أَسَأَلتَhave you questioned رَسمَthe trace of الدارِthe dwelling أَمor لَمnot تَسأَلِyou ask
أَسَأَلتَ رَسمَ الدارِ أَم لَم تَسأَلِ
بَينَbetween الجَوابيal-Jawabi فَالبُضَيعِand al-Budayʿ فَحَومَلِand Hawmal
بَينَ الجَوابي فَالبُضَيعِ فَحَومَلِ
Have you questioned the trace of the dwelling, or have you not?
Did you ask about the abode or did you not ask?
Between al-Jawabi, al-Budayʿ, and Hawmal,
Between the two answers is the desolate wilderness and Homal.
فَالمَرجِand al-Marj مَرجِthe meadow of الصُفَّرَينِal-Suffarayn فَجاسِمٍand Jasim
فَالمَرجِ مَرجِ الصُفَّرَينِ فَجاسِمٍ
فَدِيارِand the dwellings of سَلمىSalma دُرَّساًeffaced لَمnot تُحلَلِbe inhabited
فَدِيارِ سَلمى دُرَّساً لَم تُحلَلِ
And al-Marj, Marj al-Suffarayn, and Jasim,
The meadow of yellow grass and pouring rain,
And Salma's dwellings, effaced and uninhabited?
The abodes of Salma laid with no adobe bricks.
أَقوىlay deserted وَعُطِّلَand was abandoned مِنهُمُby them فَكَأَنَّهُso it was as though
أَقوى وَعُطِّلَ مِنهُمُ فَكَأَنَّهُ
بَعدَafter البِلىdecay آيُthe markings of الكِتابِthe book المُجمَلِembellished
بَعدَ البِلى آيُ الكِتابِ المُجمَلِ
It lay deserted and abandoned by them, as though it were,
It became stronger and was neglected by them, so it is
After decay, the markings of an embellished book.
After decay, like obscure verses in the scripture.
دَمِنٌcampsite remnants تَعاقَبَهاvisited them in turn الرِياحُthe winds دَوارِسٌeffaced
دَمِنٌ تَعاقَبَها الرِياحُ دَوارِسٌ
وَالمُدجِناتُand the rain-clouds مِنَfrom السِماكِal-Simak الأَعزَلِthe Unarmed
وَالمُدجِناتُ مِنَ السِماكِ الأَعزَلِ
Effaced campsite remnants, swept in turn by the winds
Abodes taken by turns by the winds, round about them,
And the rain-clouds from al-Simak the Unarmed.
With palm-trunk ceilings without branches above.
فَالعَينُso the eye عانِيَةٌsuffering تَفيضُoverflow دُموعُهاits tears
فَالعَينُ عانِيَةٌ تَفيضُ دُموعُها
لِمَنازِلٍfor dwellings دَرَسَتwere effaced كَأَنas though لَمnot تُؤهَلِbe inhabited
لِمَنازِلٍ دَرَسَت كَأَن لَم تُؤهَلِ
So the suffering eye overflows with tears
My eyes are suffering, their tears pouring forth
For dwellings effaced, as though never inhabited.
For dwellings whose traces were erased as if never inhabited.
دارٌa dwelling لِقَومٍof a people قَدindeed أَراهُمI saw them مَرَّةًonce
دارٌ لِقَومٍ قَد أَراهُم مَرَّةً
فَوقَabove الأَعِزَّةِthe mighty عِزُّهُمtheir glory لَمnot يُنقَلِbe displaced
فَوقَ الأَعِزَّةِ عِزُّهُم لَم يُنقَلِ
A dwelling of people whom I once saw,
An abode of a people I saw them once
Their glory above the mighty, never displaced.
When their glory was above all glory, never transferred.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّexcellence عِصابَةٍa company نادَمتُهُمI drank with them
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ عِصابَةٍ نادَمتُهُم
يَوماًone day بِجِلَّقَin Jilliq فيin الزَمانِthe time الأَوَّلِearlier
يَوماً بِجِلَّقَ في الزَمانِ الأَوَّلِ
God bless the company with whom I drank
For God's sake, the loss of a band I regretted,
One day in Jilliq, in the days of old.
One day at Juljaq in time long past.
يَمشونَthey walk فيin الحُلَلِfine robes المُضاعَفِdoubled نَسجُهاtheir weave
يَمشونَ في الحُلَلِ المُضاعَفِ نَسجُها
مَشيَthe gait of الجِمالِcamels إِلىtoward الجِمالِcamels البُزَّلِfull-grown
مَشيَ الجِمالِ إِلى الجِمالِ البُزَّلِ
They walk in robes whose weave is doubled,
Walking about in overlapping robes, their gait
With the gait of camels approaching full-grown camels.
Like that of camels, to camels with splendid howdahs.
