أَلاLo طَرَقَتshe visited by night أَسماءُAsma’ فيin غَيرِother than مَطرَقِa place for night visits
أَلا طَرَقَت أَسماءُ في غَيرِ مَطرَقِ
وَأَنّىand how إِذاwhen حَلَّتshe settled بِنَجرانَin Najran نَلتَقيwe meet
وَأَنّى إِذا حَلَّت بِنَجرانَ نَلتَقي
Lo, Asma’ came by night where none would visit;
Has Asma's fate befallen in a place unbefitting,
and how can we meet, when she has settled in Najran?
And how then if she comes to Najran do we meet?
سَرَتshe traveled by night كُلَّevery وادٍvalley دونَthis side of رَهوَةَRahwah دافِعٍflowing
سَرَت كُلَّ وادٍ دونَ رَهوَةَ دافِعٍ
وَجَلذانَand Jaldhan أَوor كَرمٍKarm بَلِيَّةَaround Liyyah مُحدِقِencircling
وَجَلذانَ أَو كَرمٍ بَلِيَّةَ مُحدِقِ
She crossed by night every rushing valley this side of Rahwah
She roamed every valley without an impeding obstacle,
and Jaldhan, or Karm encircling Liyyah.
And the rugged terrains of Karman or perilous precipice.
تَجاوَزَتshe crossed الأَعراضَthe districts حَتّىuntil تَوَسَّنَتshe approached in sleep
تَجاوَزَت الأَعراضَ حَتّى تَوَسَّنَت
وَساديmy pillow بِبابٍbehind a door دونَthis side of جِلذانJildhan مُغلَقِlocked
وَسادي بِبابٍ دونَ جِلذان مُغلَقِ
She crossed the districts until she came in sleep to
She went beyond considerations until she took shelter,
my pillow, behind a locked door this side of Jildhan,
While I remain stationed at a door without handle or lock.
بِغُرِّwith gleaming white الثَناياincisors خَيَّفَvariegated الظَلمُthe teeth’s lustre نَبتَهُtheir place of growth
بِغُرِّ الثَنايا خَيَّفَ الظَلمُ نَبتَهُ
وَسُنَّةَand the face of رِئمٍa white gazelle بالجُنَينَةِat al-Junaynah مونِقِlovely
وَسُنَّةَ رِئمٍ بالجُنَينَةِ مونِقِ
with white incisors, their setting mottled by their lustre,
In the folds of the dark night, gloom spread its growth;
and the face of a lovely white gazelle at al-Junaynah.
And the tradition of a critic in the little garden flourished.
وَلَمand not أَرَهاI saw her إِلّاexcept تَعِلَّةَthe brief solace of ساعَةٍan hour
وَلَم أَرَها إِلّا تَعِلَّةَ ساعَةٍ
عَلىat ساجِرٍSajir أَوor نَظرَةًa glance بِالمُشَرَّقِat al-Musharraq
عَلى ساجِرٍ أَو نَظرَةً بِالمُشَرَّقِ
I saw her only for an hour’s brief solace
I did not see her except making excuses for an hour,
at Sajir, or for a glance at al-Musharraq,
Glancing from an open tent or through an eastern window.
وَحَيثُand where الجَميعُthe whole company الحابِسونَthose halting بِراكِسٍat Rakis
وَحَيثُ الجَميعُ الحابِسونَ بِراكِسٍ
وَكانَand was المُحاقُthe moon’s dark phase مَوعِداًan appointed time لِلتَفَرُّقِfor parting
وَكانَ المُحاقُ مَوعِداً لِلتَفَرُّقِ
and where the whole company halted at Rakis,
Where everyone gathers, detaining with conversation,
with the dark of the moon appointed for parting,
And separation was the promised time to disperse.
