عَرَّجTurn aside فَحَيِّthen greet مَنازِلَthe dwellings الأَحبابِof the beloved
عَرَّج فَحَيِّ مَنازِلَ الأَحبابِ
مَحَّتhave faded كَماas مَحَّتhave faded سُطُورُthe lines كِتابِof a book
مَحَّت كَما مَحَّت سُطُورُ كِتابِ
Turn aside, then greet the dwellings of the beloved;
He passed by the dwellings of friends
they have faded, as the lines of a book fade.
And erased them as lines of a book were erased
وَالمِمand visit بِدارٍat a dwelling لِلرَّبابِof Rabab وَقُلand say لَهاto it
وَالمِم بِدارٍ لِلرَّبابِ وَقُل لَها
ياO دارُdwelling جادَmay water generously رُباكِyour hills صَوبُthe downpour رَبابِof clouds
يا دارُ جادَ رُباكِ صَوبُ رَبابِ
And visit a dwelling of Rabab's, and say to it:
And pitched his tent in the land for the lovely one and said to it
O dwelling, may the downpour of clouds water your hills.
O land, your Lord has set out towards the lovely one
فَلَطَالَماfor long indeed حَلَّتshe dwelt بِرَبعِكَin your abode كاعِبٌa budding maiden
فَلَطَالَما حَلَّت بِرَبعِكَ كاعِبٌ
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon بَينَamong كَواعِبِbudding maidens أَترابِof equal age
كَالبَدرِ بَينَ كَواعِبِ أَترابِ
For long a budding maiden dwelt within your abode,
For long there encamped in your countryside a beauty
like the full moon among budding maidens of her age.
Like the full moon among the beauties of sand dunes
لَولاbut for مَراشِفُهاher lips العِذابُsweet لَماwould not have هَوىfallen
لَولا مَراشِفُها العِذابُ لَما هَوى
جَلَدِيmy fortitude وَلاnor غَرِيَbecame attached الهَوىlove بِعَذابيto tormenting me
جَلَدِي وَلا غَرِيَ الهَوى بِعَذابي
But for her sweet lips, there would have been no fall
Had it not been for its pillows being torment, my skin would not have fallen in love
of my fortitude, nor would love have grown fond of tormenting me.
Nor would love have deceived me with its torment
عَتَبَتshe reproached عَلىover بُعدِthe distance المَزارِof visiting وَكَيفَand how لِيfor me
عَتَبَت عَلى بُعدِ المَزارِ وَكَيفَ لِي
لَوif زالَceased ذاكَthat العَتبُreproach بِالإِعتابِthrough making amends
لَو زالَ ذاكَ العَتبُ بِالإِعتابِ
She reproached me for distant visits—how would I fare
She blamed the distance to the dwelling, and how could I
if that reproach were dispelled by making amends?
If that blame had gone with pleading?
لاdo not تُذنِبِيhold guilty الرَجُلَthe man الغَرِيبَa stranger عَلىfor النَوىthe separation
لا تُذنِبِي الرَجُلَ الغَرِيبَ عَلى النَوى
فَالذَنبُfor the blame ذَنبُis the blame غُرابِكِof your raven النَعّابِcawing
فَالذَنبُ ذَنبُ غُرابِكِ النَعّابِ
Do not blame the stranger for the separation;
Do not blame the stranger man for intending
the blame belongs to your cawing raven.
The blame belongs to the slanderous spying crow
وَاستَغفِرِيand seek forgiveness مِمّاfor what جَنَيتِyou committed وَقَدwhen already حَداurged onward
وَاستَغفِرِي مِمّا جَنَيتِ وَقَد حَدا
حادِيthe camel-driver النَوىof parting بِرِكابِكُمwith your riding camels وَرِكابِيand my riding camels
حادِي النَوى بِرِكابِكُم وَرِكابِي
And seek forgiveness for what you did, when they were driven on
Ask forgiveness for what you have harvested while the love
by the driver of parting—your riding camels and mine.
