أَلاَAh! هَلis there مِنfrom البَينِseparation المُفَرِّقِsundering مِنany بُدِّescape
أَلاَ هَل مِن البَينِ المُفَرِّقِ مِن بُدِّ
وَهَلand is there لِلَيَالٍfor nights قَدalready تَسَلَّفنَgone by مِنany رَدِّreturn
وَهَل لِلَيَالٍ قَد تَسَلَّفنَ مِن رَدِّ
Ah, is there any escape from sundering separation?
Alas! Is there no clear separation from constant love
And can nights already gone ever be brought back?
And respite from nights that have borrowed against me?
وَهلand are there مِثلُlike أََيّامٍdays بِنَعَفِon the slope of سَوِيقَةٍSuwayqa
وَهل مِثلُ أََيّامٍ بِنَعَفِ سَوِيقَةٍ
رَوَاجِعُreturning أيّامٍdays كماas كُنَّthey were بالسَّعدِat al-Saʿd
رَوَاجِعُ أيّامٍ كما كُنَّ بالسَّعدِ
And will days like those on Suwayqa’s slope
Are days like the swaying ears of barley
Return—days as they were at al-Saʿd?
Ever to return as they were in good fortune?
وَهلand will أَخَوَاكَyour two brothers اليَومَtoday إِنif قُلتَyou say عَرِّجاturn aside, you two
وَهل أَخَوَاكَ اليَومَ إِن قُلتَ عَرِّجا
عَلَىto الأَثلِthe tamarisks مِنof وَدّانَWaddan وَالمَشرَبِand the watering place البَردِcool
عَلَى الأَثلِ مِن وَدّانَ وَالمَشرَبِ البَردِ
And will your two brothers today, if you say, ‘Turn aside
If I said today, "Turn aside, friends,
To Waddan’s tamarisks and the cool watering place,’
To the shade of the branches and cold drink,"
مُقِيمانِboth remaining حتّىuntil يَقضياthey both fulfill مِنsome لُبَانَةٍa heartfelt desire
مُقِيمانِ حتّى يَقضيا مِن لُبَانَةٍ
فَيَستَوجِبَاso they both earn أَجرىmy reward وَيَستَكمِلاَand they both gain fully حَمدِىmy praise
فَيَستَوجِبَا أَجرى وَيَستَكمِلاَ حَمدِى
Remain until they satisfy a yearning,
Would you stay put until completing an errand
And so earn my reward and win my fullest praise?
To earn your wage and fulfill my praise?
وإلاّand if not فَسِيرَاthen journey on, you two فالسَّلاَمُthen peace عَلَيكُماupon you both
وإلاّ فَسِيرَا فالسَّلاَمُ عَلَيكُما
فمالَكماfor you two have no part in غَيِّmy straying وَمالَكُماnor do you two have part in رُشدِىmy right guidance
فمالَكما غَيِّ وَمالَكُما رُشدِى
If not, journey on; peace be upon you both.
Or will you leave with peace upon you both -
For you two have no part in my straying, nor in my right guidance.
For you have no right guidance or steadfastness from me.
وَلاَnor بِيَدَىِّin my two hands اليَومَtoday مِنof حَبلِىَmy cord الَّذِىwhich
وَلاَ بِيَدَىِّ اليَومَ مِن حَبلِىَ الَّذِى
أُنَازَعُI am opposed مِنof إِرخَائِهِits slackening لاَno وَلاَnor شَدِّىmy tightening
أُنَازَعُ مِن إِرخَائِهِ لاَ وَلاَ شَدِّى
Nor, today, do my hands control the cord over which
I have no rope today that I can tug on
I face resistance—neither its slackening, no, nor my tightening it.
Or relax without contention or pulling.
وَلكِنbut بِكَّقىin the hands of (probable intended reading) أُمِّmother of عَمرٍوʿAmr فَليتَهَاso, would that she
وَلكِن بِكَّقى أُمِّ عَمرٍو فَليتَهَا
إِذاwhen وَلِيَتshe takes charge of رَهناًa pledge تَلِىshe tends الرَّهنَthe pledge بِالقَصدِwith moderation
إِذا وَلِيَت رَهناً تَلِى الرَّهنَ بِالقَصدِ
But it lies in Umm ʿAmr’s hands; if only she,
Rather, Umm 'Amr pledged surety. Would that
When entrusted with a pledge, would treat that pledge fairly.
