لِمَنwhose دارٌa dwelling وَرَبعٌand an encampment قَدalready تَعَفّىhas been effaced
لِمَن دارٌ وَرَبعٌ قَد تَعَفّى
بِنَهرِby the river of الكَرخِal-Karkh مَهجورُdeserted النَواحِthe outskirts
بِنَهرِ الكَرخِ مَهجورُ النَواحِ
Whose are this dwelling and encampment, now effaced,
For whom is a house and an abode that has become desolate
beside the river of al-Karkh, deserted on every side?
By the Tigris River, the wailing deserted dwellings,
إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle القَطرُthe rain حَلّاهُadorned it تَلاقَتgathered
إِذا ما القَطرُ حَلّاهُ تَلاقَت
عَلىupon أَطلالِهِits ruins هوجُraging الرِياحِthe winds
عَلى أَطلالِهِ هوجُ الرِياحِ
Whenever rain adorned it, there gathered
Whenever the rain moistens it, the violent winds
upon its ruins the raging winds.
Converge upon its ruins.
مَحاهُerased it كُلُّevery هَطّالٍheavy-pouring rain cloud مُلِحٍّunrelenting
مَحاهُ كُلُّ هَطّالٍ مُلِحٍّ
بِوَبلٍwith a downpour مِثلِlike أَفواهِthe mouths of اللِقاحِmilch she-camels
بِوَبلٍ مِثلِ أَفواهِ اللِقاحِ
Every unrelenting rain cloud erased it
It was erased by every strong, salty downpour
with torrents like the mouths of milch-camels.
With an outpour like the mouths of lichen.
فَباتَso it spent the night بِلَيلِin a night of باكِيَةٍa weeping woman ثَكولٍbereaved of a child
فَباتَ بِلَيلِ باكِيَةٍ ثَكولٍ
ضَريرَblind النَجمِthe stars مُتَّهَمَuncertain الصَباحِthe dawn
ضَريرَ النَجمِ مُتَّهَمَ الصَباحِ
So it passed a night like a weeping, bereaved mother's,
It spent the night crying, mournfully sleepless,
its stars obscured, its dawn uncertain.
While the morning star was accused of blindness.
وَأَسفَرَand it cleared بَعدَafter ذَلِكَthat عَنrevealing سَماءٍa sky
وَأَسفَرَ بَعدَ ذَلِكَ عَن سَماءٍ
كَأَنَّas though نُجومَهاits stars حَدَقُthe pupils of المِلاحِbeauties
كَأَنَّ نُجومَها حَدَقُ المِلاحِ
And afterward it cleared to reveal a sky,
After that, it revealed a sky
as though its stars were the pupils of beauties' eyes.
As if its stars were salt crystals.
سَقىmay it water أَرضاًa land تَحِلُّdwells بِهاin it سُلَيمىSulayma
سَقى أَرضاً تَحِلُّ بِها سُلَيمى
وَلاand not سَقىmay it water العَواذِلَthe reproaching women وَاللَواحِand the censuring women
وَلا سَقى العَواذِلَ وَاللَواحِ
May it water a land where Sulayma dwells,
It watered a land where Suleima camped,
and may it not water the reproaching and censuring women.
But did not water the maidens or the signboards.
مُهَفهَفَةٌslender-waisted لَهاshe has نَظَرٌa gaze مَريضٌlanguid
مُهَفهَفَةٌ لَها نَظَرٌ مَريضٌ
وَأَحشاءٌand a midriff تَضيعُis lost مِنَfrom الوِشاحِthe sash
وَأَحشاءٌ تَضيعُ مِنَ الوِشاحِ
Slender-waisted, she has a languid gaze,
It is delirious, with a sickly gaze
and a waist so slender it slips free of the sash.
And entrails scattered by the wrap.
وَفِتيانٍand youths كَهَمِّكَlike your resolve مِنfrom أُناسٍa people
وَفِتيانٍ كَهَمِّكَ مِن أُناسٍ
خِفافٍnimble فيin الهُدُوِّrepose وَفيand in الرَواحِsetting out
خِفافٍ في الهُدُوِّ وَفي الرَواحِ
And youths, matching your resolve, from a people
And youths, resolute as you are,
nimble in repose and in setting out—
Lightweight, whether settled or traveling.