الضارِبونَthose who strike الكَبشَthe ram-like champion يَبرُقُflashes بَيضُهُhis helmets
الضارِبونَ الكَبشَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُهُ
ضَرباًwith blows يَطيحُfly off لَهُbecause of it بَنانُfingers المَفصِلِthe joint
ضَرباً يَطيحُ لَهُ بَنانُ المَفصِلِ
Those who strike the ram-like champion, his helmets flashing,
Striking the sheep whose whiteness flashes
With blows that send fingers flying from their joints.
With a blow making its joints give way.
وَالخالِطونَand those who mingle فَقيرَهُمtheir poor بِغَنِيِّهِمwith their rich
وَالخالِطونَ فَقيرَهُم بِغَنِيِّهِم
وَالمُنعِمونَand those who give generously عَلىto الضَعيفِthe weak المُرمِلِthe destitute
وَالمُنعِمونَ عَلى الضَعيفِ المُرمِلِ
And those who mingle their poor with their rich,
Mixing their poor with their wealthy,
And give generously to the weak and destitute.
Bestowing favors on the weak and destitute.
أَولادُsons of جَفنَةَJafna حَولَaround قَبرِthe grave of أبيهِمُtheir father
أَولادُ جَفنَةَ حَولَ قَبرِ أبيهِمُ
قَبرِthe grave of اِبنِthe son of مارِيَةَMariya الكَريمِthe noble المُفضِلِthe generous
قَبرِ اِبنِ مارِيَةَ الكَريمِ المُفضِلِ
The sons of Jafna, around their father's grave,
The sons of Jafnah, around the grave of their father,
The grave of Ibn Mariya, the noble, generous man.
The grave of the son of Mariyah, generous and preferred.
يُغشَونَthey are visited حَتّىuntil ماnot تَهِرُّgrowl كِلابُهُمtheir dogs
يُغشَونَ حَتّى ما تَهِرُّ كِلابُهُم
لاnot يَسأَلونَthey ask عَنِabout السَوادِthe dark figure المُقبِلِapproaching
لا يَسأَلونَ عَنِ السَوادِ المُقبِلِ
They are visited so often that their dogs no longer growl;
They live there until even their dogs do not bark
They ask nothing about the dark figure approaching.
And do not ask about the approaching darkness.
يَسقونَthey give drink to مَنwhoever وَرَدَcomes to البَريصَal-Baris عَلَيهِمُto them
يَسقونَ مَن وَرَدَ البَريصَ عَلَيهِمُ
بَرَدىBarada يُصَفِّقُmingles بِالرَحيقِwith pure wine السَلسَلِsmooth-flowing
بَرَدى يُصَفِّقُ بِالرَحيقِ السَلسَلِ
They give drink to whoever comes to them at al-Baris,
They give drink to whoever comes upon them
Barada's water, mingling with smooth, pure wine.
With pure wine that claps with the tinkling of the pendant.
يُسقَونَthey are given drink دِرياقَthe elixir of الرَحيقِpure wine وَلَمand not تَكُنwere
يُسقَونَ دِرياقَ الرَحيقِ وَلَم تَكُن
تُدعىbe summoned وَلائِدُهُمtheir slave girls لِنَقفِto crack الحَنظَلِcolocynth
تُدعى وَلائِدُهُم لِنَقفِ الحَنظَلِ
They are served the elixir of pure wine, and never were
They are given to drink a draft of pure wine, though
Their slave girls summoned to crack colocynth.
Their mares were not called to the soft dunes.
بيضُwhite الوُجوهِfaces كَريمَةٌnoble أَحسابُهُمtheir ancestral honors
بيضُ الوُجوهِ كَريمَةٌ أَحسابُهُم
شُمُّlofty الأُنوفِnoses مِنَof الطِرازِthe rank الأَوَّلِforemost
شُمُّ الأُنوفِ مِنَ الطِرازِ الأَوَّلِ
Fair of face, noble in their ancestral honors,
The faces white, their lineage noble,
Proud-nosed, of the foremost rank.
The scent of their noses of excellent pedigree.
فَعَلَوتُso I went up مِنfrom أَرضِthe land of البَريصِal-Baris إِلَيهِمُto them
فَعَلَوتُ مِن أَرضِ البَريصِ إِلَيهِمُ
حَتّىuntil اِتَّكَأتُI reclined بِمَنزِلٍin a dwelling لَمnot يوغَلِbe entered deeply
حَتّى اِتَّكَأتُ بِمَنزِلٍ لَم يوغَلِ
So I went up to them from the land of al-Baris,
I ascended from the land of Barys unto them
Until I reclined in a dwelling none had ventured far into.
Until I leaned upon an abode never explored.
