تَناهَبَتِhave vied to plunder العَيشَlife النُفوسُthe souls بِغِرَّةٍin heedlessness
تَناهَبَتِ العَيشَ النُفوسُ بِغِرَّةٍ
فَإِنso if كُنتَyou are تَسطيعُable النَهابَto plunder فَناهِبِthen plunder!
فَإِن كُنتَ تَسطيعُ النَهابَ فَناهِبِ
Souls have vied to plunder life in heedlessness;
The souls vie for livelihood greedily
so if you can plunder, then plunder!
So if you can vie, then vie away
بَقائِيَmy remaining فيin الدُنياthis world عَلَيَّupon me رَزِيَّةٌa calamity
بَقائِيَ في الدُنيا عَلَيَّ رَزِيَّةٌ
وَهَلand is ...? أَناI إِلّاexcept غابِرٌone remaining مِثلُlike ذاهِبِone departing
وَهَل أَنا إِلّا غابِرٌ مِثلُ ذاهِبِ
My remaining in this world is a calamity to me;
My staying in this world burdens me
and am I anything but one left behind, like one already gone?
For I am just a fleeting pilgrim on his way
إِذاwhen خَلِقَgrows worn with age الإِنسانُa human being ظَلَّremains حِمامُهُhis death
إِذا خَلِقَ الإِنسانُ ظَلَّ حِمامُهُ
وَإِنand even if نالَhe gains يُسراًease مَنamong أَجَلَّthe greatest of المَواهِبِgifts
وَإِن نالَ يُسراً مَن أَجَلَّ المَواهِبِ
When a person grows worn with age, his death remains—
When a man is created, his worries follow
even if he gains ease—among the greatest gifts.
And if he gains comfort, who has greater gifts?
تَقادَمَhas grown ancient عُمرُthe lifespan of الدَهرِtime حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
تَقادَمَ عُمرُ الدَهرِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
نُجومُthe stars of اللَياليthe nights شَيبُgray hair هَذيthese الغَياهِبِdeep darknesses
نُجومُ اللَيالي شَيبُ هَذي الغَياهِبِ
Time's span has grown so ancient that it seems
The age of time has marched on until
the stars of night are the gray hair of these dark depths.
The nights' stars seem locks of grey on its head
يُهَوِّدُtreads gently (evoking Judaizing) باغيthe seeker of الحاجِcamelthorn وَاللَيلُand the night مُسلِمٌa Muslim
يُهَوِّدُ باغي الحاجِ وَاللَيلُ مُسلِمٌ
عَلىdespite كُفرِهِits unbelief (its covering darkness) وَالأَرضُand the earth فيin زِيِّthe garb of راهِبِa monk
عَلى كُفرِهِ وَالأَرضُ في زِيِّ راهِبِ
The seeker of camelthorn treads gently; the night is Muslim,
The night makes the pilgrim's rebellion subside
despite its unbelief, and the earth wears a monk's garb.
Despite his unbelief, and earth wears a monk's garb
تَأَلُّفُthe union of غَيِّthe error of الناسِpeople شَرقاًeastward وَمَغرِباًand westward
تَأَلُّفُ غَيِّ الناسِ شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً
تَكامَلَhas become complete فيهِمamong them بِاِختِلافِthrough the differences in المَذاهِبِthe creeds
تَكامَلَ فيهِم بِاِختِلافِ المَذاهِبِ
People's union in error, east and west,
East and west, people's diverse paths converge
has become complete among them through their differing creeds.
In them, creeds' contradictions find harmony
وَإِنَّand indeed قُطوفَthe slow-paced ones الساعِthe hours فيماin what عَلِمتُهُI have known it
وَإِنَّ قُطوفَ الساعِ فيما عَلِمتُهُ
أَحَثُّswifter مُروراًin passing مِنthan وَساعِlong-striding السَلاهِبِtall steeds
أَحَثُّ مُروراً مِن وَساعِ السَلاهِبِ
And indeed, the slow-paced hours, as far as I know,
And the plucking of hours, as I know
pass more swiftly than long-striding, tall steeds.
Flows swifter than a torrent in ravines
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.