كأمlike the mother of البيضthe eggs تُلحفهshe covers them غُدافاًa long black wing
كأم البيض تُلحفه غُدافاً
وتفرشهand she beds them منwith الدمثsoft sand المهيلِloosely heaped
وتفرشه من الدمث المهيلِ
Like a mother ostrich, covering her eggs with a black wing,
Like an ostrich egg enwrapped in down,
and bedding them in soft, loose sand.
And carpeted with finest camel hair;
فلماthen when قيضwas cracked open عنaway from حَتَكa thin membrane لصوقclinging
فلما قيض عن حَتَك لصوق
بأزعرon a scant-feathered chick تحتbeneath أهدبa long-feathered wing كالخميلlike plush
بأزعر تحت أهدب كالخميل
Then, when the shell cracked away from a clinging membrane
When you had done protecting it, aloof,
on a scant-feathered chick beneath a plush-fringed wing—
Beneath an awning like a royal tent,
كأنas though القيضthe eggshell رعَّثهadorned it بودعwith cowries
كأن القيض رعَّثه بودع
منfrom التوشيحsash adornment أوor قطعpieces of الوذيلsilver
من التوشيح أو قطع الوذيل
as though the shell had adorned it with cowries
As though the ending of your watch had torn
from a beaded sash, or with pieces of silver—
Some bond of intimacy or friendship dear,
أوينthey sought shelter إلىwith ملاطفةa tender mother خضودcropping shoots
أوين إلى ملاطفة خضود
لمأكلهنfor their food طفطافthe tender tips of الربُولfresh-grown plants
لمأكلهن طفطاف الربُول
they sheltered with a tender mother who cropped
Yearning for the affection of your heart
the tender tips of fresh herbage for their food.
That fed them crumbs to peck when you were near;
تسبعshe turns fierce دونهنin their defense لكلat every وحيsound
تسبع دونهن لكل وحي
تعرضarose منfrom أزلَّa lean-rumped wolf لهاtoward her نسولswiftly loping
تعرض من أزلَّ لها نسول
She turned fierce in their defense at every sound
Keeping jealous ward above their needs,
that arose from a lean wolf loping toward her.
Displaying to each approaching wolf your spear;
فلماthen when استرألتthey became young ostriches حسبتthey thought سواءall the same
فلما استرألت حسبت سواء
مفارقةleaving الرعيلthe flock إلىfor الرعيلthe flock
مفارقة الرعيل إلى الرعيل
Then, when they grew into young ostriches, they thought it all the same
When it was time for them to leave the nest,
to leave one flock and join another.
You deemed the parting balanced and austere,
فساقطهاso it scattered them الفراقparting بكلinto every غيبhidden place
فساقطها الفراق بكل غيب
خواذلstragglers بالمقدon the trail وبالمقيلand at the midday resting-place
خواذل بالمقد وبالمقيل
So parting scattered them into every hidden place,
Yet parting left both far and near bereft
stragglers on the trail and at the midday resting-place.
Of many a lone one and a well-loved peer.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.