أَبىrefused الحُزنَgrief أَنto أَسلىforget بَنِيَّmy sons وَسَورَةٌand a surge of fury
أَبى الحُزنَ أَن أَسلى بَنِيَّ وَسَورَةٌ
أَراهاI see it إِذاwhen الأَيديthe hands تَلاقَتclashed غِضابُهاtheir angry ones
أَراها إِذا الأَيدي تَلاقَت غِضابُها
Grief will not let me forget my sons, nor will a surge of fury
Sorrow refused solace for my sons though
I behold when angry hands clash.
a wall I saw rage when hands clasped hers,
وَماand not اِبنايَmy two sons إِلّاexcept مِثلُlike مَنone who قَدalready أَصابَهُcaught him
وَما اِبنايَ إِلّا مِثلُ مَن قَد أَصابَهُ
حِبالُthe cords المَناياof death مَرُّهاtheir twisting وَاِشتِعابُهاand their branching
حِبالُ المَنايا مَرُّها وَاِشتِعابُها
And my two sons are but like one who has been caught
My sons were same as those fate had struck
By death's cords, their twisting and branching.
with death's ropes-slowly she took them.
ثَوىlay اِبنايَmy two sons فيin بَيتيtwo dwellings مُقامٌlasting residence كِلاهُماboth of them
ثَوى اِبنايَ في بَيتي مُقامٌ كِلاهُما
أَخِلَّتُهُits tent-pegs عَنّيaway from me بَطيءٌslow ذَهابُهاtheir departure
أَخِلَّتُهُ عَنّي بَطيءٌ ذَهابُها
My two sons lie in two lasting dwellings, both of them;
My sons lodged in my home, both their stays
The tent-pegs of each are slow to depart from me.
emptied me, slowly they went their ways.
وَمَحفورَةٍand a dug pit لاno ماءَwater فيهاin it مَهيبَةٍfearsome
وَمَحفورَةٍ لا ماءَ فيها مَهيبَةٍ
يُغَطّىis covered بِأَعوادِwith timbers المَنِيَّةِof death نابُهاits fang
يُغَطّى بِأَعوادِ المَنِيَّةِ نابُها
And a fearsome dug-out hollow, with no water in it,
In graves dug, empty of water, dreadful,
Its fang covered by the timbers of death.
with woodDeath hides his fangs.
أَناخَalighted إِلَيهاbeside it اِبنايَmy two sons ضَيفَيtwo guests مَقامَةٍof a lasting stay
أَناخَ إِلَيها اِبنايَ ضَيفَي مَقامَةٍ
إِلىamong عُصبَةٍa band ماnot تُستَعارُare borrowed ثِيابُهاtheir garments
إِلى عُصبَةٍ ما تُستَعارُ ثِيابُها
My two sons alighted there, guests for a lasting stay,
To them my sons came, guests briefly housed
Among a band whose garments are never borrowed.
among a horde whose clothes aren't lent.
فَلَمand never أَرَI saw حَيّاًa living man قَدalready أَتىhad come دونَbetween him and نَفسِهِhis soul
فَلَم أَرَ حَيّاً قَد أَتى دونَ نَفسِهِ
مِنَof الأَرضِthe earth جولاًthe two sides هُوَّةٍof a pit وَتُرابُهاand its soil
مِنَ الأَرضِ جولاً هُوَّةٍ وَتُرابُها
I have seen no living man cut off from his own soul
No living soul have I seen come below
By a pit's two earthen walls and its soil,
to earth-a pit whose dust absorbed his woe
مِنَamong الناسِmankind إِلّاexcept أَنَّthat نَفسيmy soul تَعَلَّقَتclung
مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا أَنَّ نَفسي تَعَلَّقَت
إِلىto أَجَلٍan appointed term حَتّىuntil يَجيءَcomes مُصابُهاits affliction
إِلى أَجَلٍ حَتّى يَجيءَ مُصابُها
Among mankind; yet my own soul clings on
Except my soul has focused till the day
To an appointed term, until its affliction comes.
appointed comes that ends its stay.
وَكانواand they were هُمُthey themselves المالَthe wealth الَّذيwhich لاnot أَبيعُهُI sell it
وَكانوا هُمُ المالَ الَّذي لا أَبيعُهُ
وَدِرعيand my armor إِذاwhen ماemphasis الحَربُwar هَرَّتsnarled كِلابُهاits dogs
وَدِرعي إِذا ما الحَربُ هَرَّت كِلابُها
They were the wealth I would not sell,
For they were wealth that I do not sell
And my armor when war's dogs snarled.
and armor when war lets loose her hell.
