إِذاif جُزتُماyou two pass بِالعيسِon pale camels دَورَةَthe circuit of آبِلِAbil
إِذا جُزتُما بِالعيسِ دَورَةَ آبِلِ
فَداسَتthen they trampled بِأَيديهاwith their forefeet تُرابَthe dust of المَزابِلِthe middens
فَداسَت بِأَيديها تُرابَ المَزابِلِ
If you two ride pale camels around Abil,
When you two passed by the orchard of Ablis
and their forefeet trample the dust of the middens,
And her hands trampled the dust of garbage piles,
أَعيراyou two, lend يَسارَthe left side of الرَّكبِthe caravan لَفتَةَa glance of ناظِرٍa gazing eye
أَعيرا يَسارَ الرَّكبِ لَفتَةَ ناظِرٍ
إِلىtoward بَرَدىBarada وَالرَوضِand the meadows ذاتِpossessing الخَمائِلِthe leafy groves
إِلى بَرَدى وَالرَوضِ ذاتِ الخَمائِلِ
cast a glance to the left of the caravan,
She glanced to the left of the caravan with a look
toward Barada and the meadows with their leafy groves.
Toward Barada and the meadow of beautiful gazelles.
هُنالِكُماthere, for you two نَهرٌa river يُرىis considered النيلُthe Nile عِندَهُbeside it
هُنالِكُما نَهرٌ يُرى النيلُ عِندَهُ
إِذاwhen فاضَit floods فيin مِصرٍEgypt كَبَعضِlike one of الجَداوِلِthe rivulets
إِذا فاضَ في مِصرٍ كَبَعضِ الجَداوِلِ
There, for you two, is a river beside which the Nile seems,
There you see a river where the Nile appears
when it floods in Egypt, like one of the rivulets.
When it floods in Egypt like some small streams,
يُخالُis imagined to be بِهِin it النينوفَرُthe water lilies الغَضُّfresh أَنجُماًstars
يُخالُ بِهِ النينوفَرُ الغَضُّ أَنجُماً
سَمَتrose high فيin سَماءِthe sky of الماءِthe water غَيرَnot أَوافِلِsetting
سَمَت في سَماءِ الماءِ غَيرَ أَوافِلِ
The fresh water lilies in it seem like stars
The evergreen Nufara looks in it like bright stars
risen in the water's sky, never setting.
That swam in the sky of water without setting.
كَأَنَّas though طُيورَthe birds of الماءِthe water فيهِin it عَرائِسٌbrides
كَأَنَّ طُيورَ الماءِ فيهِ عَرائِسٌ
جُلينَwere unveiled عَلىupon شاطيهِits bank خُضرَgreen in الغَلائِلِthe fine under-robes
جُلينَ عَلى شاطيهِ خُضرَ الغَلائِلِ
The water birds in it seem like brides
As if the water birds in it are brides
unveiled upon its bank in green robes.
Whose green trains spread over its banks,
إِذاwhen كَرَعَتthey drink فيهِfrom it تَيَقَّنتَyou become certain أَنَّهاthat they
إِذا كَرَعَت فيهِ تَيَقَّنتَ أَنَّها
تَزِقُّfeed beak to beak فِراخاًchicks وَهيَwhile they are زُغبُdowny in الحَواصِلِthe crops
تَزِقُّ فِراخاً وَهيَ زُغبُ الحَواصِلِ
When they drink from it, you become certain that they
When they sip from it you are certain they
are feeding chicks whose crops are downy.
Are tearing apart chicks as they are rapacious.
وَكَمand how many سَمَكٍa fish فيهِin it عَلَيهِupon it جَواشِنٌbreastplates
وَكَم سَمَكٍ فيهِ عَلَيهِ جَواشِنٌ
مِنَfrom التِّبرِraw gold صيغَتwere fashioned وَهوَyet it is باديexposed in المَقاتِلِthe vital parts
مِنَ التِّبرِ صيغَت وَهوَ بادي المَقاتِلِ
And how many a fish in it wears breastplates
And how many fish in it have armors on them
fashioned of raw gold, though its vital parts lie exposed.
