أَذَّنَcalled to prayer الدِّيكُthe cock فَثُبْso leap up أَوْor ثَوِّبrepeat the prayer-call
أَذَّنَ الدِّيكُ فَثُبْ أَوْ ثَوِّب
وانْضَحِand sprinkle القَلْبَthe heart بماءِwith the water of العِنَبِgrapes
وانْضَحِ القَلْبَ بماءِ العِنَبِ
The cock has called to prayer: leap up, or repeat the call,
The cock crowed, so get up or get dressed
And sprinkle the heart with grape-water.
And let your heart overflow with the water of grapes
وَتَأَمَّلْand contemplate آيةًa sign مُعْجِزَةًmiraculous
وَتَأَمَّلْ آيةً مُعْجِزَةً
ماnot قَرَأْنَاwe have read مِثْلَهاits like فيin الكُتُبِthe books
ما قَرَأْنَا مِثْلَها في الكُتُبِ
And contemplate a miraculous sign,
And contemplate a miraculous verse
Whose like we have never read in books.
Unlike any we've read in books
رَكَعَbowed الإبْرِيقُthe ewer مِنout of طاعتِهِits obedience
رَكَعَ الإبْرِيقُ مِن طاعتِهِ
وبَكىand wept فابْتَلَّso became wet ثَوْبُthe garment of الأَكْوُبِthe cups
وبَكى فابْتَلَّ ثَوْبُ الأَكْوُبِ
The ewer bowed in its devotion,
The pitcher bowed in obedience
And wept, so the cups' garment grew wet.
And the dress of the jug wept and got wet
وَلْوَلَwailed المِزْهَرُthe lute يَنْفِيdispels كُرَبيmy sorrows
وَلْوَلَ المِزْهَرُ يَنْفِي كُرَبي
وَتَطَرَّبْتُand I grew rapturous فأَعْياso exhausted طَربَيmy rapture
وَتَطَرَّبْتُ فأَعْيا طَربَي
The lute wailed, dispelling my sorrows,
Were it not for entertainment dispelling my worries
And I grew rapturous, until my rapture wore me out.
And I was enraptured until I tired of rapture
ورَبِيبٍand a fosterling قامَrose فيناamong us ساقِيًاas a cupbearer
ورَبِيبٍ قامَ فينا ساقِيًا
كالرَّشاlike a fawn أُرْضِعَwas suckled بَيْنَamong الرَّبْرَبِthe gazelle herd
كالرَّشا أُرْضِعَ بَيْنَ الرَّبْرَبِ
And a fosterling rose among us as cupbearer,
And a lad who stood up among us as a cupbearer
Like a fawn suckled among a herd of gazelles.
Like a fawn nursed among the chirping of insects
ظَبْيةa doe دُونَunlike الصَّباياthe maidens قُصِّصَتْhad her hair cropped
ظَبْية دُونَ الصَّبايا قُصِّصَتْ
فأَتَتْso she came غَيْداءَslender and swaying فيin شَكْلthe form of الصَّبيthe boy
فأَتَتْ غَيْداءَ في شَكْل الصَّبي
A doe with cropped hair, unlike the other maidens,
A young gazelle described apart from the girls
So she came, slender and swaying, in a boy's guise.
She came swinging in the form of a boy
فُتِّحَwas made to bloom الوَرْدُthe rose علىupon صَفْحتِهاher cheek
فُتِّحَ الوَرْدُ على صَفْحتِها
وحَماهُand guarded it صُدْغُهاher temple بالعَقْرَبِwith the scorpion-curl
وحَماهُ صُدْغُها بالعَقْرَبِ
The rose unfurled upon her cheek,
The rose opened on her cheek
And her temple guarded it with a scorpion-curl.
