أَمِنْكَis it from you? البرقُthe lightning إذas يسريtravels by night
أَمِنْكَ البرقُ إذ يسري
وَعِيرُwhile the caravan of الليلِthe night مَوقُوفَهْstands halted
وَعِيرُ الليلِ مَوقُوفَهْ
Is the lightning from you, as it travels by night,
Does the lightning frighten you, when it moves on
while night's caravan stands halted,
And the caravan of night is held back
كليلاًdimly مثلlike ماthe way تَطْرblinks (start)
كليلاً مثل ما تَطْر
فُblinks (end) عينٌan eye جدُّvery مَطْروفهsorely stricken
فُ عينٌ جدُّ مَطْروفه
dimly, like the blinking
Like a night, as you let down
of an eye sorely stricken,
An intensely raining cloud
قلاصاًyoung she-camels أَلَّفَتْهُassembled it المزthe rain clouds (start)
قلاصاً أَلَّفَتْهُ المز
نthe rain clouds (end) إذwhen أَزْمَعْنَthey resolved تأليفهassembling it
ن إذ أَزْمَعْنَ تأليفه
like young she-camels, assembled by the rain clouds
I composed rhyming lines
when they resolved to gather it,
When I decided to compose them
سطوراًlines كسطورlike the lines of القthe pen (start)
سطوراً كسطور الق
لمthe pen (end) استوفيتَyou perfected تَحْريفَهits beveling
لم استوفيتَ تَحْريفَه
in lines like the lines of a pen
Like lines of writing
whose nib you have perfectly beveled,
Whose distortion I exhausted
كأنْas though قضبانُrods تبرٍraw gold فيin
كأنْ قضبانُ تبرٍ في
نواحيthe reaches of الجوِّthe sky مَرْصُوفَهarrayed in rows
نواحي الجوِّ مَرْصُوفَه
as though rods of raw gold were
As if rods of willow in
arrayed across the reaches of the sky?
The regions of air are arranged
وللمشعوفِand for the love-stricken نفسٌa soul بby
وللمشعوفِ نفسٌ ب
وميضِthe gleam of البرقِthe lightning مَشْعُوفَهenraptured
وميضِ البرقِ مَشْعُوفَه
And the love-stricken has a soul
And the one with flickering light has a soul
enraptured by the lightning's gleam.
Enraptured by the lightning’s flashes
ألاah ياO عرِّفيmake known للصto the lovesick one (start)
ألا يا عرِّفي للص
بِّthe lovesick one (end) إِنif حاولتِyou attempted تعريفهinforming him
بِّ إِن حاولتِ تعريفه
Ah, make it known to the lovesick one,
No! O you who would describe the dawn
if you would make him understand:
If you tried describing it
فماfor how أَبْعَدَfar-fetched صرفيmy diverting همa resolve (start)
فما أَبْعَدَ صرفي هم
ةًa resolve (end) فيin اللهوِpleasure مصروفهdevoted
ةً في اللهوِ مصروفه
How far-fetched that I should divert
How far my care is driven
a resolve devoted to pleasure!
To playfulness and frivolity
وكائنْand how often عَنَّفrebuked harshly الدهرُTime
وكائنْ عَنَّف الدهرُ
فماyet not استَشْعَرْتُI took to heart تَعْنيفَهits harsh rebuke
فما استَشْعَرْتُ تَعْنيفَه
How often Time has rebuked me,
And though time has wronged me
yet I never took its rebuke to heart.
I did not feel its oppression
قديenough for me منof دمعكِyour tears المذروthe shed tears (start)
قدي من دمعكِ المذرو
فِthe shed tears (end) لاmay you not كفكفتِyou wiped away مَذْرُوفَهits shed tears
فِ لا كفكفتِ مَذْرُوفَه
Enough for me of your shed tears;
My tears that flow
may you never wipe them away!