بَعَثتُهُمُI sent them عَلىon سَفَرٍa journey مَهيبٍdaunting
بَعَثتُهُمُ عَلى سَفَرٍ مَهيبٍ
فَماso not ضَرَبواthey cast عَلَيهِمamong themselves بِالقِداحِwith lot-arrows
فَما ضَرَبوا عَلَيهِم بِالقِداحِ
I sent them on a daunting journey,
I sent them on a dreadful journey
and they cast no lots among themselves.
And they did not bother to draw lots for it.
وَلَكِنbut قَرَّبواthey brought forward قُلُصاًyoung she-camels حِثاثاًswift
وَلَكِن قَرَّبوا قُلُصاً حِثاثاً
عَواصِفَtempest-like قَدalready حُنينَwere bent مِنَby المِراحِexuberance
عَواصِفَ قَد حُنينَ مِنَ المِراحِ
But they brought forward swift young she-camels,
But they presented worn-out, pathetic steeds
tempest-like, already bent with exuberance,
Whose manes were mussed by the winds.
وَكُلُّand every مُرَوَّعِskittish الحَرَكاتِmovements ناجٍfleet mount
وَكُلُّ مُرَوَّعِ الحَرَكاتِ ناجٍ
بِأَربَعَةٍon four legs تَطيرُfly بِهِwith it نِصاحِsound and dependable
بِأَربَعَةٍ تَطيرُ بِهِ نِصاحِ
and every fleet mount, skittish in its movements,
And every startled, frightened one found safety
on four sound legs that carry it flying.
In a carriage flown by four eagles.
كَأَنّاas though we عِندَwhen نَهضَتِهِits rising رَفَعناwe raised
كَأَنّا عِندَ نَهضَتِهِ رَفَعنا
خِباءًa tent فَوقَabove أَطرافِthe tips of الرِماحِthe spears
خِباءً فَوقَ أَطرافِ الرِماحِ
As though, when it rose, we had raised
It was as if, when they set out, we raised
a tent above the tips of spears.
A canopy atop the spearheads.
وَقادواand they led كُلَّevery سَلهَبَةٍlong-bodied mare سَبوحٍswimming-gaited
وَقادوا كُلَّ سَلهَبَةٍ سَبوحٍ
كَأَنَّas though أَديمَهاher hide شَرِقٌsuffused بِراحِwith wine
كَأَنَّ أَديمَها شَرِقٌ بِراحِ
And they led each long-bodied mare, swimming in her stride,
And they led every smoothly galloping cavalry
as though her hide were suffused with wine.
As if their leather was illuminated by the wind.
تُخَلِّفُleaves behind فيon وُجوهِthe surfaces of الأَرضِthe earth رَسماًa trace
تُخَلِّفُ في وُجوهِ الأَرضِ رَسماً
كَأُفحوصِlike a nest-scrape of القَطاsandgrouse أَوor كَالأَداحيlike the ostrich nests
كَأُفحوصِ القَطا أَو كَالأَداحي
She leaves a trace upon the earth's surface,
Leaving an impression on the earth’s face
like a sandgrouse's nest-scrape or ostrich nests.
Like the tracks of wild cats or grouse.
فَكابَدناso we endured السُرىnight travel حَتّىuntil رَأَيناwe saw
فَكابَدنا السُرى حَتّى رَأَينا
غُرابَthe raven of اللَيلِthe night مَقصوصَclipped الجَناحِthe wing
غُرابَ اللَيلِ مَقصوصَ الجَناحِ
So we endured the night journey until we saw
We endured the night journey until we saw
the raven of night, its wing clipped.
The black birds of night with clipped wings.
وَقَدand already لاحَتappeared لِساريهاto its night traveler الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades
وَقَد لاحَت لِساريها الثُرَيّا
كَأَنَّas though نُجومَهاtheir stars نَورُthe blossoms of الأَقاحِdaisies
كَأَنَّ نُجومَها نَورُ الأَقاحِ
And the Pleiades appeared to the night traveler beneath them,
And the Pleiades appeared with their leader
as though their stars were daisy blossoms.