And her temple was guarded by a moody scorpion
فَمشَتْso she walked نَحْوِيtoward me وقدand already مُلِّكْتُهاI was given possession of her
فَمشَتْ نَحْوِي وقد مُلِّكْتُها
مِشْيةَwith the gait of العُصْفورِthe sparrow نَحْوَtoward الثَّعْلَبِthe fox
مِشْيةَ العُصْفورِ نَحْوَ الثَّعْلَبِ
Then she walked toward me, already made mine,
She walked towards me and I had fallen for her
With a sparrow's gait toward a fox.
With the gait of a bird towards a fox
وغَمامٍand a cloud باكَرَتْناcame to us at dawn عَيْنُهُits eye
وغَمامٍ باكَرَتْنا عَيْنُهُ
تُتْرِعُfills to the brim الأُفْقَthe horizon بدَمْعٍwith tears صَيِّبِpouring
تُتْرِعُ الأُفْقَ بدَمْعٍ صَيِّبِ
And a cloud whose eye came to us at dawn,
A cloud greeted us with its eyes
Filling the horizon with pouring tears,
Imbibing the horizon with a pouring tear
مِثْلَlike بَحْرٍa sea جَاءَناcame to us مِنfrom فَوْقِناabove us
مِثْلَ بَحْرٍ جَاءَنا مِن فَوْقِنا
جِرْمُهits body مِنof لُؤْلُؤٍpearls لمnot يُثْقَبِwere pierced
جِرْمُه مِن لُؤْلُؤٍ لم يُثْقَبِ
Like a sea that came to us from overhead,
Like a sea that came upon us from above
Its body made of pearls never pierced.
Its sphere made of unspoiled pearls
فَدَناso it drew near حتىuntil حَسِبْناwe thought أَنَّهthat it
فَدَنا حتى حَسِبْنا أَنَّه
يَمْسَحُwipes الأَرْضَthe earth بفَضْلِwith the trailing part of الهَيْدَبِthe fringe
يَمْسَحُ الأَرْضَ بفَضْلِ الهَيْدَبِ
It drew so near that we thought it
It came close as if it would
Was brushing the earth with its trailing fringe.
Wipe the ground with its overflowing rain
فسَأَلْناهُso we asked it وقدand already أَعْجَبَناit amazed us
فسَأَلْناهُ وقد أَعْجَبَنا
حَشوُهُits filling العَيْنَthe eye بمَرأىwith a sight مُعْجِبِwondrous
حَشوُهُ العَيْنَ بمَرأى مُعْجِبِ
So we asked it, marveling
We asked it astounded by its beauty
At how it filled the eye with a wondrous sight:
Filling the eye with a wondrous sight
أَنْتَyou ماذاwhat قالَit said مُزْنٌa rain cloud عَلَّمَتْtaught
أَنْتَ ماذا قالَ مُزْنٌ عَلَّمَتْ
كَفَّهُits hand النُّجْعةَthe search for pasture كَفَّاthe two hands of دَرِبِan adept
كَفَّهُ النُّجْعةَ كَفَّا دَرِبِ
‘What are you?’ It said, ‘A rain cloud whose
"What are you?" it said "A cloud
Hand was taught to seek pasture by an adept's two hands.
Whose palms were taught generosity by al-Nujayrah
سامَنيcharged me بالشَّرْقِin the East أَنْto أَسْقِيَكُمI give you drink
سامَني بالشَّرْقِ أَنْ أَسْقِيَكُم
رَحْمةًas mercy منهfrom him بأَقْصَىin the farthest part of المَغْرِبِthe West
رَحْمةً منه بأَقْصَى المَغْرِبِ
In the East he charged me to give you drink,
I was commanded by the East to quench your thirst
As mercy from him, in the farthest West.’
An act of mercy from Him to the farthest West"
فَسَأَلْناهُso we asked it أَبِنْmake clear ذاكthat لناto us
فَسَأَلْناهُ أَبِنْ ذاك لنا
قالَit said هلdoes? يَخْفىremain hidden ضِياءُthe radiance of الكَوْكَبِthe star
قالَ هل يَخْفى ضِياءُ الكَوْكَبِ
So we asked it, ‘Explain that to us.’