You did not stop their outpouring
أَإِنْis it because لاحتْappeared برأسيon my head غُa white blaze (start)
أَإِنْ لاحتْ برأسي غُ
رةٌa white blaze (end) للشَّيْبِof gray hair معروفَهrecognizable
رةٌ للشَّيْبِ معروفَه
Is it because a white blaze has appeared on my head,
If a sign of old age appeared on my head
a recognizable mark of gray hair,
Which is known to grey hair
كأنْas though ماwhat لاحappeared منهاof it قطa cotton tuft (start)
كأنْ ما لاح منها قط
نةٌa cotton tuft (end) فيon الرأسِthe head مَنْدُوفهcarded
نةٌ في الرأسِ مَنْدُوفه
as though what showed of it were a tuft
It was as if whatever appeared on it
of carded cotton on my head,
Was a patch of greyness stuffed in the head
عطفتِyou bent back منfrom شباةٍa sharp point لمnot
عطفتِ من شباةٍ لم
تكنْhad been منfrom قبلُbefore مَعْطُوفَهbent back
تكنْ من قبلُ مَعْطُوفَه
that you bent back a sharp point
You showed kindness from a youth
never bent back before?
That was not kind before
وماand not إِلْفattachment الفتىthe young man منto شيa habit (start)
وما إِلْف الفتى من شي
مةٍa habit (end) ليستْis not بمألوفَهat all familiar
مةٍ ليستْ بمألوفَه
Nor is a young man's attachment to a habit
And the boy's getting used to something
that is unfamiliar to him.
Not customary, how remote!
وماand not أَبعدَتِhas gone far away التوبrepentance (start)
وما أَبعدَتِ التوب
ةُrepentance (end) والصَّبوةُand youthful passion تسويفَهa postponement
ةُ والصَّبوةُ تسويفَه
Repentance has not gone far away;
How far you postponed repentance
youthful passion is only a postponement.
And evaded its undertaking!
عذيريwho will defend me? مِنfrom مَخُوفfearsome العذreproach (start)
عذيري مِن مَخُوف العذ
لreproach (end) لاnot أَرهَبُI dread تخويفهits intimidation
ل لا أَرهَبُ تخويفه
Who will defend me from fearsome reproach?
My excuse for fearing disgrace
I do not dread its intimidation.
I do not exaggerate its intimidation
ورعييand my watching for غِرَّةَthe unguarded moment of السِّربِthe herd
ورعيي غِرَّةَ السِّربِ
يراعيwatches over غيدُهُits graceful-necked ones هيفَهْits slender-waisted ones
يراعي غيدُهُ هيفَهْ
And I watch for the herd's unguarded moment;
And my chastity keeps the honor
its graceful-necked ones watch over its slender-waisted ones.
Of a clan that protects its sanctity
فمهماso whenever خفّفlightened الجؤجُthe breast (start)
فمهما خفّف الجؤجُ
ؤَthe breast (end) أوor حاولَattempted تَخْفيفَهlightening it
ؤَ أو حاولَ تَخْفيفَه
Whenever it lightens the breast,
However much the drinker lightened up
or tries to lighten it,
Or tried to minimize it
تَسَرَّىdrew back الزِفُّthe down عنfrom مكنوa hidden form (start)
تَسَرَّى الزِفُّ عن مكنو
نةٍa hidden form (end) بالزِفِّin down مَحفوفَهenveloped
نةٍ بالزِفِّ مَحفوفَه
the down draws back from a hidden form,
The swaying gait flowed from an intoxicated one
enveloped in down.
Enveloped in swaying gait
وساقٍand a cupbearer قدalready كَفَتهُsufficed him حُمredness (start)
وساقٍ قد كَفَتهُ حُم
رةُredness (end) الكأسِthe cup تطاريفهhis fingertip dyeing
رةُ الكأسِ تطاريفه
And a cupbearer for whom the redness
And a leg that reddish wine disabled
of the cup sufficed as dye for his fingertips
Twisting its twists
حوىpossessed التتريفpampered softness حتىso much that لindeed
حوى التتريف حتى ل
شكاcomplained عطفاهُhis two sides تَتَريفهhis pampering
شكا عطفاهُ تَتَريفه
possessed such pampered softness that
It contained tottering until the shoulder joints
both his sides complained of his pampering.