For the encampment has confounded me and my riding camel
يَومَon the day of النَظِيرُal-Nazir (literally, the counterpart; reference unclear) وَقَدwhen already سَأَلتُكِI asked you for نَظرَةًa glance
يَومَ النَظِيرُ وَقَد سَأَلتُكِ نَظرَةً
ماwhat كانَwould have ضَرَّكِharmed you لَوif رَدَدتِyou returned جَوابيa reply to me
ما كانَ ضَرَّكِ لَو رَدَدتِ جَوابي
On the day of al-Nazir, when I asked you for a glance,
The day I saw my equal and asked for a glance
what harm would it have done you to answer me?
It would not have harmed you had you reciprocated
ياO هَذِهِyou, woman لاdo not تَحسَبِينيthink me واهِباًone who gives
يا هَذِهِ لا تَحسَبِيني واهِباً
لَكُمُto you دَميmy blood المَطلُولَshed unavenged يَومَon the day of حِسابيmy reckoning
لَكُمُ دَمي المَطلُولَ يَومَ حِسابي
O you, do not think I shall freely give
O you, do not think I would give
you my blood, shed unavenged, on my day of reckoning.
You my blood that is owed the day I am called to account
وَلَقَدand indeed ضَنِيتُI wasted away فَماso not يَكادُalmost مِنَfrom النَوىseparation
وَلَقَد ضَنِيتُ فَما يَكادُ مِنَ النَوى
جَسَدِيmy body يَبِينُis visible لِطَيفِكِto your phantom المُنتَابِthat keeps visiting
جَسَدِي يَبِينُ لِطَيفِكِ المُنتَابِ
And I have wasted away; through separation, scarcely
And I have been emaciated so that from my body’s slenderness
is my body visible to your visiting phantom.
It can hardly make out your delicate complexion
أَهلاًwelcome وَسَهلاًand welcome بِالخَيالِto the phantom فَإِنَّهُfor it
أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالخَيالِ فَإِنَّهُ
حَيّalive فَأَحيَانِيand so revived me وفَرَّجَand relieved ماwhat بِيwas in me
حَيّ فَأَحيَانِي وفَرَّجَ ما بِي
Welcome, welcome to the phantom, for it
Hello and welcome to the imagination for it
is alive, and revived me and relieved my affliction.
Gives life and relieves what I have
وَشَكَوتُand I complained فيin كَبِدِيmy liver إِلَيهِto it مِنَfrom الجَوىburning anguish
وَشَكَوتُ في كَبِدِي إِلَيهِ مِنَ الجَوى
ناراًa fire فَبَرَّدَهاand cooled it بِبَردِwith the coolness of رُضابِsweet saliva
ناراً فَبَرَّدَها بِبَردِ رُضابِ
And I complained to it of longing's anguish in my liver:
And I complained to it of the torment of love in my mind
a fire it cooled with the coolness of sweet saliva.
A fire, so it cooled it with the frosting of a mirage
وَتَنُوفَةٍand a desert waste سِربُa flock النَعامِof ostriches كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَتَنُوفَةٍ سِربُ النَعامِ كَأَنَّهُ
فِيهاin it سَفِينٌships فيin بُحُورِseas سَرابِof mirage
فِيها سَفِينٌ في بُحُورِ سَرابِ
And a desert waste, whose ostrich flock seemed
And of Taneufah where the flock of ostriches was as though
like ships within it upon seas of mirage—
In it were vessels amidst the seas of mirage
داوِيَّةٍa vast wilderness قَفرٍbarren طَوَيتُI crossed مُتُونَهاits broad expanses
داوِيَّةٍ قَفرٍ طَوَيتُ مُتُونَها
بِنَجِيبَةٍon a choice she-camel مَطوِيَّةِdrawn-in الأَقرابِflanks
بِنَجِيبَةٍ مَطوِيَّةِ الأَقرابِ
a vast, barren wilderness: I crossed its broad expanses
And of Dawiyah an arid desert whose expanses I have traversed
on a choice she-camel with drawn-in flanks,
With a mother camel who bends over her pouch
مَوّارَةِswiftly swinging الضَبعَينِthe upper forelegs أَذهَبَwore away نَيَّهاher fat
مَوّارَةِ الضَبعَينِ أَذهَبَ نَيَّها
نِيّاتُtravel plans شَعثٍa disheveled man لِلفَلاthrough the wastes جَوّابِa tireless roamer
نِيّاتُ شَعثٍ لِلفَلا جَوّابِ
her upper forelegs swinging swiftly, her fat worn away by
Neglectful of her two cubs so that the intentions of a dishevelled
the travel plans of a disheveled roamer of the wastes.