We asked "Is this meant for us?"
It said, ‘Can a star's radiance be hidden?
It said "Can the glow of a planet be hidden?"
مَلِكٌa king ناصَبَwaged hostility against مَنwhoever خالَفَكُمْopposed you
مَلِكٌ ناصَبَ مَن خالَفَكُمْ
عامِرِيُّʿAmirid المُنْتَمَىlineage والمَنْصِبِand station
عامِرِيُّ المُنْتَمَى والمَنْصِبِ
A king who fought those who opposed you,
"A king who opposed you
ʿAmirid in lineage and station.’
The builder of glory and rank"
فَعلمْناso we knew أَنَّهَاthat it was نَفْحةُa breath of bounty مَنone who
فَعلمْنا أَنَّهَا نَفْحةُ مَن
وَرِثَinherited الجُودَgenerosity أَباًfrom a father بَعْدَafter أَبِa father
وَرِثَ الجُودَ أَباً بَعْدَ أَبِ
Then we knew it was a breath of bounty from one
So we knew it was a whiff of one
Who inherited generosity from father after father.
Who inherited generosity father after father
لكَyou have كَفٌّa hand بالثُّرَيَّاamong the Pleiades فَيْضُهاits overflowing bounty
لكَ كَفٌّ بالثُّرَيَّا فَيْضُها
ولهاand it has بَسْطُthe spreading of النَّدَىdew (generosity) مِنfrom كَثَبِclose at hand
ولها بَسْطُ النَّدَى مِن كَثَبِ
You have a hand whose bounty pours among the Pleiades,
You have a palm-full of dew whose abundance
And it spreads the dew of bounty close at hand.
Has the spreading of moisture from every dune
كَقَلِيبٍlike a well دَلْوُهاits bucket مُتْرَعَةٌfilled to the brim
كَقَلِيبٍ دَلْوُها مُتْرَعَةٌ
أَشْرَقَتْchoked بالماءِwith water عَقْدَthe knot of الكَرَبِthe bucket-rope
أَشْرَقَتْ بالماءِ عَقْدَ الكَرَبِ
Like a well whose bucket is filled to the brim,
Like a bucket whose water is pure
Flooding the knot of its bucket-rope with water.
Lighting with water the necklace of worries
تُبْصِرُbehold العَيْنانِthe two eyes منهin him إِنْif بَداhe appears
تُبْصِرُ العَيْنانِ منه إِنْ بَدا
قَمَرَthe moon of السَّرْجِthe saddle وشَمْسَand the sun of المَوْكِبِthe cavalcade
قَمَرَ السَّرْجِ وشَمْسَ المَوْكِبِ
Both eyes, when he appears, behold in him
The eyes can see in it the full moons
The moon of the saddle and the sun of the cavalcade.
Of the saddled horses and the rising sun
أَنْجَبَتْهُbore him للمعاليfor lofty honors أُسْرَةٌa family
أَنْجَبَتْهُ للمعالي أُسْرَةٌ
نَزَلُواthey occupied للمَجْدِfor glory أَعْلَىthe highest الرُّتَبِranks
نَزَلُوا للمَجْدِ أَعْلَى الرُّتَبِ
A family bore him for lofty honors,
He was born to the glorious elite
They occupied the highest ranks of glory,
Who descended to the highest ranks
بنُفُوسٍwith souls مِنof سَناءٍradiance غَضَّةٍfresh and tender
بنُفُوسٍ مِن سَناءٍ غَضَّةٍ
فيin جُسُومٍbodies بَضَّةsoft and full منof حَسَبِnoble ancestry
في جُسُومٍ بَضَّة من حَسَبِ
With tender souls fashioned from radiance,
With pristine, noble souls
In soft, full bodies of noble ancestry,
In bodies of solid pedigree
ووُجُوهٍand faces مُشْرِقاتٍradiant أَوْor مَضَتْwent forth
ووُجُوهٍ مُشْرِقاتٍ أَوْ مَضَتْ
ضاحِكاتsmiling فيin وُجُوهِthe faces of الكُرَبِafflictions
ضاحِكات في وُجُوهِ الكُرَبِ
And radiant faces, or faces that went forth
And faces shining or laughing
Smiling in the faces of afflictions.