Almost disjointed from the twisting
فلاقاناso he met us وكفُّwhile the hand of الصبdawn (start)
فلاقانا وكفُّ الصب
حِdawn (end) دونَbehind الليلthe night مَكفوفهheld back
حِ دونَ الليل مَكفوفه
So he met us while dawn's hand
We met at dawn, and the palm trees
was held back by the night.
At night were shrouded
فخلناso we imagined كأسَهُhis cup منfrom ورthe two roses (start)
فخلنا كأسَهُ من ور
دتَيْthe two roses (end) خَدَّيهhis cheeks مَقطوفهplucked
دتَيْ خَدَّيه مَقطوفه
So we fancied his cup had been plucked from
So we left its cup made
the two roses of his cheeks.
From your rosy cheeks plucked
وروضٍand a meadow أَبدَعَتْwrought exquisitely تنميadornment (start)
وروضٍ أَبدَعَتْ تنمي
قَهُits adornment (end) المُزنُthe rain clouds وتَفويفَهand its variegation
قَهُ المُزنُ وتَفويفَه
And a meadow, exquisitely adorned
And a garden the vine dresser fashioned
and striped with colors by the rain clouds.
And increased its irrigation
تدانتdrew close together فَوقهabove it متأfull (start)
تدانت فَوقه متأ
قَةُfull (end) الأطباءِthe udders مصفوفهarrayed in rows
قَةُ الأطباءِ مصفوفه
They gathered close above it,
Above it the Pleiades inclined
full-uddered, arrayed in rows;
Arranged in rows
فأضحكنَso they made laugh الأقاحيthe daisies عنrevealing
فأضحكنَ الأقاحي عن
ثغورٍmouths غيرnot مَرشوفهkissed
ثغورٍ غير مَرشوفه
and made the daisies laugh, revealing
Whereupon it made the gum plants smile
mouths that had never been kissed.
With mouths not yet watered
إذاwhen ألَّفَstrung together شذراًgold beads أحperfected (start)
إذا ألَّفَ شذراً أح
كَمperfected (end) الناظمُthe stringer تأليفهits arrangement
كَم الناظمُ تأليفه
When gold beads were strung together,
When the composer produces a subtle verse
the stringer perfected their arrangement.
And accomplishes its composition
عكفناwe tarried منهُin part of it فيin أوطa thick-grown place (start)
عكفنا منهُ في أوط
فَa thick-grown place (end) فيهin it الوحشُthe wild beasts مَعكوفهconfined
فَ فيه الوحشُ مَعكوفه
We tarried in a thick-grown part of it,
We lurk in the wilderness in it
where the wild beasts were confined,
Wherein beasts lie hidden
بخاظٍon a well-fleshed steed يتظنَّىsupposes متback (start)
بخاظٍ يتظنَّى مت
نَهُits back (end) الناظرُthe beholder زُحْلُوفَهa slippery slope
نَهُ الناظرُ زُحْلُوفَه
on a well-fleshed steed, whose back
With a gurgle its observer supposes
the beholder takes for a slippery slope;
Is its interior and hollow
مُمَرٍّfirmly knit ترتضيapproves تَحْنيbowed legs (start)
مُمَرٍّ ترتضي تَحْني
بَهُits bowed legs (end) العينُthe eye وتجويفَهand its hollow belly
بَهُ العينُ وتجويفَه
firmly knit, with bowed legs
A grouse you desire its cooing
and a hollow belly that please the eye.
And the eye penetrates its depths
إذاwhen استُقْبِلَseen head-on هَيْقٌa male ostrich وand
إذا استُقْبِلَ هَيْقٌ و
إذاwhen استُعْرِضَseen broadside سُرْعُوفَهa long-legged locust
إذا استُعْرِضَ سُرْعُوفَه
Viewed head-on, a male ostrich; and
When facing it is timid
viewed broadside, a long-legged locust.
And sideways overbold
يَرَىhe sees بالسَّوطِin the whip رَقْشَاءَa speckled snake
يَرَى بالسَّوطِ رَقْشَاءَ
علىon الأقرابِthe flanks مَلْفُوفَهcoiled
على الأقرابِ مَلْفُوفَه
He sees the whip as a speckled snake
It sees the whip marked with stains
coiled about his flanks.