Could find no response for the separated one
شَكَتِshe complained of الكَلالَfatigue فَماbut not شَكَوتُI complained وَدَأبُهاand her constant lot
شَكَتِ الكَلالَ فَما شَكَوتُ وَدَأبُها
ماwhat تَشتَكِيهِshe complains of مِنَof الكَلالِfatigue وَدابِيand my constant lot
ما تَشتَكِيهِ مِنَ الكَلالِ وَدابِي
She complained of fatigue, but I did not; her constant lot
She complained of nightfall while my custom is not
is the fatigue she complains of, and mine as well,
To complain of what she complains of night and day
حَتّىuntil تُبَلِّغَنيshe brings me to المُعِزَّal-Muʿizz فَإِنَّهُfor he
حَتّى تُبَلِّغَني المُعِزَّ فَإِنَّهُ
رِيفُfertile land العُفاةِof supplicants وَمَنجَعُand the pasture of الطُلّابِseekers
رِيفُ العُفاةِ وَمَنجَعُ الطُلّابِ
until she brings me to al-Muʿizz, for he is
Until you convey unto the chief for he
the fertile land of supplicants and the pasture of seekers.
Is the countryside of the camel drivers and the student’s dwelling
أَلِفَbecame familiar with المُرُوَّةَnoble conduct مِنsince صِباهُhis boyhood فَقَلبُهُso his heart
أَلِفَ المُرُوَّةَ مِن صِباهُ فَقَلبُهُ
أَبَداًforever إِلىtoward تِلكَthat المُرُوَّةِnoble conduct صابِinclined
أَبَداً إِلى تِلكَ المُرُوَّةِ صابِ
He has embraced noble conduct since boyhood; his heart
He who adapted wilderness since his youth so that his heart
forever inclines toward that noble conduct.
Forever inclines towards that wilderness
يُخشىis feared وَيُرجىand is looked to with hope فَهوَso he كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
يُخشى وَيُرجى فَهوَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
لَمdid not يَخلُlack فيهاin it مِنof نَدىًbounty وَعِقابِand punishment
لَم يَخلُ فيها مِن نَدىً وَعِقابِ
He is feared and looked to with hope; each evening,
He is feared and hoped in so that every evening
he is never without bounty and punishment.
He never lacks some nourishment and requital
ذُوpossessed of عَزمَةٍfirm resolve تَنجابُfalls away كُلُّevery كَرِيهَةٍperil
ذُو عَزمَةٍ تَنجابُ كُلُّ كَرِيهَةٍ
عَنfrom وَجهِهِhis face فيin القَسطَلِbattle-dust المُنجابِdispersing
عَن وَجهِهِ في القَسطَلِ المُنجابِ
He has firm resolve: every peril falls away
A man of determination whom every villainy
from before his face amid the dispersing battle-dust,
Leaps away from before his frowning face
وَالسُمرُand the brown spears تَخطِرُsway فيin الصُدُورِchests صُدُورُهاtheir points
وَالسُمرُ تَخطِرُ في الصُدُورِ صُدُورُها
وَتُخَلِّفُand leave behind الأَعقابَthe butt-ends لِلأَعقابِfor those at the rear
وَتُخَلِّفُ الأَعقابَ لِلأَعقابِ
while brown spears sway, their points within chests,
Riders plunge into breasts and their plunging
and leave their butt-ends to those at the rear.