Amid the faces of worries
لهُمُtheirs are أَيّامُdays of حَرْبٍwar كَثَّرَتْmultiplied
لهُمُ أَيّامُ حَرْبٍ كَثَّرَتْ
فيamong عِداهُمْtheir enemies داعِياتِthe causes of الحَرَبِdevastation
في عِداهُمْ داعِياتِ الحَرَبِ
Theirs were battle-days that multiplied
Theirs are days of war that multiplied
Among their foes the causes of devastation.
Against their enemies the callers to war
لمnot يُطِقْcould endure عامِرُʿAmir قِدْماof old مِثْلَهاtheir like
لم يُطِقْ عامِرُ قِدْما مِثْلَها
لاno ولاnor عَمْرُوʿAmr بنson of مَعْدِMaʿd يكرِبِYakrib
لا ولا عَمْرُو بن مَعْدِ يكرِبِ
ʿAmir of old could not endure their like,
`Amir could not withstand such feet
No, nor could ʿAmr ibn Maʿd Yakrib.
Nor `Amr ibn Ma`di Yakrib
سَحَبُواthey dragged مِنfrom ذَيْلِthe hem of مَجْدglory إِذْwhen هُمُthey
سَحَبُوا مِن ذَيْلِ مَجْد إِذْ هُمُ
للْوَغَىfor battle فيin ظِلِّthe shade of نَقْعٍdust أَشْهَبِpale-gray
للْوَغَى في ظِلِّ نَقْعٍ أَشْهَبِ
They trailed a hem of glory, while they were
They dragged the tail of glory while they
In battle beneath the shadow of pale-gray dust.
Fought fiercely in the shadow of unsheathed swords
ياO ابْنson of أُمِّthe mother of المَجْدِglory خُذْهاtake it عِبْرةًas a lesson
يا ابْن أُمِّ المَجْدِ خُذْها عِبْرةً
جِدّseriousness of قَوْلٍspeech يُشْتَهَىis desired كاللَّعِبِlike play
جِدّ قَوْلٍ يُشْتَهَى كاللَّعِبِ
O son of glory's mother, take it as a lesson—
O son of the mother of glory, take it as a lesson
Serious speech, longed for like play.
And earnestly consider words as desirable as play
مِنfrom among بَناتِthe daughters of اللُّبِّthe mind زانَتْكَadorned you كماjust as
مِن بَناتِ اللُّبِّ زانَتْكَ كما
زانَadorned صَدْرَthe chest of المُهْرِthe colt حَلْيُthe ornaments of اللَّبَبِthe breastband
زانَ صَدْرَ المُهْرِ حَلْيُ اللَّبَبِ
One of the mind's daughters, it adorned you as
You are adorned by the girls of affection
The breastband's ornaments adorned the colt's chest.
As the chest of the stallion is adorned by the forehead jewel
خَمْرةٌa wine مِنfor طيبِهاits sweetness قدalready سُبيَتْwas carried off
خَمْرةٌ مِن طيبِها قد سُبيَتْ
قَطَعَتْcrossed نَحْوَكَtoward you عَرْضَthe breadth of السَّبْسَبِthe desert plain
قَطَعَتْ نَحْوَكَ عَرْضَ السَّبْسَبِ
A wine that for its sweetness has been carried off,
It is wine whose fragrance was captured
It crossed the breadth of the desert plain toward you.
Heading toward you across the valley
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.