نَغدوwe go at dawn بِناجودٍwith a wine-jar وَمُسمِعَةٍand a songstress لَناfor us
نَغدو بِناجودٍ وَمُسمِعَةٍ لَنا
بَينَbetween الكُرومِthe vineyards وَبَينَand between جَزعِthe valley bend of القَسطَلِal-Qastal
بَينَ الكُرومِ وَبَينَ جَزعِ القَسطَلِ
We go at dawn with a wine-jar and a songstress for us,
We walk about with carpets and musical instruments,
Between the vineyards and the valley bend of al-Qastal.
Between vineyards and slender palm trunks.
فَلَبِثتُso I stayed أَزماناًperiods of time طِوالاًlong فيهِمُamong them
فَلَبِثتُ أَزماناً طِوالاً فيهِمُ
ثُمَّthen اِدَّكَرتُI remembered كَأَنَّنيas though I لَمnot أَفعَلِhad done
ثُمَّ اِدَّكَرتُ كَأَنَّني لَم أَفعَلِ
So I stayed among them for long stretches of time,
I remained among them for ages long,
Then I remembered—as though I had never done so.
Then it was as if I had never done so.
إِماif indeed تَرَيyou see رَأسيmy head تَغَيَّرَhas changed لَونُهُits color
إِما تَرَي رَأسي تَغَيَّرَ لَونُهُ
شَمَطاًgrizzled فَأَصبَحَso it became كَالثَغامِlike thagham grass المُحِولِa year old
شَمَطاً فَأَصبَحَ كَالثَغامِ المُحِولِ
If you see that my head's color has changed,
You would see my head changed of color,
To grizzled gray, now like year-old thagham grass,
Becoming grizzled, like a overturned cooking pot.
فَلَقَدfor indeed يَرانيsee me موعِدِيَّmy threateners كَأَنَّنيas though I
فَلَقَد يَراني موعِدِيَّ كَأَنَّني
فيin قَصرِthe castle of دومَةَDuma أَوor سَواءِthe center of الهَيكَلِthe temple
في قَصرِ دومَةَ أَو سَواءِ الهَيكَلِ
For those who threaten me see me as though I were
Indeed my friend sees me as if I were
In Duma's castle, or the very center of the temple.
In the palace of Domah or on the Sawa plain.
وَلَقَدand indeed شَرِبتُI drank الخَمرَwine فيin حانوتِهاits tavern
وَلَقَد شَرِبتُ الخَمرَ في حانوتِها
صَهباءَtawny صافِيَةًclear كَطَعمِlike the taste of الفُلفُلِpepper
صَهباءَ صافِيَةً كَطَعمِ الفُلفُلِ
And I have indeed drunk wine in its tavern,
And I have drunk wine in its taverns
Tawny and clear, tasting like pepper.
Pale, clear, tasting like pepper.
يَسعىhurries عَلَيَّto me بِكَأسِهاwith its cup مُتَنَطِّفٌwearing earrings
يَسعى عَلَيَّ بِكَأسِها مُتَنَطِّفٌ
فَيَعُلُّنيso he gives me a second draught مِنهاof it وَلَوeven though لَمnot أَنهَلِI take a first draught
فَيَعُلُّني مِنها وَلَو لَم أَنهَلِ
An earringed attendant comes to me with its cup,
The waiter bustles toward me with his cup
So he gives me a second draught of it, though I have not taken a first.
Raising me with it even if I do not partake.
إِنَّindeed الَّتيthe one that ناوَلتَنيyou handed me فَرَدَدتُهاso I returned it
إِنَّ الَّتي ناوَلتَني فَرَدَدتُها
قُتِلَتwas killed by dilution قُتِلتَmay you be killed فَهاتِهاso bring it لَمnot تُقتَلِbe killed by dilution
قُتِلَت قُتِلتَ فَهاتِها لَم تُقتَلِ
Indeed, the one you handed me, which I sent back,
The one who handed it to me and I returned it—
Was killed—may you be killed! Bring it to me unkilled.
“Kill her, kill her,” I said, “Bring it, do not kill her.”
كِلتاهُماboth of them حَلَبُthe milk of العَصيرِpressed juice فَعاطِنيso hand me
كِلتاهُما حَلَبُ العَصيرِ فَعاطِني
بِزُجاجَةٍin a glass أَرخاهُماthe more relaxing of the two لِلمَفصِلِfor the joint
بِزُجاجَةٍ أَرخاهُما لِلمَفصِلِ
Both are the milk of pressed juice; so hand me
Both of them squeeze the juice, giving me
A glass of whichever of the two most loosens the joints.
A bottle they swing to the joints.
بِزُجاجَةٍin a glass رَقَصَتdanced بِماwith what فيin قَعرِهاits bottom
بِزُجاجَةٍ رَقَصَت بِما في قَعرِها
رَقَصَthe dance of القَلوصِa young she-camel بِراكِبٍwith a rider مُستَعجِلِin haste
رَقَصَ القَلوصِ بِراكِبٍ مُستَعجِلِ
A glass that danced with what lay in its depths,
A bottle that dances with what is inside
Like a young she-camel dancing beneath a hurried rider.