When pledging surety, she would follow through faithfully!
أَلاَAh! لَيتَwould that شِعرِىmy knowledge مالَّذِىwhat تُحدِثَنَّwill surely bring about ليfor me
أَلاَ لَيتَ شِعرِى مالَّذِى تُحدِثَنَّ لي
نَوَىseparation غَربَةِestrangement of الدّارِthe home المُشِتَّةِthat scatters وَالبُعدِand distance
نَوَى غَربَةِ الدّارِ المُشِتَّةِ وَالبُعدِ
Ah, would that I knew what will be brought upon me by
Alas! I wish I knew what brings me
The separation of an alien, sundering abode, and distance—
Thoughts of the loneliness of a distant house and land -
نَوَىthe separation of أُمِّmother of عَمرٍوʿAmr حَيثُwhere تَغتَرِبُwanders far away النَّوَىseparation
نَوَى أُمِّ عَمرٍو حَيثُ تَغتَرِبُ النَّوَى
بهاwith her ثُمَّthen يَخلوare alone الكاشِحُونَthe ill-wishers بهاwith her بَعدِىafter me
بها ثُمَّ يَخلو الكاشِحُونَ بها بَعدِى
Umm ʿAmr’s separation, wherever separation wanders
Thoughts of Umm 'Amr where thoughts wander,
With her; then the ill-wishers have her to themselves after me.
Then the spying backbiters have their way after me.
أَتَصرِمُwill she sever ties? لِلاّئىfor those الّذينَwho هُمُthey are العِدَىthe foes
أَتَصرِمُ لِلاّئى الّذينَ هُمُ العِدَى
وَتُشمِتُهُمand she makes them gloat بىover me اُمُّmother of عَمرِوʿAmr عَلَىdespite وُدِّىmy affection
وَتُشمِتُهُم بى اُمُّ عَمرِو عَلَى وُدِّى
Will she sever ties for those who are foes,
Do I become hostile to those who are enemies
And make them gloat over me—Umm ʿAmr—despite my affection?
While Umm 'Amr gloats over them against my love?
وَظَنِّىand my trust بِهاin her مِنof كُلِّevery ظَنٍّtrust بِغَائِبٍin someone absent
وَظَنِّى بِها مِن كُلِّ ظَنٍّ بِغَائِبٍ
وَفِىٍّfaithful بِنُصحٍin sincere goodwill أَوor يَدُومُremains constant عَلَىto العَهدِthe pledge
وَفِىٍّ بِنُصحٍ أَو يَدُومُ عَلَى العَهدِ
And my trust in her is the trust placed in anyone absent,
And my thoughts of her are every thought of an absent one -
Faithful in sincere goodwill, or steadfast to the pledge.
Loyal in advice or lasting in covenant.
وَظَنِّىand my trust بهاin her وَاللهِby God أَنthat لَنwill not تَضِيرَنِىharm me
وَظَنِّى بها وَاللهِ أَن لَن تَضِيرَنِى
وُشَاةٌslanderers لَدَيهاin her presence لاَnot يَضِيرُونَهَاthey harm her عِندِىin my eyes
وُشَاةٌ لَدَيها لاَ يَضِيرُونَهَا عِندِى
And I trust her, by God: I shall not be harmed
By God, my thoughts of her are that she will never harm me
By slanderers in her presence; they do not harm her in my eyes.
When she has a ewe that will not harm her in my eyes.
وَقَدand indeed زَعَمُواthey claimed أَنَّthat المُحِبَّthe lover إِذَاwhen دَنَاdraws near
وَقَد زَعَمُوا أَنَّ المُحِبَّ إِذَا دَنَا
يَمَلُّgrows weary وَاَنَّand that النَّأىdistance يَشفِىheals مِنَof الوَجدِlonging
يَمَلُّ وَاَنَّ النَّأى يَشفِى مِنَ الوَجدِ
And they have claimed that a lover, when he draws near,
They claimed that a lover, when close, is wearied,
Grows weary, and that distance cures longing.
