دَعَانِيcalled me إِلَىto غَيِّthe waywardness of الصِّبَاyouth بَعْدَafter مَاthat مَضَىhad passed
دَعَانِي إِلَى غَيِّ الصِّبَا بَعْدَ مَا مَضَى
مَكَانٌa place كَفِرْدَوْسِlike the paradise of الْجِنَانِthe gardens أَنِيقُlovely
مَكَانٌ كَفِرْدَوْسِ الْجِنَانِ أَنِيقُ
Back to youth's waywardness, after it had passed, I was called
He called me to the folly of youth after it had passed,
by a lovely place, like the gardens of Paradise.
A place like the gardens of Paradise, elegant,
فَسِيحُspacious مَجَالِthe range of الْعَينِthe eye أَمَّاas for غَدِيرُهُits pool
فَسِيحُ مَجَالِ الْعَينِ أَمَّا غَدِيرُهُ
فَطَامٍthen, brimming وَأَمَّاand as for غُصْنُهُits bough فَرَشِيقُthen, slender
فَطَامٍ وَأَمَّا غُصْنُهُ فَرَشِيقُ
Wide was the eye's range; as for its pool,
With open vistas for the eyes. As for its pond,
it brimmed over; and its bough was slender.
It is clear, and as for its branches, they are lush.
كَسَاclothed أَرْضَهُits ground ثَوْبَاًa robe مِنَof الظِّلِّshade بَاسِقٌa towering tree
كَسَا أَرْضَهُ ثَوْبَاً مِنَ الظِّلِّ بَاسِقٌ
مِنَof الأَيْكِthe grove فَيْنَانُwide-branching السَّرَاةِthe crown وَرِيقُleafy
مِنَ الأَيْكِ فَيْنَانُ السَّرَاةِ وَرِيقُ
Its ground was clothed in a robe of shade by a towering tree
A robe of dense shade covered its land
of the grove, broad-crowned and thick with leaves.
Of lofty acacia trees and slender willows.
سَمَتْrose صُعُداًupward أَفْنَانُهُits branches فَكَأَنَّمَاso, as though
سَمَتْ صُعُداً أَفْنَانُهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا
لَهَاfor them عِنْدَbeside إِحْدَىone of النَّيِّرَاتِthe heavenly lights عَشِيقُa lover
لَهَا عِنْدَ إِحْدَى النَّيِّرَاتِ عَشِيقُ
Its branches rose upward, as though
Its branches climbed high as if
they had a lover beside one of the heavenly lights.
One of the nymphs had a lover among them.
يَمُدُّextends شُعَاعُthe ray الشَّمْسِof the sun فِيthrough حَجَراتِهَاtheir recesses
يَمُدُّ شُعَاعُ الشَّمْسِ فِي حَجَراتِهَا
سَلاسِلَchains مِنْof نُورٍlight لَهُنَّthey have بَرِيقُa gleam
سَلاسِلَ مِنْ نُورٍ لَهُنَّ بَرِيقُ
The sun's ray stretched through their recesses
The sun's rays penetrate its chambers
chains of light that gleamed.
With chains of light that have luster for them.
وَيَشْدُوand sings بِهَاamong them الْقُمْرِيُّthe turtledove حَتَّىuntil كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَيَشْدُو بِهَا الْقُمْرِيُّ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ
أَخُوone possessed of صَبْوَةٍamorous longing أَوْor دَبَّcrept فِيهِwithin him رَحِيقُpure wine
أَخُو صَبْوَةٍ أَوْ دَبَّ فِيهِ رَحِيقُ
And among them the turtledove sang, until it seemed
And the moon sings to them until it seems
a lover, or one through whom pure wine had crept.
A companion of the Pleiades or imbued with nectar.
تَمُرُّpass طُيُورُthe birds of المَاءِwater فِيهاamong them عَصَائِباًin flocks
تَمُرُّ طُيُورُ المَاءِ فِيها عَصَائِباً
كَرَكْبٍlike a band of riders عِجَالٍhurrying ضَمَّهُنَّbrought them together طَرِيقُa road
كَرَكْبٍ عِجَالٍ ضَمَّهُنَّ طَرِيقُ
Waterbirds passed among them in flocks,
The birds of the water pass through it in lines
like hurrying riders brought together by a road.
Like a mounted army brought together by fate.
إِذَاwhen أَبْصَرَتْthey saw زُرْقَthe blue الْمَوَارِدِwatering places رَفْرَفَتْthey fluttered
إِذَا أَبْصَرَتْ زُرْقَ الْمَوَارِدِ رَفْرَفَتْ
عَلَيْهَاover them فَطَافٍthen, some afloat فَوْقَهَاabove them وَغَرِيقُand some submerged
عَلَيْهَا فَطَافٍ فَوْقَهَا وَغَرِيقُ
Whenever they saw the blue watering places, they fluttered
When they see the blueness of the ponds they flutter
over them—some afloat upon them, others submerged.