بِوَجّat Wajj وَماand what باليmy concern بِوَجّwith Wajj وِبالُهاher affliction
بِوَجّ وَما بالي بِوَجّ وِبالُها
وَمَنand whoever يَلقَencounters يَوماًone day جِدَّةَthe freshness of الحُبّlove يُخلِقِwears it out
وَمَن يَلقَ يَوماً جِدَّةَ الحُبّ يُخلِقِ
at Wajj—what concern have I with Wajj and her affliction?
With a face—what is it to me? Her face's radiance,
Whoever meets love’s freshness one day will wear it out.
Whoever faces virgin love one day creates it anew.
وَأَبدىand revealed شُهورُthe months of الحَجِّpilgrimage مِنهاof her مَحاسِناًbeauties
وَأَبدى شُهورُ الحَجِّ مِنها مَحاسِناً
وَوَجهاًand a face مَتىwhenever يَحلِلbecomes permitted لَهُfor it الطيبُperfume يُشرِقِit shines
وَوَجهاً مَتى يَحلِل لَهُ الطيبُ يُشرِقِ
The months of pilgrimage revealed her beauties,
The months of Hajj displayed of her beautiful traits,
and a face that shines whenever perfume is permitted to it.
A face whose purity the perfumes reveal when applied.
فَأَمّاso if تَرَينيyou see me أَقصَرَhas ceased اليَومَtoday باطِليmy folly
فَأَمّا تَرَيني أَقصَرَ اليَومَ باطِلي
وَلاحَand appeared بَياضُthe whiteness of الشَيبِgray hair فيin كُلِّevery مَفرقِhair-parting
وَلاحَ بَياضُ الشَيبِ في كُلِّ مَفرقِ
So if you see me with my folly ended today,
You see me spending the day vainly,
and white hair gleaming at every parting,
As the whiteness of old age appears on every parting hair.
وَزايَلَنيand left me رَيقُthe freshness of الشَبابِyouth وَظِلُّهُand its shade
وَزايَلَني رَيقُ الشَبابِ وَظِلُّهُ
وَبُدِّلتُand I was given in exchange مِنهُfor it سَحقَa worn garment آخَرَanother مُخلِقِthreadbare
وَبُدِّلتُ مِنهُ سَحقَ آخَرَ مُخلِقِ
and the freshness of youth and its shade gone from me,
The saliva of youth and its shade have left me,
and in its place I have been given another worn, threadbare garment—
And I was changed from it to be crushed at last.
فَعَثرَةِfor many a fall of مَولىًa kinsman قَدindeed نَعَشتُI restored وَأُسرَةٍand a family
فَعَثرَةِ مَولىً قَد نَعَشتُ وَأُسرَةٍ
كِرامٍof noble men وَأَبطالٍand champions لَدىat كُلِّevery مَأزِقِstrait
كِرامٍ وَأَبطالٍ لَدى كُلِّ مَأزِقِ
for many a kinsman’s fall have I set right, and many a family
I have revived the stumbling of a Master, and a bridle
of noble men, and champions in every strait.
Of generous and brave men in every distressful plight.
وَحِرَّةِand the burning thirst of صادٍa thirsty man قَدindeed نَضَحتُI quenched بِشَربَةٍwith a draught
وَحِرَّةِ صادٍ قَد نَضَحتُ بِشَربَةٍ
وَقَدand already ذُمَّwas reproached قَبليbefore me لَيلَat night آخَرَanother مُطرِقِhead-bowed
وَقَد ذُمَّ قَبلي لَيلَ آخَرَ مُطرِقِ
And many a thirsty man’s burning thirst I have quenched with a draught,
I have overflowed with a drink of one who pours,
while another, head bowed, had been reproached at night before me.
And before me the night of another critic was blamed.
وَنَهبٍand plunder كَجُمّاعِlike the cluster of الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades حَوَيتُهُI gathered it
وَنَهبٍ كَجُمّاعِ الثُرَيّا حَوَيتُهُ
غِشاشاًhurriedly بِمُحتاتِon one with slender القَوائِمِlegs خَيفَقِswift-running
غِشاشاً بِمُحتاتِ القَوائِمِ خَيفَقِ
And plunder like the clustered Pleiades I have gathered
And a plunder like the collectivity of locusts I have contained it,
in haste, on a fleet steed with slender legs.
