أعانيI suffer وماand not يَدْرِيknows الورىhumankind عنof مُعاناتيmy suffering
أعاني وما يَدْرِي الورى عن مُعاناتي
ولمand has not يَسْمَعِheard النَّشْجَthe sobbing الأليمَpainful وآهاتيand my sighs!
ولم يَسْمَعِ النَّشْجَ الأليمَ وآهاتي!
I suffer, and humankind knows nothing of my suffering,
I suffer, though the people know not of my torment,
nor has it heard the painful sobbing and my sighs!
Nor have they heard my painful laments and sighs!
وكيفand how وبَوْحُand the disclosure الحُرِّof the free man يَجْرَحُwounds رُوحَهُhis soul
وكيف وبَوْحُ الحُرِّ يَجْرَحُ رُوحَهُ
فيَطوِيso he keeps hidden علىwithin الدَّاميthe bleeding pain المُؤَرِّقِsleep-robbing.. والعاتيand savage!
فيَطوِي على الدَّامي المُؤَرِّقِ.. والعاتي!
And how could it, when a free man's disclosure wounds his soul,
How can the free man bare his soul, wounded,
so he keeps his bleeding, sleep-robbing, savage pain within!
And fold over his grieving, tormenting enemy?
ويُسْعِدَهand gladdens him الكِتْمانُconcealment حتىuntil كأّنَّهُas though he were
ويُسْعِدَه الكِتْمانُ حتى كأّنَّهُ
ضَرِيحٌa tomb يُوارِيconceals بُؤْسَهhis misery فيin الغَياباتِthe hidden depths!
ضَرِيحٌ يُوارِي بُؤْسَه في الغَياباتِ!
And concealment gladdens him, until he is like
Concealment brings him joy, as if
a tomb hiding his misery in dark recesses!
He were a tomb, hiding his misery in seclusion!
ويَبْتسِمُand he smiles والأَضْلاعُwhile the ribs مِنfrom وَقْدةthe burning heat الحَشاof the innards
ويَبْتسِمُ والأَضْلاعُ مِن وَقْدة الحَشا
تُحِسُّfeel بِإزميلٍwith a chisel يَقُدُّcleaves لِنَحَّاتِfor a sculptor!
تُحِسُّ بِإزميلٍ يَقُدُّ لِنَحَّاتِ!
And he smiles, while his ribs, from the burning in his breast,
He smiles, while the ribs with the blaze of passion
feel a sculptor's chisel cleaving them!
Feel the sculptor's chisel leading to the undertaker!
ويَحْسَبُنيand think me الرَّاؤونthose who see شَخْصاًa person مُرَفَّهاliving in comfort
ويَحْسَبُني الرَّاؤون شَخْصاً مُرَفَّها
سعيداًhappy بِماضِيَّwith my past الحفيلِeventful.. وبالآتيand with what comes!
سعيداً بِماضِيَّ الحفيلِ.. وبالآتي!
Those who see me think me a person living in comfort,
The onlookers think me a frivolous man,
happy with my eventful past—and with what is to come!
Happy with my vile past and future!
يَظُنُّونَthey think أنthat المالَwealth والمجْدَand glory جَنَّةٌa paradise
يَظُنُّونَ أن المالَ والمجْدَ جَنَّةٌ
وأَنَّهماand that both are مِرْقاتُناour stairway للسَّماواتِto the heavens!
وأَنَّهما مِرْقاتُنا للسَّماواتِ!
They imagine wealth and glory to be a paradise,
They think money and glory are paradise,
and that the two are our stairway to the heavens!
And they are our ascension to the heavens!
وأنَّهماand that both are لُبُّthe essence السَّعادِةِof happiness.. والمُنىand wishes
وأنَّهما لُبُّ السَّعادِةِ.. والمُنى
لِطُلاَّبهاto their seekers تَأْتِيcome علىat غَيْرِother than مِيقاتِan appointed time!
لِطُلاَّبها تَأْتِي على غَيْرِ مِيقاتِ!
And that they are the essence of happiness, and wishes
They think them the essence of happiness and wish,
come to their seekers at no appointed hour!
For their seekers, they come without appointment!
شَجانيhas grieved me الأَسىsorrow مِمَّاbecause of what يَظُنُّونَthey suppose جَهْرَةًopenly
شَجاني الأَسى مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ جَهْرَةً
وقدand indeed هَتَفواthey cried out منfrom جَهْلِهِمْtheir ignorance بِالعَداواتin hostility!
وقد هَتَفوا من جَهْلِهِمْ بِالعَداوات!
Sorrow grieves me at what they openly suppose,
Their loud ignorance injures me,
and in their ignorance they have cried out in hostility!
As they have cried out with enmity!