Wrapped on the relatives
كخذروفِlike the whirligig of الوليدthe child اعتtook turns at (start)
كخذروفِ الوليد اعت
ورتْtook turns at (end) كَفَّاهhis two hands خُذْرُوفهhis whirligig
ورتْ كَفَّاه خُذْرُوفه
Like a child's whirligig,
Like Al-Walid's rough palms that fighting
spun in turn by his two hands.
Roughened his palms
ومنّيand from me كلّevery ملهوفٍeager male
ومنّي كلّ ملهوفٍ
علىfor الحُضرِswift running ومَلهوفهand an eager female
على الحُضرِ ومَلهوفه
And mine are all the eager males
And I am the longing of every lovesick one
and females, intent on swift running.
For the dwellings and the beloved
ترىyou see صورتَهits shape مخلوslight (start)
ترى صورتَه مخلو
سةَslight (end) الجُثْمانِof body مَخطوفهsnatched away
سةَ الجُثْمانِ مَخطوفه
You see its shape, slight
You see its incorporeal image
of body, as though snatched away.
With a body snatched away
كأنْas though أُظفورُهits claw فيin الحُضْthe gallop (start)
كأنْ أُظفورُه في الحُضْ
رِthe gallop (end) إذas يَطعنُthrusts غُضروفهits cartilage
رِ إذ يَطعنُ غُضروفه
As though its claw, in the gallop,
As if its claws in close combat
as its cartilage thrusts forward,
Are tearing its ribs
سنانٌa spearhead لمnot يُضِعneglected تذليhoning (start)
سنانٌ لم يُضِع تذلي
قَهُits honing (end) القَينُthe smith وتأنيفهand its pointing
قَهُ القَينُ وتأنيفه
were a spearhead whose honing
Teeth that did not neglect to file them
and pointing the smith had not neglected.
The whetstone and their arrangement
إذاwhen أَنحىbore down علىupon الوحشthe wild beasts
إذا أَنحى على الوحش
فمَجؤوفٌthen a belly-pierced male ومَجؤوفهand a belly-pierced female
فمَجؤوفٌ ومَجؤوفه
When it bears down upon the wild beasts,
If it turned on the beasts
males and females are pierced in the belly.
It is terrifying and is terrified
لأسرعhow very swiftly ماexclamatory particle كفاناspared us عَفْunforced effort (start)
لأسرع ما كفانا عَفْ
وُunforced effort (end) ذيّالِكَyour long-tailed one تَكليفَهurging it to work
وُ ذيّالِكَ تَكليفَه
How swiftly the unforced effort
For the quickest that would suffice us the duty
of your long-tailed one spared us from urging it!
Of serving you and its undertaking
أناI ابنa son of الدهرTime قدalready أبلىwore out
أنا ابن الدهر قد أبلى
بيَupon me الدهرُTime تصاريفهits vicissitudes
بيَ الدهرُ تصاريفه
I am a son of Time; Time has worn out
I am the son of time that made me old
its vicissitudes upon me.
With its various transformations
فماyet not إِنemphatic particle غضَّdiminished منfrom عرضِhonor (start)
فما إِن غضَّ من عرضِ
يَmy honor (end) قطميراًa date-stone skin ولاnor فُوقهan arrow's nock
يَ قطميراً ولا فُوقه
Yet it never diminished my honor
So no matter how much it eroded my honor
by a date-stone skin or an arrow's nock.
Neither above nor beneath it
إذاwhen أعسَفنيdrove me harshly فيin مطa quest (start)
إذا أعسَفني في مط
لبٍa quest (end) سهَّلْتُI eased تَعسيفهits harsh treatment
لبٍ سهَّلْتُ تَعسيفه
When it drives me harshly in a quest,
When it was harsh to me in a request
I ease its harsh treatment
I facilitated its coercion
بمنthrough one whom شَرَّفهhonored him اللهُGod
بمن شَرَّفه اللهُ
فقدand indeed أحسنَmade excellent تَشريفهhonoring him
فقد أحسنَ تَشريفه
through one whom God has honored,
By one whom God ennobled
and honored most graciously:
He has perfected his ennoblement
بغيثٍthrough rain إِنْif عرىbefell جَدْبٌdrought
بغيثٍ إِنْ عرى جَدْبٌ
وأمنٍand safety إنif عرتbefell خِيفهfear
وأمنٍ إن عرت خِيفه
through rain when drought strikes,
With rain, if drought is bare
and safety when fear descends.
