كمhow many منof صديقٍa friend صادقِsincere الظَّاهرِthe outward appearance
كم من صديقٍ صادقِ الظَّاهرِ
مُتَّفِقِconsistent الأَوَّلِthe beginning والآخرِand the end
مُتَّفِقِ الأَوَّلِ والآخرِ
How many a friend, sincere in outward appearance,
How many a friend sincere in show
consistent from beginning to end!
United at first, at last a foe!
أطمعنيmade me hope فيfor مِثْلِهِone like him مُطْمِعٌa prompting
أطمعني في مِثْلِهِ مُطْمِعٌ
منfrom خاطريmy mind لاmay not كانhave existed منany خاطرthought
من خاطري لا كان من خاطر
A prompting made me hope for one like him,
With hope of one like him, my heart
from my own mind—may such a thought never have arisen!
Was lured, but not by him, apart.
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle قلتI said فازتtriumphed يديmy hand
حتى إذا ما قلت فازت يدي
بنيلهلunclear; probably “by gaining him” يدِthe hand الظافرthe victor
بنيلهل يدِ الظافر
Until, when I said, “My hand has triumphed
When him my hand at last could claim,
by gaining him [text unclear]—the victor’s hand,”
The winner’s prize, the longed-for aim,
وجدتُI found بَيْعَthe selling الودِّaffection منهfrom him كماlike
وجدتُ بَيْعَ الودِّ منه كما
راعstartled (unclear here) منfrom النَّفْخِblowing علىupon الزامرthe piper
راع من النَّفْخِ على الزامر
I found his selling of affection like
I found this friend who friendship sold
[Unclear wording: “startled ... from blowing upon the piper.”]
Like one who pipes but seeks his gold.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.