Fluttering with the forelegs of the crouching camels.
وَمَعشوقَةٍand a beloved woman طَلَّقنَهاthey divorced her بِمُرِشَّةٍwith a blood-spattering wound
وَمَعشوقَةٍ طَلَّقنَها بِمُرِشَّةٍ
لَهاit has سَنَنٌa flowing course كَالأَتحَمِيِّlike Atḥamī cloth المُخرَّقِtorn
لَها سَنَنٌ كَالأَتحَمِيِّ المُخرَّقِ
And many a beloved woman they divorced with a blood-spattering wound,
And a lover I divorced with a single act,
whose stream was like torn Atḥamī cloth.
She had qualities like a perforated and ripped mat.
فَباتَتso she spent the night سَليباًbereft مِنof أُناسٍpeople تُحِبُّهُمshe loves them
فَباتَت سَليباً مِن أُناسٍ تُحِبُّهُم
كَئيباًsorrowful وَلَولاand were it not for طَعنَتيmy spear-thrust لَمdid not تُطَلَّقِbe divorced
كَئيباً وَلَولا طَعنَتي لَم تُطَلَّقِ
So she spent the night bereft of people she loved,
She spent the night feeling deprived by people she loves,
grieving; without my spear-thrust, she would not have been divorced.
Grieving, and had I not stabbed her she would not be divorced.
وَخَيلٍand horses تَعادىcharge one another لاno هَوادَةَtruce بِينَهاbetween them
وَخَيلٍ تَعادى لا هَوادَةَ بِينَها
شَهِدتُI witnessed بِمَدلوكِon one with smooth المَعاقِمِjoints مُحنِقِlean-flanked
شَهِدتُ بِمَدلوكِ المَعاقِمِ مُحنِقِ
And horses charging one another, with no truce between them,
And horses that harbor enmity with no reconciliation between them,
I witnessed on a smooth-jointed, lean-flanked steed,
I have witnessed with the clash of their bridled mouths.
طَويلlong عُظامٍof bones غَيرِnot خافٍobscure نَمىgave growth بِهِto him
طَويل عُظامٍ غَيرِ خافٍ نَمى بِهِ
سَليمُsound الشَظاof splint-bones فيwithin مُكرَباتِthe tightly twisted bonds of المُطَبَّقِthe fetter
سَليمُ الشَظا في مُكرَباتِ المُطَبَّقِ
long-boned, of no obscure stock, bred by
Long of bone that fears no growth flourished in him,
a sire sound of splint-bones, within the fetter’s tightly twisted bonds,
Safe from 分割 in adversities of compacted structure.
بَصيرٌkeen-eyed بَأَطرافِto the edges of الحِدابِthe ridges مُقَلِّصٍlean and long-legged
بَصيرٌ بَأَطرافِ الحِدابِ مُقَلِّصٍ
نَبيلٍnoble يُساوىis equated بِالطِرافِwith a leather tent المُرَوَّقِfurnished with an awning
نَبيلٍ يُساوى بِالطِرافِ المُرَوَّقِ
keen-eyed for the edges of ridges, lean and long-legged,
Insightful, minimizing the edges of separation
noble, the equal of a leather tent furnished with an awning.
Noble, equaling the highest peaks that are lofty.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle استَحَمَّتbecame drenched in sweat أَرضُهُhis earth مِنfrom سَمائِهِhis sky
إِذا ما استَحَمَّت أَرضُهُ مِن سَمائِهِ
جَرىhe ran وَهوَwhile he was مَودُعٌspared exertion وَواعِدُand promising مَصدَقِtrue fulfillment
جَرى وَهوَ مَودُعٌ وَواعِدُ مَصدَقِ
When his earth was drenched with sweat from his sky,
When his land rains from its clouds,
he ran at ease, a promiser true to his promise.