Dances like the swaying of a camel with a hurried rider.
نَسَبيmy lineage أَصيلٌdeep-rooted فيamong الكِرامِthe noble وَمِذوَديand my defending tongue
نَسَبي أَصيلٌ في الكِرامِ وَمِذوَدي
تَكويsear مَواسِمُهُits branding irons جُنوبَthe flanks of المُصطَليone warming himself
تَكوي مَواسِمُهُ جُنوبَ المُصطَلي
My lineage is deep-rooted among the noble, and my defending tongue—
My lineage is honorable, generous,
Its branding irons sear the flanks of whoever warms himself at it.
Its seasons ripen in the south wind’s warmth.
وَلَقَدand indeed تُقَلِّدُناentrusts us with العَشيرَةُthe clan أَمرَهاits affairs
وَلَقَد تُقَلِّدُنا العَشيرَةُ أَمرَها
وَنَسودُand we lead يَومَthe day of النائِباتِcalamities وَنَعتَليand we rise high
وَنَسودُ يَومَ النائِباتِ وَنَعتَلي
And the clan indeed entrusts us with its affairs,
The tribe entrusts its affairs to us
And we lead on days of calamity and rise high.
And we master the day of calamities and endure them.
وَيَسودُand leads سَيِّدُناour chief جَحاجِحَmighty men سادَةًlords
وَيَسودُ سَيِّدُنا جَحاجِحَ سادَةً
وَيُصيبُand strikes قائِلُناour speaker سَواءَthe very center of المَفصِلِthe joint
وَيُصيبُ قائِلُنا سَواءَ المَفصِلِ
And our chief holds sway over mighty lords,
Our lord roams about the nobles,
And our speaker strikes the joint at its very center.
And our speaker hits the joints with his speech.
وَنُحاوِلُand we undertake الأَمرَthe matter المُهِمَّweighty خِطابُهُits discussion
وَنُحاوِلُ الأَمرَ المُهِمَّ خِطابُهُ
فيهِمamong them وَنَفصِلُand we resolve كُلَّevery أَمرٍaffair مُعضِلِknotty
فيهِم وَنَفصِلُ كُلَّ أَمرٍ مُعضِلِ
And we undertake the matter whose discussion is weighty
We undertake the important matter—its discourse
Among them, and resolve every knotty affair.
Among them we elucidate each complex issue.
وَتَزورُand visit أَبوابَthe doors of المُلوكِthe kings رِكابُناour riding camels
وَتَزورُ أَبوابَ المُلوكِ رِكابُنا
وَمَتىand whenever نُحَكَّمwe are made judges فيamong البَرِيَّةِhumankind نَعدِلِwe act justly
وَمَتى نُحَكَّم في البَرِيَّةِ نَعدِلِ
And our riding camels visit the doors of kings,
Our mounts frequent the gates of kings,
And whenever we are made judges among humankind, we act justly.
And when we arbitrate in the wilderness, we are just.
وَفَتىًand a youth يُحِبُّloves الحَمدَpraise يَجعَلُplaces مالَهُhis wealth
وَفَتىً يُحِبُّ الحَمدَ يَجعَلُ مالَهُ
مِنfrom دونِin front of والِدِهِhis father وَإِنeven if لَمnot يُسأَلِhe is asked
مِن دونِ والِدِهِ وَإِن لَم يُسأَلِ
And a youth who loves praise places his wealth
A gallant man who loves praise places his wealth
As a shield for his father, even when not asked.
Aside from his father even if not asked.
يُعطيhe gives العَشيرَةَthe clan حَقَّهاits due وَيَزيدُهاand gives it more
يُعطي العَشيرَةَ حَقَّها وَيَزيدُها
وَيَحوطُهاand he guards it فيin النائِباتِcalamities المُعضِلِgrievous
وَيَحوطُها في النائِباتِ المُعضِلِ
He gives the clan its due and adds still more,
He gives the tribe its due and increases it,
And guards it in grievous calamities.
Protecting it in baffling adversities.
باكَرتُI sought at dawn لَذَّتَهُhis delight وَماand not ماطَلتُهاI deferred it
باكَرتُ لَذَّتَهُ وَما ماطَلتُها
بِزُجاجَةٍwith a glass مِنfrom خَيرِthe best كَرمٍgrapevines أَهدَلِdrooping-branched
بِزُجاجَةٍ مِن خَيرِ كَرمٍ أَهدَلِ
At dawn I sought his delight, and did not defer it,
I enjoyed it early on and did not defer it
With a glass from the finest, drooping-branched vines.
With a bottle from the best mature vineyard.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.