As if their stars were the light of fires.
وَأَعداءٍand enemies دَلَفتُI advanced لَهُمagainst them بِجَمعٍwith a host
وَأَعداءٍ دَلَفتُ لَهُم بِجَمعٍ
سَريعِswift الخَطوِof step فيon يَومِthe day of الصِياحِbattle cries
سَريعِ الخَطوِ في يَومِ الصِياحِ
And I advanced against enemies with a host
And enemies whose army I confronted
swift of step on the day of battle cries.
With foot soldiers quick on the day of clamor.
وَكُنّاand we were مَعشَراًa company خُلِقواwere created كِراماًnoble
وَكُنّا مَعشَراً خُلِقوا كِراماً
نَرىwe regard بَذلَthe giving of النُفوسِlives مِنَas part of السَماحِgenerosity
نَرى بَذلَ النُفوسِ مِنَ السَماحِ
And we were a company created noble,
We were a band created noble
counting the giving of our lives as generosity.
Who saw generosity as a mark of honor.
دَعوناthey summoned us ظالِمينَacting unjustly فَماyet not ثُكِلناwe were bereaved
دَعونا ظالِمينَ فَما ثُكِلنا
وَجِئناand we came فَاِقتَرَعناthen we cast lots بِالصِفاحِwith sword blades
وَجِئنا فَاِقتَرَعنا بِالصِفاحِ
They summoned us unjustly, but we were not bereaved;
We left the wrongdoers be, and were not cowardly,
and we came and cast lots with sword blades.
And came to draw lots fairly.
وَغادَيناهُمُand we assailed them at dawn بِالخَيلِwith horses شُعثاًdisheveled
وَغادَيناهُمُ بِالخَيلِ شُعثاً
نُثيرُwe stir up النَقعَthe dust بِالبَلَدِacross the land المَراحِopen
نُثيرُ النَقعَ بِالبَلَدِ المَراحِ
And we rode upon them at dawn, disheveled,
And we stormed them on disheveled steeds
raising dust across the open land,
Stirring up the sand in the desolate land.
وَبيضٍand white blades تَأكُلُdevour الأَعمارَlifetimes أَكلاًutterly
وَبيضٍ تَأكُلُ الأَعمارَ أَكلاً
وَتَسقيand give drink to الجانِبَينِboth sides مِنَfrom الجِماحِheadlong fury
وَتَسقي الجانِبَينِ مِنَ الجِماحِ
and with white blades that devour lives utterly,
And white horses that ravaged lives
and give both sides a draught of headlong fury.
And quenched both flanks’ thirst in battle.
وَفُرسانٍand horsemen يَرونَregard القَتلَbeing slain غُنماًas gain
وَفُرسانٍ يَرونَ القَتلَ غُنماً
فَماso there is no لَهُمُfor them لَدَيهِin its presence مِنany بَراحِretreat
فَما لَهُمُ لَدَيهِ مِن بَراحِ
And horsemen who count death as gain,
And horsemen who saw killing as profit,
so there is no retreat for them in its presence.
So they felt no remorse for it.
رَأوناthey saw us آخِذينَtaking بِكُلِّthrough every فَجٍّpass
رَأونا آخِذينَ بِكُلِّ فَجٍّ
بِمُشعَلَةٍwith a blazing host تُوَقَّدُis kindled بِالرِماحِby spears
بِمُشعَلَةٍ تُوَقَّدُ بِالرِماحِ
They saw us taking every pass
We saw them taking hold of every rugged terrain
with a blazing host kindled by spears.
With a torch lit by spears.
فَعادواso they returned بِالغَرارَةِin heedlessness أَسلَمَتهُمdelivered them up
فَعادوا بِالغَرارَةِ أَسلَمَتهُم
جَرائِرُهُمtheir crimes إِلىto الحَينِdoom المُتاحِallotted
جَرائِرُهُم إِلى الحَينِ المُتاحِ
So they turned back in folly, delivered up by
So they retreated, their crimes made them submit
their crimes to their allotted doom.
To our blades at the opportune time.