ولوand if عَلِمواthey knew أَنِّيthat I am الشَّقِيُّthe wretched one بِكُلِّthrough all ماthat
ولو عَلِموا أَنِّي الشَّقِيُّ بِكُلِّ ما
يَظُنُّونَهُthey deem it سعْداًhappiness يُضِيءُshines بِمِشْكاةِin a lamp-niche!
يَظُنُّونَهُ سعْداً يُضِيءُ بِمِشْكاةِ!
And if they knew that I am wretched through all that
If they but knew I was wretched in all
they deem happiness shining in a lamp-niche,
They think happiness, illuminated by a lantern!
لَكَفُّواthey would desist عنfrom اللَّغْوِidle talk المَقِيتِloathsome. وأَقْلَعواand would turn away
لَكَفُّوا عن اللَّغْوِ المَقِيتِ. وأَقْلَعوا
عنfrom الظَّنِّconjecture يُلْقيcasts رَهْطَهُits followers فيinto المَتَاهاتِthe labyrinths!
عن الظَّنِّ يُلْقي رَهْطَهُ في المَتَاهاتِ!
they would desist from loathsome idle talk and turn away
They would cease their hateful nonsense and stop
from conjecture, which casts its followers into labyrinths!
Their conjectures which lead their ilk astray!
فماfor there is no السَّعْدَhappiness إلاَّexcept فيin الرّضاcontentment فهوfor it is نِعْمَةٌa blessing
فما السَّعْدَ إلاَّ في الرّضا فهو نِعْمَةٌ
مُبَرَّأَةٌuntainted تٌفْضِيleads بِناwith us لِلْمسَرَّاتِto joys!
مُبَرَّأَةٌ تٌفْضِي بِنا لِلْمسَرَّاتِ!
For happiness lies only in contentment: it is a blessing,
Happiness lies only in contentment, it is a
untainted, leading us to joys!
Blessing that guides us to bliss!
فماfor neither مالُthe wealth قارُونِof Qarun.. ولاnor مَجْدُthe glory قَيْصّرٍof Caesar
فما مالُ قارُونِ.. ولا مَجْدُ قَيْصّرٍ
بِمُغْنٍof any avail عنto الباغيthe oppressor – إذاwhen طاشhe grows reckless – والعاتيand the tyrant!
بِمُغْنٍ عن الباغي – إذا طاش – والعاتي!
For neither Qarun's wealth nor Caesar's glory
Neither Qarun's wealth, nor Caesar's glory
can avail the oppressor—when he grows reckless—or the tyrant!
Can protect the tyrant - when he rages - or the transgressor!
ولنand will not يَضَعاboth place فيin البالِthe mind ذَرّةَa speck راحةٍof ease
ولن يَضَعا في البالِ ذَرّةَ راحةٍ
سوىexcept راحةِthe ease الذِّئْبِof the wolf المُتَيَّمbesotted بالشاةِwith the sheep!
سوى راحةِ الذِّئْبِ المُتَيَّم بالشاةِ!
Nor will the two bring the mind a speck of ease,
They cannot instill in the mind a speck of tranquility,
save the ease of a wolf besotted with a sheep!
Save the tranquility of the wolf glutted on the lamb!
ولوand if أَنَّنيthat I خُيِّرتُwere given a choice لاخْتَرتI would choose فاقتيْmy poverty
ولو أَنَّني خُيِّرتُ لاخْتَرت فاقتيْ
إذاif منَحَتْنيit granted me بالرِّضاthrough contentment.. رِفْعَةَnobility الذَّاتِof the self!
إذا منَحَتْني بالرِّضا.. رِفْعَةَ الذَّاتِ!
And were I given a choice, I would choose my poverty,
If I were given the choice, I would choose my poverty,
if, through contentment, it granted me nobility of self!
If it granted me, through contentment, self-esteem!
فماfor what are المالُwealth والمجْدُand glory لِلْورىto humankind
فما المالُ والمجْدُ لِلْورى
إذاwhen اسْتَأْذَبَاboth turn wolfish واسْتَشْرياand both run rampant غَيْرُother than آفاتِafflictions!
إذا اسْتَأْذَبَا واسْتَشْريا غَيْرُ آفاتِ!
For what are wealth and glory to humankind,
Wealth and glory for the people,
when they turn wolfish and run rampant, but afflictions?
If they charm and spread, are naught but misfortunes!
ألاoh لَيْتَwould that أَهْليmy family الأقْرَبِينَthe nearest ورُفْقَتيand my companions
ألا لَيْتَ أَهْلي الأقْرَبِينَ ورُفْقَتي
بَصائِرُdiscerning minds تسْتهْديseek guidance بِرُشْدٍthrough sound judgment وإخْباتِand humble devotion!
بَصائِرُ تسْتهْدي بِرُشْدٍ وإخْباتِ!
Oh, would that my nearest kin and my companions
If only my closest kin and friends
were discerning minds seeking guidance through wisdom and humble devotion!