Above them like one swooping down or diving.
غَدَوْنَاwe went out early لَهُto it وَالْفَجْرُand dawn يَنْصَاحُspreads ضَوْؤُهُits light
غَدَوْنَا لَهُ وَالْفَجْرُ يَنْصَاحُ ضَوْؤُهُ
فَيَنْمُوso it grows وَأَقْطَارُand the realms of الظِّلامِdarkness تَضِيقُnarrow
فَيَنْمُو وَأَقْطَارُ الظِّلامِ تَضِيقُ
We went there in the morning, as dawn's light spread,
We went to it at dawn, as its light was bursting forth,
and grew, while the realms of darkness narrowed.
Expanding, while the regions of darkness narrowed.
وَلِلطَّيرِand for the birds فِيin مَهْدِthe cradle of الأَرَاكَةِthe arak tree رَنَّةٌa ringing song
وَلِلطَّيرِ فِي مَهْدِ الأَرَاكَةِ رَنَّةٌ
وَلِلطَّلِّand for the dew فِيin ثَغْرِthe mouth of الأَقَاحَةِthe daisy رِيقُsaliva
وَلِلطَّلِّ فِي ثَغْرِ الأَقَاحَةِ رِيقُ
And the birds had a ringing song in the arak tree's cradle,
The birds in the cradle of the boughs were singing,
and in the daisy's mouth, the dew was saliva.
And the young gazelles at the lips of the meadows were crying.
مَلاعِبُpleasure grounds زَانَتْهَاadorned them الرِّفَاقُthe companions وَلَمْand did not يَكُنْbe
مَلاعِبُ زَانَتْهَا الرِّفَاقُ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ
لِيَحْسُنَto be lovely لَهْوٌa pastime لَمْdid not يَزِنْهُadorn it رَفِيقُa companion
لِيَحْسُنَ لَهْوٌ لَمْ يَزِنْهُ رَفِيقُ
Pleasure grounds adorned by companions; never could
Its pleasures were adorned by companions, and there was no
a pastime be lovely without a companion to adorn it.
Joyful diversion that a comrade did not grace.
وَمَنْزِلُand an abode of أُنْسٍfellowship قَدْindeed عَقَدْنَاwe tied بِجَوِّهِin its midst
وَمَنْزِلُ أُنْسٍ قَدْ عَقَدْنَا بِجَوِّهِ
رَتَائِمَreminder-knots لَهْوٍof pleasure عَقْدُهُنَّtheir binding وَثِيقُfirm
رَتَائِمَ لَهْوٍ عَقْدُهُنَّ وَثِيقُ
And an abode of fellowship, in whose midst we tied
We established at its beautiful spot a place of companionship,
knotted tokens of pleasure, their bindings firm.
Binding the links of play—their knot was tight.
جَمَعْنَاwe gathered بِهِin it الأَشْتَاتَthe scattered varieties مِنْof كُلِّevery لَذَّةٍpleasure
جَمَعْنَا بِهِ الأَشْتَاتَ مِنْ كُلِّ لَذَّةٍ
وَمَاand not كُلُّevery يَوْمٍday بِالسُّرُورِof joy حَقِيقُworthy
وَمَا كُلُّ يَوْمٍ بِالسُّرُورِ حَقِيقُ
There we gathered the varied forms of every delight,
We gathered there all the scattered parts of delight,
and not every day is worthy of joy.
For not every day is genuinely happy.
وَغَنَّىand sang لَنَاfor us شَادٍa singer أَغَنُّsweetly nasal-voiced مُقَرْطَقٌwearing a short tunic
وَغَنَّى لَنَا شَادٍ أَغَنُّ مُقَرْطَقٌ
رَفِيقٌgentle بِجَسِّin fingering الْمِلْهَيَاتِthe musical instruments لَبِيقُdeft
رَفِيقٌ بِجَسِّ الْمِلْهَيَاتِ لَبِيقُ
And a sweet, nasal-voiced singer in a short tunic sang for us,
A singer sang for us in the sweetest melodies,
gentle and deft in fingering the instruments.
A comrade well-versed in the instruments of joy.
إِذَاwhen مَدَّhe drew out مِنْsome of صَوْتٍa sound وَرَجَّعَand trilled أَقْبَلَتْcame forward
إِذَا مَدَّ مِنْ صَوْتٍ وَرَجَّعَ أَقْبَلَتْ
عَلَيْنَاtoward us وُجُوهُthe faces of الْعَيْشِlife وَهْوَwhile it was رَقِيقُtender
عَلَيْنَا وُجُوهُ الْعَيْشِ وَهْوَ رَقِيقُ
When he drew out a note and trilled, there came
When he stretched out a note and drew it back,
toward us the faces of life, and life was tender.
