuccess قَدalready قُتِلَتْhave been slain
ولا تَقُلْ إن أردتَ النّجحَ قَد قُتِلَتْ
أَمَامَكُمْbefore you all ليَof mine أجْدادٌgrandfathers وآباءُand fathers
أَمَامَكُمْ ليَ أجْدادٌ وآباءُ
Nor say, if you seek success, 'They have been slain
Do not say, if you want success, my ancestors are killed
before you—grandfathers and fathers of mine.'
My fathers and forefathers are gone
يُقصَىis banished المحبُّthe loving man ويُدْنيand brings near مَنone who عقيدتُهhis creed
يُقصَى المحبُّ ويُدْني مَن عقيدتُه
فإنماfor only حظُّهُhis lot طردٌexpulsion وإقصاءُand exclusion
فإنما حظُّهُ طردٌ وإقصاءُ
The loving man is banished, and he draws near one whose creed...
A lover is shunned and one whose belief
for his lot is only expulsion and exclusion.
Is firm - his fate is but expulsion
ومنْand whoever يكنْis ذاpossessed of صلاحٍrighteousness فيin عقيدتِهِhis creed
ومنْ يكنْ ذا صلاحٍ في عقيدتِهِ
فإنماfor only حظُّهُhis lot طردٌexpulsion وإقصاءُand exclusion
فإنما حظُّهُ طردٌ وإقصاءُ
And whoever is righteous in his creed,
One of good faith and righteous belief
his lot is only expulsion and exclusion.
His fate is nothing but expulsion
إنْif تَسْتمِحْyou seek a gift قيلit is said كلٌّa burden فيin السّؤالbegging وإنْand if
إنْ تَسْتمِحْ قيل كلٌّ في السّؤال وإنْ
عاتبتَyou reproach قيلit is said بذيّfoul القولin speech هجّاءُa lampooner
عاتبتَ قيل بذيّ القول هجّاءُ
If you seek a gift, they say, 'A burden in begging'; and if
If you ask, you're told all ask, and if
you reproach them, they say, 'Foul of speech, a lampooner.'
You complain, you're accused of railing
استغفرُI seek forgiveness from اللهGod ليسis not الهجوsatire منamong شيميmy traits
استغفرُ الله ليس الهجو من شيمي
لكنِّنيbut I رجلٌa man للِضّيمِtoward oppression أبَاءُunyielding
لكنِّني رجلٌ للِضّيمِ أبَاءُ
I ask God's forgiveness: satire is not among my traits,
I seek God's forgiveness; railing is not my trait
but I am a man who refuses oppression.
But I'm a man who rages when oppressed
ماnot الملكُthe king إلاّexcept مُضاعُneglected السَّرجthe saddle مُطّرَحٌcast aside
ما الملكُ إلاّ مُضاعُ السَّرج مُطّرَحٌ
إنif لمnot يكنthere is لِعنانِfor the rein of البَذلِgenerosity إِرخاءُloosening
إن لم يكن لِعنانِ البَذلِ إِرخاءُ
A king is only an outcast, his saddle neglected,
Kingship is nothing but a fancied saddle
unless the reins of generosity are loosened.
Cast off if the reins of generosity are not slackened
أينَwhere الملوكُthe kings الاُلىthose who ماnot جاءَcame آمِلُهمtheir hopeful petitioner
أينَ الملوكُ الاُلى ما جاءَ آمِلُهم
إلاّexcept وقابلَهand greeted him بشرٌcheerfulness وإعطاءُand giving
إلاّ وقابلَه بشرٌ وإعطاءُ
Where are those kings, whose hopeful petitioner never came
Where are the kings whose hopes were never
without being met by cheerfulness and gifts?
Met except with benevolence and giving?
حتّىuntil ينسّونthey make forget مِنْthrough ريٍّquenched thirst ومِنand through شبعfullness
حتّى ينسّون مِنْ ريٍّ ومِن شبع
قَوماًa people لهمthey have أكبدٌlivers لِلْجوعِfrom hunger حرّاءُburning
قَوماً لهم أكبدٌ لِلْجوعِ حرّاءُ
Until, through quenched thirst and fullness, they grant forgetfulness
Until from plenty and satiation they forget
to people whose livers burn with hunger.
A people whose lot is barren destitution
قلْsay لِلْمساكينto the poor أهلِthe people of الشعرِpoetry ياO تَعَبَthe toil of
قلْ لِلْمساكين أهلِ الشعرِ يا تَعَبَ
الأفكارthoughts إنْif لمnot يُصبْهمreaches them منهfrom it إثراءُenrichment
الأفكار إنْ لم يُصبْهم منه إثراءُ
Tell the poor, the people of poetry: 'Oh, the toil
Tell the poor poets, O how weary
of thought, if no wealth from it reaches them!'
Minds become when no wealth comes their way
هذيthese الملوكُthe kings ملوكkings of العَصْرthe age هلis there أحدٌanyone
هذي الملوكُ ملوك العَصْر هل أحدٌ
مِنهمamong them علىon سننthe path of المعروفِgoodness مشاءُone who walks often
مِنهم على سنن المعروفِ مشاءُ
These kings, the kings of the age—is there anyone
Are these kings, the kings of our age? Does any
among them who walks the path of goodness?