It flows while he bids farewell and promises honesty.
وَمَدَّand stretched الشمالَthe left hand طَعنُهُhis thrust فيagainst عِنانِهِhis rein
وَمَدَّ الشمالَ طَعنُهُ في عِنانِهِ
وَباعَand stretched his stride كَبوعlike the stride of الشادِنِa young gazelle المَتَطَلِّقِrunning free
وَباعَ كَبوع الشادِنِ المَتَطَلِّقِ
His thrust against the rein stretched out the left hand,
And the stab of the north in his rein,
and he stretched his stride like a young gazelle running free.
He sold the intensity of warriors set loose.
مِنَamong الكاتِماتِthose concealing الرَبوَpanting تَمزَعraces swiftly مُقَدّماًahead
مِنَ الكاتِماتِ الرَبوَ تَمزَع مُقَدّماً
سَبوقاًoutstripping إِلىtoward الغاياتِthe finishing posts غَيرَnot مُسَبَّقِoutstripped
سَبوقاً إِلى الغاياتِ غَيرَ مُسَبَّقِ
One of those that conceal their panting, he races ahead,
Of the reserved, he ripped apart the leader,
first to the finishing posts, never outstripped.
Preceding to the goals without prior arrangement.
وَعَتهُshe carried him in her womb جَوادٌa noble mare لاnot يُباعُis sold جَبينُهاher forehead
وَعَتهُ جَوادٌ لا يُباعُ جَبينُها
بِمَنسوبَةٍwith well-traced أَعراقُهُhis bloodlines غَيرِnot مُحمِقِbegetting witless stock
بِمَنسوبَةٍ أَعراقُهُ غَيرِ مُحمِقِ
A noble mare bore him, her forehead never sold,
It had a steed that would not sell its forehead
with his bloodlines well traced, no begetter of witless stock.
For a pedigree whose roots are not twisted.
وَمَرقَبَةٍand a lookout height طَيَّرتُI drove to flight عَنهاfrom it حَمامَهاits doves
وَمَرقَبَةٍ طَيَّرتُ عَنها حَمامَها
نَعامَتُهاits summit rock مِنهاof it بِضاحٍon an exposed face مَزَلَّقِslippery
نَعامَتُها مِنها بِضاحٍ مَزَلَّقِ
And many a lookout height, from which I drove its doves to flight—
And an observatory from which I frightened its doves,
its crowning rock on its bare, slippery face,
Its ostrich wandering from it, glittering smoothly.
تَبيتُspend the night عِتاقthe noble ones of الطَيرِthe birds فيon رَقَباتِهاits necks
تَبيتُ عِتاق الطَيرِ في رَقَباتِها
كَطَرَّةِlike the fringe of بَيتِthe tent of الفارِسيthe Persian المُعَلَّقِsuspended
كَطَرَّةِ بَيتِ الفارِسي المُعَلَّقِ
noble birds roosting on its necks,
The untamed birds spend the night around its neck,
like the fringe of the Persian’s suspended tent—
Like the suspended badge of the Persian horseman.
رَبَأتُI kept lookout وَحُرجوجٍand a tall, lean she-camel جَهَدتُI taxed رَواحَهاher evening travel
رَبَأتُ وَحُرجوجٍ جَهَدتُ رَواحَها
عَلىon لاحِبٍa broad beaten path مِثلِlike الحَصيرِa reed mat المُشَقَّقِsplit
عَلى لاحِبٍ مِثلِ الحَصيرِ المُشَقَّقِ
I have watched from; and many a tall, lean she-camel I pressed hard in evening travel
I have ridden while exhausting its plowing mares
on a broad, beaten track like a split reed mat.
On bumpy terrain like cracked mats.
