الخلقpeople يحزنgrieve للشبابfor youth إذاwhen مضىhas passed
الخلق يحزن للشباب إذا مضى
لكنbut كذاthus الدنياthe world إذاwhen عرفوهاthey knew it
لكن كذا الدنيا إذا عرفوها
People grieve for youth when it has passed.
The people grieve for youth when it passes away
Yet such is the world, once they understand it.
Yet such is the world, if they understood it
قطعواthey cut العصىthe sticks منfrom الفروعthe branches طريةtender
قطعوا العصى من الفروع طرية
والناسand people قالواthey said الخيرthe better course لوif تركوهاthey had left them
والناس قالوا الخير لو تركوها
They cut sticks from the branches while still tender.
They cut the branch while still green
And people said, “Better had they left them!”
And people said it would be best left alone
تعلوgrow tall وتورفand grow leafy قلsay وبعدand then ألمdid … not? تشخgrow old
تعلو وتورف قل وبعد ألم تشخ
والناسand people بالرائينwith the two rāʾs (fire and saw) منتظروهاawaiting them
والناس بالرائين منتظروها
They would grow tall and leafy—say, what then? Would they not grow old?
It would grow tall and plentiful despite the pain
And people await them with the two rāʾs,
Yet people await the seers
بالنارwith fire والمنشارand the saw إماeither أثثواthey made furniture
بالنار والمنشار إما أثثوا
منهاfrom them أثاثاًfurniture أوهمواor they حرقوهاthey burned them
منها أثاثاً أوهموا حرقوها
With fire and saw: either they make
Whether with fire or saw they utilize it
Furniture from them, or they burn them.
Making furnishings from it or pretending to burn it
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.