Walk the path of kindness? I say nay
كمhow often قدindeed مَدَحْناwe have praised فماyet not أجَدتْavailed مدائِحناour praises
كم قد مَدَحْنا فما أجَدتْ مدائِحنا
لأنّهمbecause they إنّماonly يعطونgive منwhomever شاؤواthey wished
لأنّهم إنّما يعطون من شاؤوا
How often we have praised, yet our praises have availed nothing,
How we've praised, but our praise never profits
because they give only to whom they please.
For they only give to those whom they wish
ياO أَحْمَAhm (shortened Ahmad) دعوةَthe plea of عانٍa captive قلّis scarce ناصرُهُhis helper
يا أَحْمَ دعوةَ عانٍ قلّ ناصرُهُ
وخانَهُand betrayed him لِجفَاbecause of the harshness of الدّهرِtime الأحبَاءُloved ones
وخانَهُ لِجفَا الدّهرِ الأحبَاءُ
O Ahm, hear the plea of a captive whose helpers are few,
O protector of the helpless, few aid you
and whose loved ones betrayed him because of time's harshness.
And time's cruelty has left you alone
اسمعْhear شكيةَthe complaint of معْلٍone raising his voice مُعْلنٍone proclaiming حَزَناًgrief
اسمعْ شكيةَ معْلٍ مُعْلنٍ حَزَناً
إنif كانَwere ينفعُavails إعلانٌproclamation وإعلاءُand raising the voice
إن كانَ ينفعُ إعلانٌ وإعلاءُ
Hear the complaint of one raising his voice, proclaiming grief,
Hear the plaint of a suffering complainant
if proclamation and raising the voice can help.
If declaring distress may avail or raise you
ماwhat لِلقوافيfor the rhymes إذاًthen أقوتْhave grown deserted مَعَاهدُهاtheir haunts
ما لِلقوافي إذاً أقوتْ مَعَاهدُها
أفيis it in زمانِكyour time يُهِيweakens الشعرَpoetry إقواءُdestitution (also rhyme-vowel mismatch)
أفي زمانِك يُهِي الشعرَ إقواءُ
What ails the rhymes, then, that their haunts have grown deserted?
Of what use are verses when their covenant is broken?
In your time, does destitution weaken poetry?
In your time, does poetry gain strength?
ماwhat لِلقوافيfor the rhymes إذاًthen أقوتْhave grown deserted مَعَاهدُهاtheir haunts
ما لِلقوافي إذاً أقوتْ مَعَاهدُها
أفيis it in زمانِكyour time يُوهِيweakens الشعرَpoetry وإعلاءُand exaltation
أفي زمانِك يُوهِي الشعرَ وإعلاءُ
What ails the rhymes, then, that their haunts have grown deserted?
Of what use are verses when their covenant is broken?
And in your time, does exaltation weaken poetry?
In your time, does poetry fade and weaken?
ماwhat لِلقوافيfor the rhymes إذاًthen أقوتْhave grown deserted مَعَاهدُهاtheir haunts
ما لِلقوافي إذاً أقوتْ مَعَاهدُها
أفيis it in زمانِكyour time يُوهِيweakens الشعرَpoetry إقواءُdestitution (also rhyme-vowel mismatch)
أفي زمانِك يُوهِي الشعرَ إقواءُ
What ails the rhymes, then, that their haunts have grown deserted?
Of what use are verses when their covenant is broken?
In your time, does destitution weaken poetry?
In your time, does poetry fade and weaken?
مَنwho ذاthis one الذيwho مِنfrom مَقَامِthe station of الذلّhumiliation يُنهضُهاraises them
مَن ذا الذي مِن مَقَامِ الذلّ يُنهضُها
إنif نالهاbefalls them بنعالwith the sandals of الذّلِhumiliation إيطاءُtrampling (also rhyme-word repetition)
إن نالها بنعال الذّلِ إيطاءُ
Who is the one who will lift them from the station of humiliation,
Who can lift it from the abyss of disgrace
if they suffer trampling beneath humiliation's sandals?
When the sandals of humiliation trample its glory?
أفٍfie لَهاupon it خطّةa condition يشقَىsuffers ملابسُهاits wearer
أفٍ لَها خطّة يشقَى ملابسُها
ضاقتْhave narrowed بِصَاحبِهاaround its bearer للأرضof the earth أرجاءُthe expanses
ضاقتْ بِصَاحبِها للأرض أرجاءُ
Fie on it—a condition whose wearer is wretched;
Alas, its splendor is shackled by its companion's plight
the earth's expanses have closed in on its bearer.
As horizons shrink for both until they narrow
وحرفةًand a craft أُزْجيَتْwere peddled فيناamong us بضاعتُهاits wares
وحرفةً أُزْجيَتْ فينا بضاعتُها
فربحso the profit of بائعهاits seller فقرٌpoverty وإكداءُand fruitless toil
فربح بائعها فقرٌ وإكداءُ
And a craft whose wares have been peddled among us—
A craft brought low in our midst, its wares
so its seller's profit is poverty and fruitless toil.
Sell at a loss, with poverty the trader's share
إيهاًenough now! أغِثْrescue مُستَغيثاًone seeking help أنتَyou قطّever لهfor him
إيهاً أغِثْ مُستَغيثاً أنتَ قطّ له
المرجوّthe one hoped in إنif مَسَّهtouches him بأسٌhardship وضرّاءُand adversity
المرجوّ إن مَسَّه بأسٌ وضرّاءُ
Enough now! Rescue a suppliant; you are ever his
Come save a desperate man, extend to him
hope, if hardship and adversity touch him.
Shelter, if hardship or harm befall his lot
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.