The faces of living happily turned toward us.
فَيَاoh, how حُسْنَهُits beauty مِنْas مَنْزِلٍa dwelling لَمْdid not يَطُفْwander بِهِthrough it
فَيَا حُسْنَهُ مِنْ مَنْزِلٍ لَمْ يَطُفْ بِهِ
غَويٌّa wayward person وَلَمْand did not يَحْلُلْlodge حِمَاهُits precincts لَصِيقُa hanger-on
غَويٌّ وَلَمْ يَحْلُلْ حِمَاهُ لَصِيقُ
How lovely a dwelling, never visited
What a beautiful place, untouched by one who leads astray,
by a wayward man, with no hanger-on lodging in its precincts.
Its sanctuary unviolated by a shameless person!
أَقَمْنَاwe stayed بِهِin it يَوْماًa day طَلِيقاًcarefree وَلَيْلَةًand a night
أَقَمْنَا بِهِ يَوْماً طَلِيقاً وَلَيْلَةً
دُجَاهَاits darkness بِلأْلاءِwith the gleam of الْمُدَامِwine طَلِيقُbright
دُجَاهَا بِلأْلاءِ الْمُدَامِ طَلِيقُ
We spent there a carefree day and a night
We stayed there a day at leisure and a night
whose darkness was bright with the wine's sparkle.
Lit up by the radiance of flowing wine.
فَلَمَّاthen, when اتَّعَدْنَاwe agreed لِلرَّوَاحِto depart تَرَوَّعَتْwere alarmed
فَلَمَّا اتَّعَدْنَا لِلرَّوَاحِ تَرَوَّعَتْ
قُلُوبُthe hearts of النَّدَامَىthe drinking companions وَالْمُحِبُّand the lover شَفِيقُfearful
قُلُوبُ النَّدَامَى وَالْمُحِبُّ شَفِيقُ
Then, when we agreed to depart, alarm seized
But when we prepared to leave, the hearts of the sorrowful
the hearts of our drinking companions; a lover is fearful.
Were shaken, and the loving one was tender.
فَلِلَّهِso, by God قَلْبٌa heart بِالْفِرَاقِby parting مُرَوَّعٌterrified
فَلِلَّهِ قَلْبٌ بِالْفِرَاقِ مُرَوَّعٌ
حَزينٌsorrowful وَجَفْنٌand an eyelid بِالدُّمُوعِwith tears شَرِيقُchoked
حَزينٌ وَجَفْنٌ بِالدُّمُوعِ شَرِيقُ
By God, what a heart—terrified by parting,
By God, there is a heart terrified by parting,
sorrowful—and an eyelid choked with tears!
Grieving, and an eyelid flowing with tears!
وَقَالَand said لِيَto me الْخُلَّانُthe friends صِفْdescribe حُسْنَthe beauty of يَوْمِنَاour day
وَقَالَ لِيَ الْخُلَّانُ صِفْ حُسْنَ يَوْمِنَا
فَأَنْتَfor you بِنَجْدِيِّfor Najdi-style الْكَلامِspeech خَلِيقُworthy
فَأَنْتَ بِنَجْدِيِّ الْكَلامِ خَلِيقُ
And my friends said to me, "Describe the beauty of our day,
The boon-companions said to me, “Describe the beauty of our day,”
for you are worthy of the speech of Najd."
For you have the talent of fine speech.
فَرَوَّيْتُso I pondered شَيْئَاًa little ثُمَّthen جِئْتُI came بِمَنْطِقٍwith speech
فَرَوَّيْتُ شَيْئَاً ثُمَّ جِئْتُ بِمَنْطِقٍ
ذَكِيٍّfragrant يَفُوقُsurpasses الْمِسْكَmusk وَهْوَwhile it is فَتِيقُunsealed
ذَكِيٍّ يَفُوقُ الْمِسْكَ وَهْوَ فَتِيقُ
So I pondered a little, then brought forth words
So I portrayed something, then came up with eloquent
fragrant, surpassing musk even when it is unsealed.
And witty words more fragrant than musk.
وَكَيْفَand how يَغُبُّbe absent الْقَوْلُspeech عَنِّيfrom me وَفِيwhile in فَمِيmy mouth
وَكَيْفَ يَغُبُّ الْقَوْلُ عَنِّي وَفِي فَمِي
لِسَانٌa tongue كَغَرْبِlike the cutting edge of الْمَشْرَفِيِّthe Mashrafi sword ذَلِيقُfluent
لِسَانٌ كَغَرْبِ الْمَشْرَفِيِّ ذَلِيقُ
And how could speech fail me, when in my mouth
How could speech fail me when my mouth contains
is a fluent tongue, like the cutting edge of a Mashrafi sword?
A tongue like the saber of Mashrafi, sharp and pliant!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.