تَبيتُshe spends the night إلىbeside عِدٍّa perennial water-source تَقادَمَgrew ancient عَهدُهُits age
تَبيتُ إلى عِدٍّ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ
بِحَرٍّin heat تَقىshe wards off حَرَّthe heat of النَهارِthe day بِغَلفَقِwith waterweed
بِحَرٍّ تَقى حَرَّ النَهارِ بِغَلفَقِ
She spends the night beside a perennial water-source of ancient standing,
They spend the night counting days of old covenants
in the heat, warding off the day’s heat with waterweed.
In hot sands that the mid-day heat melts down.
كَأَنَّas though مَحافيرَthe dug-out hollows of السِباعِbeasts of prey حِياضَهُits drinking basins
كَأَنَّ مَحافيرَ السِباعِ حِياضَهُ
لِتَعريسِهاfrom their bedding down جَنبَbeside الأَزاءِthe trough-rim المُمَزَّقِbroken
لِتَعريسِها جَنبَ الأَزاءِ المُمَزَّقِ
As though the hollows dug by beasts of prey were its drinking basins,
It is as if the claw marks of beasts are its enclosures
from their bedding down beside the broken trough-rim,
For its wedding next to the tattered carpets.
مُعَرَّسُa resting-place of رَكبٍriders قافِلينَreturning home بِصرَةٍin biting cold
مُعَرَّسُ رَكبٍ قافِلينَ بِصرَةٍ
صِرادٍshivering إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle نارُهُمtheir fire لَمwas not تُحَرَّقِkindled
صِرادٍ إِذا ما نارُهُم لَم تُحَرَّقِ
a campsite for riders returning home in biting cold,
A bride of a riding company traveling with luggage
shivering when their fire had not been kindled.
Whose fire, if ignited, does not calm down.
فَدَعso leave ذاthis وَلَكِنbut هَلdo تَرىyou see ضَوءَthe flash of بارِقٍlightning
فَدَع ذا وَلَكِن هَل تَرى ضَوءَ بارِقٍ
يُضيءُit illuminates حَبِيّاًa piled-up cloud فيamong ذُرىًsummits مُتَأَلّقِflashing
يُضيءُ حَبِيّاً في ذُرىً مُتَأَلّقِ
Leave that aside; but do you see a flash of lightning
So leave this and do you see a flashing light
lighting a piled-up cloud, flashing amid the summits?
That illuminates a loved one in radiant traces?
عَلاcovered الأُكمَthe hills مِنهُfrom it وابِلٌa downpour بَعدَafter وابِلٍa downpour
عَلا الأُكمَ مِنهُ وابِلٌ بَعدَ وابِلٍ
فَقَدand indeed أُرهِقَتwere inundated قَيَعانُهُits low plains كُلُّevery مُرهَقِoverwhelming measure
فَقَد أُرهِقَت قَيَعانُهُ كُلُّ مُرهَقِ
Downpour after downpour from it swept over the hills,
It rose above the dunes with rain after rain
and its lowlands were utterly overwhelmed.
For its valleys have been burdened, all are fatigued.
يَجُرُّit drags بِأَكنافِalong the margins of البِحارِthe seas إِلىtoward المَلاal-Mala
يَجُرُّ بِأَكنافِ البِحارِ إِلى المَلا
رَباباًlow clouds لَهُbelonging to it مِثلُlike النَعامِostriches المُعَلَّقِsuspended
رَباباً لَهُ مِثلُ النَعامِ المُعَلَّقِ
It drags along the margins of the seas toward al-Mala
It drags on the edges of seas to the harbor
its low clouds, like suspended ostriches.
A ship like a suspended ostrich carried on.
إِذاwhen قُلتَyou said تَزهاهُdrive it away الرِياحُthe winds دناdrew near لَهُto it
إِذا قُلتَ تَزهاهُ الرِياحُ دنا لَهُ
رَبابٌlow clouds لَهُbelonging to it مِثلُlike النَعامِostriches المُوَسَّقِgathered together
رَبابٌ لَهُ مِثلُ النَعامِ المُوَسَّقِ
When you say, “The winds are sweeping it away,” there draw near it
If you say the winds make it sway, come closer to it,
low clouds like ostriches gathered together.