And distance cures the pining.
بِكُلٍّwith each تَدَاوَينَاwe treated ourselves فَلَمyet not يُشفَbe cured مَاwhat بِنَاafflicts us
بِكُلٍّ تَدَاوَينَا فَلَم يُشفَ مَا بِنَا
عَلَىdespite أَنَّthat قُربَnearness of الدَّارِthe home خَيرٌbetter مِنَthan البُعدِdistance
عَلَى أَنَّ قُربَ الدَّارِ خَيرٌ مِنَ البُعدِ
We tried both remedies, but our affliction was not cured,
We have tried every cure, but nothing cured us -
Yet a home close by is better than one far away.
Though nearness of home is better than remoteness.
هَوَاىَmy love بِهذَاin this الغَورِlowland غَورِthe lowland of تِهَامَةٍTihama
هَوَاىَ بِهذَا الغَورِ غَورِ تِهَامَةٍ
وَلَيسَand is not بِهَذاin this الحَيِّthe encampment مِنof مُستوَىthe level ground of نَجدِNajd
وَلَيسَ بِهَذا الحَيِّ مِن مُستوَى نَجدِ
My love is in this lowland—the lowland of Tihama—
My love lies in this valley, the valley of Tihama,
And not in this encampment on Najd’s level ground.
And this land is not like the plateau of Najd.
فَوَاللهِso, by God رَبِّLord of البَيتِthe House لاَnot تَجِدِينَنِىyou will find me
فَوَاللهِ رَبِّ البَيتِ لاَ تَجِدِينَنِى
تَطَلَّبتُI sought قَطعَthe severing of الحَبلٍthe cord مِنكُمfrom you all عَلَىon عَمدِpurpose
تَطَلَّبتُ قَطعَ الحَبلٍ مِنكُم عَلَى عَمدِ
So, by God, Lord of the House, you will never find me
By God, Lord of the House, you will never find me
Having deliberately sought to sever the cord with you.
Deliberately cutting ties with you all.
وَلاnor أَشتَرِىI buy أَمراًa matter يَكُونُwould be قَطِيعَةًa severance
وَلا أَشتَرِى أَمراً يَكُونُ قَطِيعَةً
لِمَاof what بَينَنَاis between us حَتّىuntil اُغَيِّبَI am laid away فِىin اللَّحدِthe grave
لِمَا بَينَنَا حَتّى اُغَيِّبَ فِى اللَّحدِ
Nor will I buy anything that would mean severing
Nor will I seek to do what would sever
What lies between us, until I am laid in the grave.
What lies between us until I am laid in the grave.
فَمِنso, out of حُبِّهَاlove for her اَحبَبتُI loved مَنthose who لاَnot يُحِبُّنِىlove me
فَمِن حُبِّهَا اَحبَبتُ مَن لاَ يُحِبُّنِى
وَصَانَعتُand I placated مِنthe one whom قَدonce كنتُI used to أُبعِدُهُkeep him away جَهدِىwith all my effort
وَصَانَعتُ مِن قَد كنتُ أُبعِدُهُ جَهدِى
For love of her, I have loved those who do not love me,
Out of love for her I've loved those who don't love me
And placated those I once kept away with all my might.
And befriended those I used to shun with all my might.
أَلاّAh! رُبَّمَاhow often أَهدَىbrought لِيَto me الشَّوقَlonging وَالجَوَىand burning heartache
أَلاّ رُبَّمَا أَهدَى لِيَ الشَّوقَ وَالجَوَى
عَلىdespite النَّأىِdistance مِنهَاfrom her ذُكرَةٌa remembrance قَلَّمَاseldom تُجدِىhelps
عَلى النَّأىِ مِنهَا ذُكرَةٌ قَلَّمَا تُجدِى
Ah, how often longing and burning heartache are brought to me,
Alas! Sometimes yearning and passion
Far from her, by a memory that seldom brings relief.