وَكَمand how many قاتِلٍa slayer لِلجوعِof hunger قَدindeed كانَwas مِنهُمُamong them
وَكَم قاتِلٍ لِلجوعِ قَد كانَ مِنهُمُ
وَمِنand many a حَيَّةٍserpent قَدindeed كانَwas سُمّاًvenom لُعابُهاits saliva
وَمِن حَيَّةٍ قَد كانَ سُمّاً لُعابُها
And how many a slayer of hunger was among them,
How many they killed when hunger called
And many a serpent whose saliva was venom.
and snakes whose poison tips appalled.
إِذاwhen ذُكِرَتare mentioned أَسمائُهُمtheir names أَوor دُعواthey are called بِهاby them
إِذا ذُكِرَت أَسمائُهُم أَو دُعوا بِها
تَكادُnearly حَيازيميmy breastbones تَفَرّىsplit apart صِلابُهاtheir hard parts
تَكادُ حَيازيمي تَفَرّى صِلابُها
When their names are mentioned, or they are called by them,
When named, or called, my chest's bones crack
The hard bones of my breast nearly split apart.
and my ribs start-such fierce attack!
وَكُنتُand I was بِهِمwith them كَاللَيثِlike the lion فيin خيسِthe thicket غابَةٍof a forest
وَكُنتُ بِهِم كَاللَيثِ في خيسِ غابَةٍ
أَبىa father of ضارِعاتٍtender young ones كانَwere يُرجىlooked to with hope نُشابُهاtheir arrows
أَبى ضارِعاتٍ كانَ يُرجى نُشابُها
With them I was like a lion in a forest thicket,
For them, a lion in wild gorge I'd been,
A father of tender young whose arrows were looked to with hope.
no plea made me defer their need, keen.
وَكُنتُand I was وَإِشرافيand my watching over عَلَيهِمthem وَماand what أَرىI see
وَكُنتُ وَإِشرافي عَلَيهِم وَما أَرى
لِنَفسِيَfor myself إِذsince هُمthey فيin فُؤاديmy heart لُبابُهاits innermost essence
لِنَفسِيَ إِذ هُم في فُؤادي لُبابُها
And I was, in watching over them and all I saw
I and my rule o'er them-I see no trace
For myself—for in my heart they were my soul's essence—
of self when in my heart they've place,
كَراكِزِlike one planting أَرماحٍspears تُجَزِّعنَare splintered بَعدَماafter
كَراكِزِ أَرماحٍ تُجَزِّعنَ بَعدَما
أُقيمَتwere straightened حَوانيهاtheir bends وَسُنَّتand were sharpened حِرابُهاtheir points
أُقيمَت حَوانيها وَسُنَّت حِرابُها
Like one planting spears that were splintered after
Like spear shafts, though the tribes attack,
Their bends were straightened and their points sharpened.
their forts secure, their blades no lack.
إِذاwhen ذَكَرَتremembers عَينيmy eye الَّذينَthose who هُمُthey لَهاfor it
إِذا ذَكَرَت عَيني الَّذينَ هُمُ لَها
قَذىًmotes هيجَwas stirred مِنهاfrom it لِلبُكاءِto weeping اِنسِكابُهاits outpouring
قَذىً هيجَ مِنها لِلبُكاءِ اِنسِكابُها
When my eye recalls those who are its
When my eyes see those who fill their sight,
Motes, its outpouring of tears is stirred.
tears pour that mourn that woeful plight.
بَنيsons of الأَرضِthe earth قَدonce كانواthey were بَنِيَّmy sons فَعَزَّنيbut overcame me
بَني الأَرضِ قَد كانوا بَنِيَّ فَعَزَّني
عَلَيهِمover them لِئاجالِfor the appointed times المَناياof death كِتابُهاits written decree
عَلَيهِم لِئاجالِ المَنايا كِتابُها
Sons of the earth—they were my sons, but I was overpowered
Sons of earth! My sons made me glad.
In my claim to them by death's decree of appointed times.
Now destiny makes me infinitely sad.