Made of lead although they are showing might.
جَريحٌwounded بِأَطرافِby the edges of الصَفاthe smooth rocks فَخَريرُهُso its murmuring
جَريحٌ بِأَطرافِ الصَفا فَخَريرُهُ
أَنينٌa groan لَهُfor it مِنfrom مَسِّtouching تِلكَthose الجَنادِلِboulders
أَنينٌ لَهُ مِن مَسِّ تِلكَ الجَنادِلِ
Wounded by the edges of smooth rock, its murmur
Wounded by the edges of swords, their murmur
is its groaning at the touch of those boulders.
Is a moan from the touch of those swords.
إِذاwhen قابَلَfaces النَهرُthe river الدُجىthe darkness بِنُجومِهِwith its stars
إِذا قابَلَ النَهرُ الدُجى بِنُجومِهِ
أَراناshows us بِقَعرِin the depths of الماءِthe water ضَوءَthe light of المَشاعِلِthe torches
أَرانا بِقَعرِ الماءِ ضَوءَ المَشاعِلِ
When the river faces the darkness with its stars,
When the river meets the night with its stars
it shows us torchlight in the water's depths.
It shows us in the depth of water torch lights.
يُغَلغِلُthreads its way فيthrough الواديthe valley فَوافىthen met كَفِيَّةًa worthy mate
يُغَلغِلُ في الوادي فَوافى كَفِيَّةً
مُنَعَّمَةًpampered حَسناءَa beauty لَيسَتshe is not بِعاطِلِunadorned
مُنَعَّمَةً حَسناءَ لَيسَت بِعاطِلِ
It threads the valley and comes upon a worthy mate,
It flows in the valley and meets a soft
a pampered beauty, by no means unadorned.
Beautiful she-camel that is not barren,
فَعانَقَهاthen he embraced her حَتّىuntil اِنثَنَتshe turned مُشمَعِلَّةًrushing swiftly
فَعانَقَها حَتّى اِنثَنَت مُشمَعِلَّةً
تَفُكُّshe opens عَلىupon ظَهرِthe back of الصَفاthe smooth rock بَطنَthe belly of حامِلِa pregnant one
تَفُكُّ عَلى ظَهرِ الصَفا بَطنَ حامِلِ
Then it embraces her until she turns in haste,
And hugged her until she leaned heavily
opening a pregnant belly upon the rock's back.
Unraveling over the pebbles the stomach of a pregnant she-camel.
فَأَولَدَthen he made bear عَينَthe spring of الفيجَةِal-Fijah الأَنهُرَthe rivers الَّتيwhich
فَأَولَدَ عَينَ الفيجَةِ الأَنهُرَ الَّتي
دِمَشقُDamascus بِهاthrough them فيamid أَبحُرٍseas وَسَواحِلِand shores
دِمَشقُ بِها في أَبحُرٍ وَسَواحِلِ
Thus it makes the spring of al-Fijah bear the rivers that
So it begot the springs of Al-Fijah
set Damascus amid seas and shores.
By which Damascus is amidst seas and coasts.
أَلاbehold إِنَّindeed فيin الواديthe valley ظِباءًgazelles جُفونُهاtheir eyelids
أَلا إِنَّ في الوادي ظِباءً جُفونُها
بِهاin them كَحَلٌnatural eye-darkness أَزرىput to shame بِماwhat is فيin المَكاحِلِthe kohl-pots
بِها كَحَلٌ أَزرى بِما في المَكاحِلِ
Behold, in the valley are gazelles whose eyelids
Indeed in the valley are gazelles whose eyelids
have a natural darkness that shames the kohl in its pots.
Are kohl-lined with what is in the kohl containers.
وَبِالبُقعَةِand to the tract الفَيحاءِspacious عوجاyou two, turn aside فَإِنَّهاfor indeed it
وَبِالبُقعَةِ الفَيحاءِ عوجا فَإِنَّها
تَهيجُstirs لِرائيهاin its beholder رَسيسَthe lingering traces of البَلابِلِinner torments
تَهيجُ لِرائيها رَسيسَ البَلابِلِ
And turn aside, you two, to the spacious tract, for it
And in the wide plain there is a buck for it arouses
stirs in its beholder the lingering pangs of longing.