For her from afar stir a remembrance seldom felt.
أَلاAh! ياO صَباeast wind of نَجدٍNajd مَتَىwhen هِجتَdid you rise مِنfrom نَجدِNajd
أَلا يا صَبا نَجدٍ مَتَى هِجتَ مِن نَجدِ
لَقَدindeed زَادَنِىhas added to me مَسرَاكَyour night passage وَجداًlonging عَلَىon top of وَجدِىmy longing
لَقَد زَادَنِى مَسرَاكَ وَجداً عَلَى وَجدِى
Ah, O east wind of Najd, when did you rise from Najd?
O morning breeze of Najd! When you blow from Najd,
Your night passage has indeed added longing to my longing.
You increase my joy and compound my pining.
أَأَنis it because هَتَفَتcalled وَرقَاءُa gray dove فِىin رَونَقِthe radiance of الضُّحَىmidmorning
أَأَن هَتَفَت وَرقَاءُ فِى رَونَقِ الضُّحَى
عَلَىon فَنَنِa branch غَضِّtender النَّباتِgrowth مِنَof الرَّندِlaurel
عَلَى فَنَنِ غَضِّ النَّباتِ مِنَ الرَّندِ
Was it because a gray dove called in midmorning’s radiance,
Did the tender leaves tremble at dawn
On a laurel branch with tender growth,
Over the blossoms of soft green vegetation?
بَكيتَyou wept كَماas يَبكِىweeps الوَليدُthe newborn وَلَمand not تَكُنyou were
بَكيتَ كَما يَبكِى الوَليدُ وَلَم تَكُن
جَلِيداًstouthearted وَاَبدَيتَand you revealed الَّذِىwhat لَمnot تَكُنyou used to تُبدِىreveal
جَلِيداً وَاَبدَيتَ الَّذِى لَم تَكُن تُبدِى
That you wept as a newborn weeps, and were not
You wept as a newborn weeps, though you were not
Stouthearted, and revealed what you had not revealed before?
Hardened, and showed what you did not use to show.
وَحَنَّتand yearned قَلُوصِىmy young she-camel مِنfrom عَدَانَʿAdan إِلىtoward نَجدِNajd
وَحَنَّت قَلُوصِى مِن عَدَانَ إِلى نَجدِ
وَلَمand did not يُنسِهَاmake her forget أَوطَانَهَاher native grounds قِدَمُthe long lapse of العَهدِtime since last seeing
وَلَم يُنسِهَا أَوطَانَهَا قِدَمُ العَهدِ
And my young she-camel yearned from ʿAdan toward Najd,
My camel-litter turned from 'Adan to Najd,
And the long lapse of time had not made her forget her native grounds.
Yet the passage of time did not make it forget its homeland.
إِذاwhenever شِئتُI wish لاَقَيتُI meet القِلاَصَthe young she-camels وَلاand not أَرَىI see
إِذا شِئتُ لاَقَيتُ القِلاَصَ وَلا أَرَى
لِقَومِىَfor my people أَشبَاهاًequals فَيَألَفَهُمso it might befriend them وُدِّىmy affection
لِقَومِىَ أَشبَاهاً فَيَألَفَهُم وُدِّى
Whenever I wish, I can meet young she-camels, yet I find no
If I wish, I meet the warriors, but I do not see
Equals to my people whom my affection might befriend.
Among my people any like them, beloved by my love.
وَأَرمِىand I shoot at الَّذِىthe one whom يَرمُونthey shoot at عَنfrom قَوسِa bow of بِغضَةٍhatred
وَأَرمِى الَّذِى يَرمُون عَن قَوسِ بِغضَةٍ
وَلَيسَand is not عَلىagainst مَولاَىَmy ally حَدِّىmy fierceness وَلاَnor جِدِّىmy earnest effort
وَلَيسَ عَلى مَولاَىَ حَدِّى وَلاَ جِدِّى
And I shoot at the one they shoot at, from a bow of hatred,
I cast off those who cast off from a bow of hatred -
Yet neither my fierceness nor my earnest effort is turned against my ally.
For neither against my lord is my zeal nor my earnestness.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.