وَلَولاand were it not for الَّذيwhat لِلأَرضِis due the earth ماnot ذَهَبَتit went away بِهِمwith them
وَلَولا الَّذي لِلأَرضِ ما ذَهَبَت بِهِم
وَلَمّاnor would تَفَلَّلhave become blunted بِالسُيوفِby swords حِرابُهاits spearheads
وَلَمّا تَفَلَّل بِالسُيوفِ حِرابُها
Were it not for the earth's due, it would not have taken them,
But for whom earth has taken them away
Nor would its spearheads have been blunted by swords.
and swords ripped open war's array,
وَكائِنand how many أَصابَتhas struck مُؤمِناًa believer مِنof مُصيبَةٍan affliction
وَكائِن أَصابَت مُؤمِناً مِن مُصيبَةٍ
عَلىrests with اللَهِGod عُقباهاits outcome وَمِنهُand from Him ثَوابُهاits reward
عَلى اللَهِ عُقباها وَمِنهُ ثَوابُها
And how many an affliction has struck a believer,
Whatever strikes the faithful down
Its outcome resting with God, its reward coming from Him.
rewards shall come, those blows we crown.
هَجَرناwe forsook بُيوتاًhouses أَنto تُزارَbe visited وَأَهلُهاand their inhabitants
هَجَرنا بُيوتاً أَن تُزارَ وَأَهلُها
عَزيزٌgrievous عَلَيناto us ياO نَوارُNawar اِجتِنابُهاavoiding them
عَزيزٌ عَلَينا يا نَوارُ اِجتِنابُها
We have ceased to visit houses and their people;
Homes we shunned could be robbed, and yet
Keeping away from them is grievous to us, O Nawar.
those folk still precious whom we'd not met.
وَداعٍand one praying عَلَيَّagainst me اللَهُGod لَوif مِتُّI died قَدindeed رَأىwould see
وَداعٍ عَلَيَّ اللَهُ لَو مِتُّ قَد رَأى
بِدَعوَتِهِthrough his prayer ماwhat يَتَّقيhe fears لَوif يُجابُهاit were answered
بِدَعوَتِهِ ما يَتَّقي لَو يُجابُها
And many a man praying to God against me would, if I died, see
May God bless me! If I had died before
Through his prayer what he dreads, were it answered.
this happened, wishes bring them back no more.
وَمِنand many a مُتَمَنٍّperson wishing أَنthat أَموتَI die وَقَدand already بَنَتhas built
وَمِن مُتَمَنٍّ أَن أَموتَ وَقَد بَنَت
حَياتيmy life لَهُfor him شُمّاًlofty عِظاماًmighty قِبابُهاits domes
حَياتي لَهُ شُمّاً عِظاماً قِبابُها
And many a man wishes me dead, though it has built—
My hope-to die with life that built for them
My life—domes for him, lofty and mighty.
fragrant tombs with rising domes o'er them.
سَيُبلِغُhe will convey عَنّيon my behalf الأَخطَلَينِthe two Akhtals اِبنَson of غالِبٍGhalib
سَيُبلِغُ عَنّي الأَخطَلَينِ اِبنَ غالِبٍ
وَأَخطَلَand Akhtal بَكرٍof Bakr حينَwhen عَبَّsurged عُبابُهاits flood
وَأَخطَلَ بَكرٍ حينَ عَبَّ عُبابُها
My word will be carried to the two Akhtals—Ibn Ghalib
Two poets will tell Ibn Ghalib for me
And Bakr's Akhtal—when its flood swells,
and Akhtal Bekr when night falls balefully
أَخيmy brother وَخَليليand my close friend التَغلِبِيَّthe Taghlibi وَدونَهُand between us and him
أَخي وَخَليلي التَغلِبِيَّ وَدونَهُ
سَخاويُّbroad desert plains تَنضىare worn lean فيin الفَيافيthe wildernesses رِكابُهاtheir riding-camels
سَخاويُّ تَنضى في الفَيافي رِكابُها
By my brother and friend, the Taghlibi; between us lie
Brother, dear friend from Taghlib, and beyond
Wide wastes, whose riding-camels are worn lean in the wilderness,
Sakhawee-at dawn their mounts wander on.
وَخُنسٌand snub-nosed wild cows تَسوقُdrive السَخلَthe calves كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
وَخُنسٌ تَسوقُ السَخلَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
بِداوِيَّةٍin a desert غَبراءَdusty دُرمٍrounded حِدابُهاits knolls
بِداوِيَّةٍ غَبراءَ دُرمٍ حِدابُها
And snub-nosed wild cows driving their calves each evening
And Khunays leading camels at evening pass
In a dusty desert whose knolls are rounded.
to Daweeya, dust colored, steep their mass.