Leaves footsteps for more footsteps
فيin مَأزِقٍa tight clash يَنبُوglances off الحُسامُthe keen sword وَقَلبُهُyet his heart
في مَأزِقٍ يَنبُو الحُسامُ وَقَلبُهُ
مِثلُlike الحُسامِthe keen sword العَضبِsharp-edged لَيسَis not بِنابِone that glances off
مِثلُ الحُسامِ العَضبِ لَيسَ بِنابِ
In a tight clash where the sword glances off, his heart
When in straits, swords shine while his heart
is like a sharp sword that never glances off.
Is like the angry sword, disdainful of sheathing
مَلِكٌa king مَراتِبُهُhis ranks أَجَلُّthe loftiest مَراتِبٍranks
مَلِكٌ مَراتِبُهُ أَجَلُّ مَراتِبٍ
وَنِصابُهُand his lineage فيin المَجدِglory خَيرُthe finest نِصابِlineage
وَنِصابُهُ في المَجدِ خَيرُ نِصابِ
A king whose ranks are the most exalted ranks,
A sovereign whose ranks are the greatest ranks
and whose lineage in glory is the finest lineage.
And whose influence in glory is the best influence
زَينُthe ornament الفَوارِسِof horsemen وَالمَذاكيwhile the mature steeds شُزَّبٌare lean
زَينُ الفَوارِسِ وَالمَذاكي شُزَّبٌ
تَردِيgallop وَزَينُand the ornament مَجالِسِof gatherings الشُرّابِof drinkers
تَردِي وَزَينُ مَجالِسِ الشُرّابِ
The ornament of horsemen, while lean, full-grown steeds
Ornament of knights and carousers, a decoration
gallop; and the ornament of drinkers' gatherings.
Returning while the ornament of drinking sessions
وَلَقَدand indeed بَنىhe built لِلمَجدِfor glory بَيتَa house of مَكارِمٍnoble deeds
وَلَقَد بَنى لِلمَجدِ بَيتَ مَكارِمٍ
لَمdid not يَخلُlack مِنof فَضلٍexcellence وَبَذلِand bestowal of رِغابِlavish gifts
لَم يَخلُ مِن فَضلٍ وَبَذلِ رِغابِ
He has indeed built for glory a house of noble deeds,
And he has built for glory, a house of noble deeds
never devoid of excellence and the bestowal of lavish gifts;
Lacking no excellence or freely given favour
بَيتاًa house لَهُfor it مِنfrom ذِيthe Possessor of الجَلالِMajesty دَعائِمٌsupports
بَيتاً لَهُ مِن ذِي الجَلالِ دَعائِمٌ
تُغنيهِmake it self-sufficient عَنwithout عَمَدٍpillars وَعَنand without أَطنابِtent ropes
تُغنيهِ عَن عَمَدٍ وَعَن أَطنابِ
a house with supports from the Lord of Majesty
A house supported for him by the Owner of Majesty,
that spare it any need for pillars and tent ropes.
Dispensing for him pillars and ropes
تَجِدُfind المَقاوِيthe hungry (word uncertain) فيهِin it كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
تَجِدُ المَقاوِي فيهِ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
غُرَّgleaming الجِفانِserving bowls كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were خَوابِstorage jars
غُرَّ الجِفانِ كَأَنَّهُنَّ خَوابِ
Within it, every evening, the hungry find
Therein you find every evening the fish
gleaming serving bowls, as though they were storage jars.
Like spheres of lightning as if spellbound
لاdoes not يَعرِفُknow الفِعلَthe deed القَبيحَfoul وَلاnor يَرىsee
لا يَعرِفُ الفِعلَ القَبيحَ وَلا يَرى
أَحَدٌanyone عَلَيهِagainst him طَريقَةًa path لِمَعابِto reproach
أَحَدٌ عَلَيهِ طَريقَةً لِمَعابِ
He knows no foul deed, nor does
Knowing no ugly deed nor sees anyone
anyone find in him a path to reproach.