A ship like a properly arranged ostrich appears.
كَأَنَّas though الحُداةَthe camel-drivers وَالمُشايِعَand the urging helper وَسطَهُin its midst
كَأَنَّ الحُداةَ وَالمُشايِعَ وَسطَهُ
وَعوذاًand newly calved she-camels مَطافيلاًwith their young بِأَمعَزَon stony ground مُشرِقِsunlit
وَعوذاً مَطافيلاً بِأَمعَزَ مُشرِقِ
As though the camel-drivers and their urging helper were within it,
It is as if the leaders and the guides around it
and newly calved she-camels with their young on sunlit, stony ground.
And refugees are goats of the brilliant east.
أَسَألَset flowing شَقاًShaqq يَعلوrises above العِضاهَthe thorn-trees غُثاؤُهُits flotsam
أَسَألَ شَقاً يَعلو العِضاهَ غُثاؤُهُ
يُصَفِّقُit surges فيin قيعانِهاits low plains كُلَّevery مَصفَقِplace of surging
يُصَفِّقُ في قيعانِها كُلَّ مَصفَقِ
It set Shaqq flowing, its flotsam rising above the thorn-trees,
Asking for a cleft that its abundant flowing pus
surging across its lowlands on every side.
Claps in its depths all that can clap.
فَجادَthen drenched شَرَوراًSharur فَالسَتارَthen al-Sitar فَأَصبَحَتand by morning became
فَجادَ شَرَوراً فَالسَتارَ فَأَصبَحَت
يَعارُYa’ar لَهُunder it وَالوادِيانِand the two valleys بِمَودِقِin rainfall
يَعارُ لَهُ وَالوادِيانِ بِمَودِقِ
It drenched Sharur, then al-Sitar; by morning
So it brought evil and thus the curtain, and it became
Ya’ar and the two valleys lay beneath its rain.
Shameful for it and the valleys in lodging.
كَأَنَّas though الضَبابَthe lizards بِالصَحارىin the deserts عَشِيَّةًat evening
كَأَنَّ الضَبابَ بِالصَحارى عَشِيَّةً
رِجالٌmen دَعاهاhe summoned them مُستَضيفٌa host لِمَوسِقِto abundant fare
رِجالٌ دَعاها مُستَضيفٌ لِمَوسِقِ
As though the lizards in the deserts at evening
It is as if the fog in the deserts at night
were men whom a host had summoned to abundant fare.
Are men it invited for a musical evening.
لَهُit has حَدَبٌa swelling ridge يَستَخرِجُforces out الذِئبَthe wolf كارِهاًunwilling
لَهُ حَدَبٌ يَستَخرِجُ الذِئبَ كارِهاً
يُمِرُّit sweeps along غُثاءًflotsam تَحتَbeneath غارٍa cave مُطَلَّقِwide open
يُمِرُّ غُثاءً تَحتَ غارٍ مُطَلَّقِ
Its swelling ridge forces the wolf out against his will,
It has a hump that forcibly drags out the unwilling wolf
sweeping flotsam beneath a wide-open cavern.
To pass in its depth under an abandoned cave.
يَشُقُّit cleaves الحِدابَthe ridges بِالصَحارىin the deserts وَيَنتَحيand bears down upon
يَشُقُّ الحِدابَ بِالصَحارى وَيَنتَحي
فِراخَthe chicks of العُقابِthe eagle بِالحِقاءِat al-Hiqa’ المُحَلّقlofty
فِراخَ العُقابِ بِالحِقاءِ المُحَلّق
It cleaves the ridges in the deserts, and bears down upon
It splits through the deserts and takes cover
the eagle’s chicks at lofty al-Hiqa’.
Under the soaring chicks of the eagle.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.