Had insight to be guided by righteousness and wisdom!
فلاso not تَنْحَنيbow إلاَّexcept إلىto اللهGod وَحْدَهُHim alone
فلا تَنْحَني إلاَّ إلى الله وَحْدَهُ
ولِلْمَجْدِand to glory مَجْلُوّاًmade manifest بأَصْدَقِin the truest آياتِsigns!
ولِلْمَجْدِ مَجْلُوّاً بأَصْدَقِ آياتِ!
So they would bow to none but God alone,
That they bow only to God alone,
and to glory, made manifest in the truest signs!
And to glory, reciting the truest verses!
فقدfor perhaps تٌهْلِكُdestroy الأطماعُgreedy ambitions مَنthose who شُغِفواare enthralled بهاby them
فقد تٌهْلِكُ الأطماعُ مَن شُغِفوا بها
وتَهوِيand plunge لٍلْقاعto the bottom مِنfrom دونwithout أَقْوَاتِsustenance!
وتَهوِي لٍلْقاع مِن دون أَقْوَاتِ!
For greedy ambitions may destroy those enthralled by them,
For greed can destroy those who covet it
and plunge them to the bottom without sustenance!
And cast them into the abyss without delay!
أّنِلْنيgrant me الرِّضاcontentment – ياO رَبِّmy Lord – غَيْرَnot مُبارحٍdeparting
أّنِلْني الرِّضا – يا رَبِّ – غَيْرَ مُبارحٍ
حَنايايَmy heart's recesses إنّيindeed I am بالرَِضاon contentment خَيْرُbest مُقْتاتِone who subsists!
حَنايايَ إنّي بالرَِضا خَيْرُ مُقْتاتِ!
Grant me contentment, O my Lord, that never leaves
Grant me contentment - O Lord - never leaving
my heart's recesses; for I am best nourished by contentment!
My worries, for in contentment I find the best provision!
وبارِكُهand bless it بالإِلهامِwith inspiration يَهْدىguides قَريحتيmy poetic gift
وبارِكُه بالإِلهامِ يَهْدى قَريحتي
إلىto قممٍsummits شُمٍّlofty تَضُوعُexude fragrance بأَبْياتيwith my verses!
إلى قممٍ شُمٍّ تَضُوعُ بأَبْياتي!
And bless it with inspiration that guides my poetic gift
And bless it with inspiration to guide my talent
to lofty summits fragrant with my verses!
To the lofty summits flowing with my verses!
قَصائِدُpoems غُرُّradiant ليسthere is no فيهاin them تَمَلُّقٌflattery
قَصائِدُ غُرُّ ليس فيها تَمَلُّقٌ
ولاnor جَشَعٌgreed يُفْضِيleads بِهاwith them لِلْغواياتto temptations!
ولا جَشَعٌ يُفْضِي بِها لِلْغوايات!
Radiant poems, with no flattery in them,
My sincere poems contain no flattery,
nor greed that leads them into temptation!
No greed to lead them to temptation!
فماfor there is no الشِّعْرُpoetry إلاَّexcept حِكْمةٌwisdom وتَرَفُّعٌand nobility
فما الشِّعْرُ إلاَّ حِكْمةٌ وتَرَفُّعٌ
وإلاَّand nothing but سُمُوٌّloftiness ماnot يَجِشُseethes بِسَوْءاتِwith shameful deeds!
وإلاَّ سُمُوٌّ ما يَجِشُ بِسَوْءاتِ!
For poetry is nothing but wisdom and nobility,
For poetry is but wisdom and grace,
and nothing but loftiness that never seethes with shameful deeds!
Sublimity beyond evil's reach!
ولكنَّهbut it يَهْديguides ويُعْليand exalts ويَرْتَقيand rises
ولكنَّه يَهْدي ويُعْلي ويَرْتَقي
إلىto ذُرْوَةٍa summit تَشْفيheals الورىhumankind بالمُناجاةِthrough intimate communion!
إلى ذُرْوَةٍ تَشْفي الورى بالمُناجاةِ!
But it guides, exalts, and rises
But it guides, elevates and rises,
to a summit that heals humankind through intimate communion!
To the peak that heals the world through supplication!
إلىto ذُرْوَةِa summit تَشْدوsings بِشِعْريwith my poetry وتَنْتَشِيand becomes enraptured
إلى ذُرْوَةِ تَشْدو بِشِعْري وتَنْتَشِي
وتَهْتِفُand calls out بالمُصْغِينَto attentive listeners والصَّخَراتِand the rocks!
وتَهْتِفُ بالمُصْغِينَ والصَّخَراتِ!
To a summit that sings my poetry and becomes enraptured,
To the peak that sings with my poetry, rejoices,
and calls out to attentive listeners and to the rocks!
And exclaims to the listeners and the boulders!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.