And security, if fear is uneasy
سأستكفيI shall seek protection against أَباطيلَthe falsehoods of
سأستكفي أَباطيلَ
زمانيmy time وأَراجِيفَهand its alarming rumors
زماني وأَراجِيفَه
I shall ask him to spare me the falsehoods
I will be content with the vanities
of my time and its alarming rumors,
Of my time and its nonsense
واستدفعُand I seek to ward off جُهْديwith my utmost effort بَخْcurtailing (start)
واستدفعُ جُهْدي بَخْ
سَهُits curtailing (end) حظِّيmy share وتَطْفِيفَهand its shortchanging
سَهُ حظِّي وتَطْفِيفَه
and do my utmost to ward off
And I will repel its torment with
its curtailing my share and shortchanging it—
My share and its lessening
عليَّAli بنَson of سليمانَSulayman
عليَّ بنَ سليمانَ
كريمَnoble in المجدِglory غطريفهits highborn lord
كريمَ المجدِ غطريفه
Ali ibn Sulayman,
Upon me is Ibn Sulayman
noble in glory, its highborn lord.
Of noble glory and lofty attainment
كرعناwe drank deeply منهfrom him فيin أَبحُseas (start)
كرعنا منه في أَبحُ
رِseas (end) علمٍknowledge غيرِnot منزوفهdrained
رِ علمٍ غيرِ منزوفه
From him we drank deep of seas
We quenched our thirst from him
of knowledge never drained;
In a sea of knowledge not depleted
وطالعناand we surveyed رياضَgardens of العلknowledge (start)
وطالعنا رياضَ العل
مknowledge (end) بالآدابِwith literary arts محفوفهsurrounded
م بالآدابِ محفوفه
and surveyed gardens of knowledge,
And we witnessed the gardens of knowledge
surrounded by the literary arts.
Adorned with refinements
وأسرارُand the secrets of المعانيmeanings دوbefore (start)
وأسرارُ المعاني دو
نهاbefore them (end) الأستارُthe veils مَكْشُوفَهuncovered
نها الأستارُ مَكْشُوفَه
And the secrets of meanings—
And the secrets of meanings without
the veils before them stand lifted;
The veils removed from them
وأعباءُand the burdens of الضلالاتِerrors
وأعباءُ الضلالاتِ
عنfrom الأفهامِminds مَقْذُوفَهcast away
عن الأفهامِ مَقْذُوفَه
and the burdens of error
And the burdens of misconceptions
are cast away from minds.
Cast from the minds
بهto him نَاطَتْfastened عُرىthe bonds of آداliterary arts (start)
به نَاطَتْ عُرى آدا
بهاits literary arts (end) البصرةُBasra والكوفَهand Kufa
بها البصرةُ والكوفَه
To him they fastened the bonds
Through him the ties of its disciplines
of their literary arts—Basra and Kufa.
Were tied, Basra and Kufa
وَعَنهُand from him صُنِّفَwas compiled العِلْمُthe knowledge
وَعَنهُ صُنِّفَ العِلْمُ
الذيwhich تَحمدُyou commend تَصْنِيفَهits compilation
الذي تَحمدُ تَصْنِيفَه
And from him was compiled the knowledge
And from him was categorized the knowledge
whose compilation you commend,
You praise its categorization
إلىin addition to ماwhat لمnot أصفْI described مِنْof شtraits (start)
إلى ما لم أصفْ مِنْ ش
يمٍtraits (end) بالفضلِby excellence مَوْصُوفَهcharacterized
يمٍ بالفضلِ مَوْصُوفَه
alongside traits I have not described,
To what I did not describe, of attributes
characterized by excellence.
Described with virtue
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.