قَرَيناwe feasted بَغيَهُمtheir aggression طَعناًspear-thrusts وَجيعاًpainful
قَرَينا بَغيَهُم طَعناً وَجيعاً
وَضَرباًand sword blows مِثلَlike أَفواهِthe mouths of اللِقاحِmilch she-camels
وَضَرباً مِثلَ أَفواهِ اللِقاحِ
We feasted their aggression on painful thrusts,
We fulfilled their treachery, stabbing and mangling,
and sword-cuts like the mouths of milch-camels.
And striking like the mouths of lichen.
نُهَنّيwe gladden الرَحلَthe saddle بِالخَيلِwith horses المَذاكيprime-aged
نُهَنّي الرَحلَ بِالخَيلِ المَذاكي
وَعُزّابَand the unwed الفَرائِسِof the prey بِالنِكاحِwith marriage
وَعُزّابَ الفَرائِسِ بِالنِكاحِ
We gladden the saddle with prime horses,
We blessed travels with the gift of horses
and the unwed among the prey with marriage.
And bachelors with marriage.
وَآخىand joined in brotherhood النارَthe fire وَالنيرانَand the fires مَوتىdead bodies
وَآخى النارَ وَالنيرانَ مَوتى
مُشَهَّرَةٌopenly displayed تُبَشِّرُbringing good news بِالنَجاحِof success
مُشَهَّرَةٌ تُبَشِّرُ بِالنَجاحِ
And dead bodies joined fire and fires in brotherhood,
And fire made kin with flames, the dead
openly displayed, heralding success.
Brandished, heralding victory.
وَلاnor أَخشىI fear إِذاwhen أُعطيتُI am given جُهديmy full strength
وَلا أَخشى إِذا أُعطيتُ جُهدي
وَأَحذُرُand I beware أَنthat أَكونَI be مِنَamong الشِحاحِthe miserly
وَأَحذُرُ أَن أَكونَ مِنَ الشِحاحِ
Nor do I fear when I am granted my full strength,
I do not fear if I exert all my effort,
but I beware of being among the miserly.
But I am wary of being stingy.
وَأَفرَدَنيand isolated me مِنَfrom الإِخوانِfriends عِلميmy knowledge
وَأَفرَدَني مِنَ الإِخوانِ عِلمي
بِهِمof them فَبَقيتُso I remained مَهجورَdeserted النَواحِthe environs
بِهِم فَبَقيتُ مَهجورَ النَواحِ
And I was set apart from my friends by my knowledge
My knowledge distinguished me from the brothers,
of them; so I remained deserted on every side.
So I remained with the wailing deserted dwellings.
عَمَرتُI filled مَنازِليmy dwellings مِنهُمwith them زَماناًfor a time
عَمَرتُ مَنازِلي مِنهُم زَماناً
فَماand how أَدنىnear الفَسادَcorruption مِنَto الصَلاحِgoodness
فَما أَدنى الفَسادَ مِنَ الصَلاحِ
I filled my dwellings with them for a time;
I inhabited my dwellings with them for a time,
how close corruption is to goodness!
But how slight is purity next to corruption!
إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle قَلَّdwindled ماليmy wealth قَلَّdwindled مَدحيpraise of me
إِذا ما قَلَّ مالي قَلَّ مَدحي
وَإِنand if أَثرَيتُI grew rich عادواthey returned فيto اِمتِداحيpraising me
وَإِن أَثرَيتُ عادوا في اِمتِداحي
Whenever my wealth dwindled, praise of me dwindled,
When my wealth was little, my praise was little,
and if I grew rich, they returned to praising me.
And if I grew rich, they returned praising me.
وَكَمand how much ذَمٍّcensure لَهُمof theirs فيat جَنبِthe side of مَدحٍpraise
وَكَم ذَمٍّ لَهُم في جَنبِ مَدحٍ
وَجِدٍّand earnestness بَينَamid أَثناءِthe folds of المُزاحِjest
وَجِدٍّ بَينَ أَثناءِ المُزاحِ
And how much censure of theirs lies beside praise,
How much blame is matched by praise
and earnestness amid the folds of jest.
And fun mixed with seriousness!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.