فَلاso do not تَحسِباyou two think أَنّيthat I تَضَعضَعَhas weakened جانِبيmy flank
فَلا تَحسِبا أَنّي تَضَعضَعَ جانِبي
وَلاءَنَّnor that نارَthe fire الحَربِof war يَخبوdies down شِهابُهاits blaze
وَلاءَنَّ نارَ الحَربِ يَخبو شِهابُها
So do not think, you two, that my flank has given way,
Think not events have shaken my arm, nor flame
Nor that the blaze of war's fire is dying down.
quenched which war will stir again the same.
بَقيتُI remain وَأَبقَتand has left مِنof قَناتيmy spear-shaft مَصابَتيmy affliction
بَقيتُ وَأَبقَت مِن قَناتي مَصابَتي
عَشَوزَنَةًa rugged shaft زَوراءَcrooked صُمّاًsolid كِعابُهاits joints
عَشَوزَنَةً زَوراءَ صُمّاً كِعابُها
I remain, and my affliction has left of my spear-shaft
Still remains in me of Qanat's line the strike
A rugged, crooked shaft, its joints solid.
proud she goat, deaf, whose blows she will not like.
عَلىdespite حَدَثٍa calamity لَوif أَنَّindeed سَلمىSalma أَصابَهاit struck it
عَلى حَدَثٍ لَو أَنَّ سَلمى أَصابَها
بِمِثلِwith the like of بَنِيَّmy sons اِرفَضَّscattered مِنهاfrom it هِضابُهاits crags
بِمِثلِ بَنِيَّ اِرفَضَّ مِنها هِضابُها
Despite a calamity: had it struck Salma
At news that Salma underwent such as took
With a loss like that of my sons, its crags would have scattered.
my sons, mountains themselves would shudder and rebuke.
وَماand not زِلتُI ceased أَرميI assail الحَربَwar حَتّىuntil تَرَكتُهاI left it
وَما زِلتُ أَرمي الحَربَ حَتّى تَرَكتُها
كَسيرَbroken الجَناحِof wing ماnot تَدِفَّflutters عُقابُهاits eagle
كَسيرَ الجَناحِ ما تَدِفَّ عُقابُها
I never ceased assailing war until I left it
Still I wage war until I leave it behind
Broken-winged, its eagle no longer able to flutter.
like feathers molting that eagles won't find.
إِذاwhen ماemphasis اِمتَراهاsought her milk الحالِبونَthe milkers عَصَبتُهاI bound her
إِذا ما اِمتَراها الحالِبونَ عَصَبتُها
عَلىupon الجَمرِthe embers حَتّىuntil ماnot يَدِرُّyields milk عِصابُهاher milking-band
عَلى الجَمرِ حَتّى ما يَدِرُّ عِصابُها
When the milkers sought her milk, I bound her
When enemies try to milk it I twist tight
Upon the embers, until her milking-band drew no milk.
its teats until they get no sip however they might,
وَأَقعَتand crouched عَلىupon الأَذنابِthe tails كُلُّevery قَبيلَةٍtribe
وَأَقعَت عَلى الأَذنابِ كُلُّ قَبيلَةٍ
عَلىin مَضَضٍpain مِنّيfrom me وَذَلَّتand were humbled رِقابُهاtheir necks
عَلى مَضَضٍ مِنّي وَذَلَّت رِقابُها
And every tribe crouched on its tails,
And I fall on their necks so every clan will go
Smarting at my hands, its necks bowed low.
cowed by me, heads bowed down very low.
أَخٌa brother لَكُماto you both إِنif عَضَّhe bites بِالحَربِinto war أَصبَحَتit becomes
أَخٌ لَكُما إِن عَضَّ بِالحَربِ أَصبَحَت
ذَلولاًtame وَإِنand if عَضَّتit bites بِهِat him فُلَّis blunted نابُهاits fang
ذَلولاً وَإِن عَضَّت بِهِ فُلَّ نابُها
A brother to you both: if he bites into war, it becomes
You are brothers when war bites you bare its teeth,
Tame; and if it bites him, its fang is blunted.
and when you bite its fangs fall underneath!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.