For its viewer the agitation of nightingales.
وَبِالسَّفحِand on the slope مِنfrom أَعلىthe heights of سنيرٍSanir مَنازِلٌdwellings
وَبِالسَّفحِ مِن أَعلى سنيرٍ مَنازِلٌ
نَعِمتُI lived in bliss بِهاin them واهاًah! لَهاfor them مِنas مَنازِلِdwellings
نَعِمتُ بِها واهاً لَها مِن مَنازِلِ
And on the slope below Sanir's heights are dwellings
And on the hillside there are houses I delighted in
in which I lived in bliss—ah, what dwellings!
Oh what fine houses!
مَضَتpassed بِمَضاياin Madaya ليfor me لَيالٍnights حَميدَةٌdelightful
مَضَت بِمَضايا لي لَيالٍ حَميدَةٌ
جَنَيتُI reaped الرِضىcontentment مِنهاfrom them بِإِسخاطِby angering عاذِليmy reproacher
جَنَيتُ الرِضى مِنها بِإِسخاطِ عاذِلي
Delightful nights passed for me in Madaya;
Nights have passed me with good times
I reaped contentment from them by angering my reproacher.
I reaped contentment from them by displeasing the blamer.
لَياليكِyour nights ياO بُقّينُBuqqin بقينَthey remained فيin الحَشاthe breast
لَياليكِ يا بُقّينُ بقينَ في الحَشا
هَوىًlove جارِياًflowing مَجرىalong the course of دَميmy blood فيthrough مَفاصِليmy joints
هَوىً جارِياً مَجرى دَمي في مَفاصِلي
Your nights, O Buqqin, remained within my breast,
O Bakkeen nights, Bakkeen nights in the courtyard,
a love coursing like my blood through my joints.
Passion flowed in my veins like my blood.
وَبِالزَبَدانيand in al-Zabadani زُبدَةُthe cream of العَيشِlife جاءَنيcame to me
وَبِالزَبَداني زُبدَةُ العَيشِ جاءَني
بِهاwith it المَحضُpure milk مِنfrom مَحضِthe pure milk of الضُروعِthe udders الحَوافِلِbrimming
بِها المَحضُ مِن مَحضِ الضُروعِ الحَوافِلِ
And in al-Zabadani, the cream of life was brought to me
And in Az-Zabadani the cream of life came to me
by pure milk from the pure yield of brimming udders.
In it the pure from the udders of pregnant she-camels.
وَمازالَand still remains ربعُthe abode of الأُنسِjoy مِنof كَفرِKafr عامِرٍAmir
وَمازالَ ربعُ الأُنسِ مِن كَفرِ عامِرٍ
يُرىis seen عامِرَthriving in الأَرجاءِthe quarters عَذبَsweet in المَناهِلِthe watering places
يُرى عامِرَ الأَرجاءِ عَذبَ المَناهِلِ
And the abode of joy in Kafr Amir still
And the quarter of intimacy from Kafr Amir still
appears thriving in every quarter, with sweet watering places.
Looks populated, freshful of springs.
وَكَمand how often فُزتُI attained فيin الكُبرىal-Kubra بِكُبرىwith the greatest of المُنىwishes مِنfrom الthe
وَكَم فُزتُ في الكُبرى بِكُبرى المُنى مِن ال
زَمانِtime وَصُغراهاand their smallest بِتِلكَin those المَحافِلِgatherings
زَمانِ وَصُغراها بِتِلكَ المَحافِلِ
And how often in al-Kubra I won the greatest of wishes from
And how many times I won in Kubra the greatest of wishes
time, and the smallest of them, amid those gatherings.
From fate, and its small ones in those gatherings.