As having a way to find fault with him
مَلِكٌa king حَبانيfavored me بالجَميلِwith kindness فَواجِبٌso it is a duty
مَلِكٌ حَباني بالجَميلِ فَواجِبٌ
أَلّاthat not أُرىI be seen فيin حُبِّهِmy love for him بِمُحابِas one showing partiality
أَلّا أُرى في حُبِّهِ بِمُحابِ
A king who favored me with kindness; it is therefore my duty
A gracious sovereign so it is incumbent
not to be seen as partial in my love for him.
I should not see any spite in loving him
لَكِنbut أَصُوغُI fashion لَهُfor him الثَناءَpraise مُحَبَّراًrichly adorned
لَكِن أَصُوغُ لَهُ الثَناءَ مُحَبَّراً
يَبقىendures عَلىthrough الأَعوامِthe years وَالأَحقابِand the ages
يَبقى عَلى الأَعوامِ وَالأَحقابِ
But I fashion for him richly adorned praise
Yet I pen praise gilded for him
that endures through the years and ages:
Remaining over years and epochs
مَدحاًpraise كَأَنَّas though الرَوضَthe garden فاحَspread fragrance نَسِيمُهُits breeze
مَدحاً كَأَنَّ الرَوضَ فاحَ نَسِيمُهُ
وَيَذُبُّand wards off ماwhat يُخشىis feared بِحَدِّwith the keen edge of ذُبابِa sword-point
وَيَذُبُّ ما يُخشى بِحَدِّ ذُبابِ
praise as though a garden's breeze had spread its fragrance.
Praise like the meadow whose breeze blows fragrance
And what is feared is warded off with a sword's keen point.
And which wards off what is feared with mere buzzing insects
قَدindeed كانَhad been أُغلِقَclosed كُلُّevery بابِdoor of مُرُوءَةٍnoble conduct
قَد كانَ أُغلِقَ كُلُّ بابِ مُرُوءَةٍ
فَفَتَحتَso you opened أَنتَyou yourself رِتاجَthe closed portal ذاكَthat البابِdoor
فَفَتَحتَ أَنتَ رِتاجَ ذاكَ البابِ
Every door of noble conduct had been closed,
Every door to manliness had been shut
so you yourself opened that barred door.
You opened the bolt of that door
وَدَفَعتُمُand you warded off صَرفَreversals الزَمانِof time وَريبَهُand its calamities
وَدَفَعتُمُ صَرفَ الزَمانِ وَريبَهُ
عَنّاfrom us وَحامَيتُمand you defended عَنِon behalf of الأَحسابِancestral honor
عَنّا وَحامَيتُم عَنِ الأَحسابِ
And you warded off time's reversals and its calamities
And you repelled the flow of Time and its guiles
from us, and defended our ancestral honor.
From us and defended us from reckonings
عِشlive للزَمانِfor time وَأَهلِهِand its people فيin نِعمَةٍprosperity
عِش للزَمانِ وَأَهلِهِ في نِعمَةٍ
مَحجُوبَةٍveiled عَنfrom صَرفِهِits reversals بِحِجابِby a veil
مَحجُوبَةٍ عَن صَرفِهِ بِحِجابِ
Live on for time and its people, in prosperity
Live for the Age and its people in ease
veiled from its reversals by a veil.
Hidden from its events by a curtain
فَلَأَنتَfor you indeed أَكرَمُthe noblest سَيِّدٍlord فيamong عامِرٍʿAmir
فَلَأَنتَ أَكرَمُ سَيِّدٍ في عامِرٍ
خِيماًin character وَأَبسَطُهُمand the most liberal of them يَداًof hand لِثَوابِin giving rewards
خِيماً وَأَبسَطُهُم يَداً لِثَوابِ
For you are surely the noblest lord among ʿAmir
For you are the noblest lord in a populated land
in character, and the most open-handed of them in giving rewards.
Tented, and most openhanded in reward
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.