باللهby God ياO أحمدAhmad بنson of عمروAmr
بالله يا أحمد بن عمرو
تعرفknow الناسpeople مثلthe like of شعريmy poetry
تعرف الناس مثل شعري
By God, O Ahmad ibn Amr,
O Ahmed son of Amro
do people know anything like my poetry?
You know people like my poetry
شعرٌpoetry يفيضoverflows الكنيفthe privy منهfrom it
شعرٌ يفيض الكنيف منه
منfrom جانبيthe two sides of خاطريmy mind ونحريand my breast
من جانبي خاطري ونحري
Poetry from which the privy overflows,
Poetry overflowing with inspiration
from both sides: my mind and my breast.
From my mind and soul
نسيمهits breeze منتنfoul-smelling المعانيthe meanings
نسيمه منتن المعاني
كأنهas though it were فلتةa fart let slip بجحرin a burrow
كأنه فلتة بجحر
Its breeze is foul in meaning,
Its breeze, fragrant with meaning
as though it were a fart let slip in a burrow.
As if it were a mousehole's stench
لوif جدwere serious شعريmy poetry رأيتyou would see فيهin it
لو جد شعري رأيت فيه
كواكبthe stars of الليلthe night كيفhow تسريthey travel by night
كواكب الليل كيف تسري
Were my poetry serious, you would see in it
If my poetry were serious, you'd see
the stars of night, how they journey.
How the stars of night flow in it
وإنماbut only هزلهits jesting مجونٌribaldry
وإنما هزله مجونٌ
يمشيproceeds بهthrough it فيin المعاشearning a living أمريmy affairs
يمشي به في المعاش أمري
But its jesting is only ribaldry,
Yet it is but frivolous jest
by which I get by in earning my living.
Guiding my livelihood along
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.