وَفيand in عَينِAyn حورٍHur حورُdark-eyed beauties عينٍwide-eyed فَواتِكُdeadly in الthe
وَفي عَينِ حورٍ حورُ عينٍ فَواتِكُ ال
لِحاظِglances فِصاحُeloquent in اللَّفظِspeech خرسُsilent in الخَلاخِلِthe anklets
لِحاظِ فِصاحُ اللَّفظِ خرسُ الخَلاخِلِ
And in Ayn Hur are wide-eyed houris, deadly in their
In the eye of a Houri is the houri of an eye, so your
glances, eloquent in speech, their anklets silent.
Glances' speech is the muteness of anklets.
وَبِالدُلَّةِand in al-Dullah الحُسنُbeauty البَديعُwondrous مُخَيِّمٌencamped
وَبِالدُلَّةِ الحُسنُ البَديعُ مُخَيِّمٌ
لَهُit has أَثَرٌa mark فيهاtherein قَوِيُّstrong in الدَّلائِلِevidence
لَهُ أَثَرٌ فيها قَوِيُّ الدَّلائِلِ
And in al-Dullah, wondrous beauty is encamped;
And in Ad-Dullah the beautiful fine one is camping
its mark there gives compelling evidence.
For it there are strong signs.
وَدَيرُand Dayr قُبَيسٍQubays جَنَّةٌa paradise أَيُّwhat a جَنَّةٍparadise
وَدَيرُ قُبَيسٍ جَنَّةٌ أَيُّ جَنَّةٍ
مَشارِبُهاits drinks مَشفوعَةٌaccompanied بِالمَآكِلِwith food
مَشارِبُها مَشفوعَةٌ بِالمَآكِلِ
And Dayr Qubays is a paradise—what a paradise!
And Deir Qubais is a paradise, what paradise!
Its drinks are accompanied by food.
Its drinking-places are accompanied by dining-sheets.
وَزوراand you two, visit بلودانَBludan المَنيفَةَlofty تَظفَراyou two will gain
وَزورا بلودانَ المَنيفَةَ تَظفَرا
بِعَيشٍwith a life هَنيءٍpleasant رَبعُهُits dwelling غَيرُnot ماحِلِbarren
بِعَيشٍ هَنيءٍ رَبعُهُ غَيرُ ماحِلِ
And visit lofty Bludan, you two, to gain
And visit Bloudan Al-Manifah and gain
a pleasant life whose dwelling is not barren.
A pleasant life whose quarter is not arid.
أَحِنُّI yearn إِلىfor أَفياءِthe shade of أَسحارِthe predawn hours of دُمَّرٍDummar
أَحِنُّ إِلى أَفياءِ أَسحارِ دُمَّرٍ
وَأَصبوand I long إِلىfor الظِلِّthe shade الظَّليلِdeep بِآبِلِat Abil
وَأَصبو إِلى الظِلِّ الظَّليلِ بِآبِلِ
I yearn for Dummar's predawn shade,
I yearn for the mornings of Damascus’ districts
and long for the deep shade at Abil.
And incline toward the shaded shade in Ablis.
وَياand oh حَبَّذاhow lovely تِلكَthat الجُدَيِّدَةُal-Judayyidah الَّتيwhich
وَيا حَبَّذا تِلكَ الجُدَيِّدَةُ الَّتي
مَرابِعُهاits meadows مَعمورَةٌfilled بِالمَناهِلِwith watering places
مَرابِعُها مَعمورَةٌ بِالمَناهِلِ
And oh, how lovely is that al-Judayyidah, whose
And how good that Judaida is, what
meadows abound in watering places.
Dwellings of it inhabited by springs!
مَرابِعُmeadows قَدindeed أَلقىlaid down الرَبيعُspring جِرانَهُits camel-neck
مَرابِعُ قَد أَلقى الرَبيعُ جِرانَهُ
بِهاin them مُقسِماًswearing أَنthat لَيسَit is not عَنهاfrom them بِراحِلِdeparting
بِها مُقسِماً أَن لَيسَ عَنها بِراحِلِ
Meadows where spring has laid down its camel-neck,
Dwellings that spring has cast its neighboring
swearing there that it will not depart from them.
Upon them, vowing not to depart from them.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.