رحلْتَyou departed وخلَّفْتَand you left behind الرّفاقَthe companions بواكياًweeping
رحلْتَ وخلَّفْتَ الرّفاقَ بواكياً
عليكfor you وكانواand they were بالقوافيin rhymes شوادِياsingers!
عليك وكانوا بالقوافي شوادِيا!
You departed and left your companions weeping
You left and the friends crying over you
For you—they who used to sing in rhyme!
Composing eulogies with rhyming prose
وكانواand they were وماand not زالواthey ceased إليكfor you صوادِياًthirsty
وكانوا وما زالوا إليك صوادِياً
فَمَنْso who ذاis it الذيwho يَسْقيgives drink ويَرْوِيand quenches thirst الصَّوادياthe thirsty؟!
فَمَنْ ذا الذي يَسْقي ويَرْوِي الصَّواديا؟!
They were, and still are, thirsting for you;
They were and still are hunters for you
Who, then, will give drink and quench the thirsty?
So who will water and give drink to the hunters?!
ومَنand who ذاis it الذيwho يُرْضِيsatisfies الحواضِرَthe townsfolk كلَّهمall of them
ومَن ذا الذي يُرْضِي الحواضِرَ كلَّهم
ومَنand who ذاis it الذيwho منfrom بَعْدُafterward يُرْضيsatisfies البوادياthe desert dwellers؟!
ومَن ذا الذي من بَعْدُ يُرْضي البواديا؟!
And who will satisfy all the townsfolk,
And who will please all the settlers
And who, after you, will satisfy the desert dwellers?
And after who will please the nomads?!
لقدindeed كنتَyou were فيin دُنْياthe world of المَشاعِرfeelings صاحياًwakeful
لقد كنتَ في دُنْيا المَشاعِر صاحياً
وماand not كنْتَyou were فيin دُنْياthe world of المشاعِرfeelings غافياasleep!
وما كنْتَ في دُنْيا المشاعِر غافيا!
You were awake in the world of feeling;
You were awake in the world of feelings
You were never asleep in the world of feeling.
And you were not heedless in the world of feelings!
وكنتَand you were المُجَلِّيthe first-place racer فيin السِّباقِthe race وإنَنِّيand indeed I
وكنتَ المُجَلِّي في السِّباقِ وإنَنِّي
سأَغْدوI shall become والمُصَلِّيand the runner-up أَيْنَماwherever كنْتُI may be ثاوِياdwelling!
سأَغْدو والمُصَلِّي أَيْنَما كنْتُ ثاوِيا!
You were the front-runner in the race, and I
You were the shining one in the race, and I
Shall be the runner-up, wherever I dwell.
Will be praying wherever I settle!
كفَرْعَيْنِlike two branches كنَّاwe were دوْحُناour great tree مُتَطاوِلٌtowering
كفَرْعَيْنِ كنَّا دوْحُنا مُتَطاوِلٌ
بِرَوْضٍin a garden نضيرٍverdant لمnot يَكُنْwas قَطُّever ذاوِياwithered!
بِرَوْضٍ نضيرٍ لم يَكُنْ قَطُّ ذاوِيا!
We were like two branches, our great tree towering
Like two ostriches we circled around
In a verdant garden that had never withered.
In an unprecedented pasture
إلىuntil أنthat دعاcalled داعيthe herald of المنيةdeath مُرْجِفاًstriking terror
إلى أن دعا داعي المنية مُرْجِفاً
فَلبَّيْتَso you answered ماhow أقْسىcruel وأَحْنىand tender المُنادِياthe caller!
فَلبَّيْتَ ما أقْسى وأَحْنى المُنادِيا!
Until death's herald called, striking terror,
Until the caller of death called shaking
And you answered—how cruel, how tender the caller!
So you answered the most painful and sorrowful caller!
وسوفand shall ألَبِّيهI answer him قريباًsoon وانْثَنىand turn back (likely وأنثني)
وسوف ألَبِّيه قريباً وانْثَنى
إليكto you كنَجْمَيْنِlike two stars الغداةَat dawn تَواريَاboth vanished!
إليك كنَجْمَيْنِ الغداةَ تَواريَا!
And soon I shall answer him and turn back
And soon I will answer it and incline
To you, like two stars that vanished at dawn.
Towards you like two morning stars setting!
أَرَبَّO master of القَوافيrhymes العُصْمِflawless. أَصْبَحْتَyou have become خالِداًimmortal
أَرَبَّ القَوافي العُصْمِ. أَصْبَحْتَ خالِداً
فماfor not كنْتَyou were مِهذاراًa babbler ولاnor كنتَyou were لاهِياَfrivolous
فما كنْتَ مِهذاراً ولا كنتَ لاهِياَ
O master of flawless rhymes, you have become immortal;
Master of rhymes and self-restraint. You became immortal
For you were neither a babbler nor a trifler.
You were not frivolous nor heedless
ولكنَّهbut it is الجِدُّearnestness الذيthrough which شَرُفَتْbecame noble بهby it
ولكنَّه الجِدُّ الذي شَرُفَتْ به
معانِيكَyour meanings حتىuntil نَوَّلتْكَthey granted you المعالياexalted rank!
معانِيكَ حتى نَوَّلتْكَ المعاليا!
Rather, it was earnestness that ennobled
But it is the seriousness that ennobled you
Your meanings, until they bestowed exalted rank upon you.
Raising your meanings to the heights!
فَجُبْتَso you traversed الذُّرَىthe peaks حتىuntil افْتَرَعْتَyou scaled سنامَهاtheir highest crest
فَجُبْتَ الذُّرَى حتى افْتَرَعْتَ سنامَها
وجابُواand they traversed سُفوحاًslopes أَمْحَلَتْhad become barren وفيافياand wastelands!
وجابُوا سُفوحاً أَمْحَلَتْ وفيافيا!
You traversed the peaks until you scaled their highest crest,
You roamed the lands until you climbed its summit
While they roamed barren slopes and wastelands.
And they roamed the plains that became desolate!
إذاwhen العبقريُّthe genius الحقُّtrue غابdeparted تطاولتْrose high
إذا العبقريُّ الحقُّ غاب تطاولتْ
مآثِرُهُhis glorious deeds بينamong الأنامhumankind حوالِياfor years!
مآثِرُهُ بين الأنام حوالِيا!
When a true genius departs, ever higher rise
When the great genius is gone his
His glorious deeds among humankind, year after year.
Achievements tower amongst people around!
وغابand departed أُناسٌpeople قبلهbefore him ثمthen يعدهafter him (likely بعده)
وغاب أُناسٌ قبله ثم يعده
فكانواso they were فَقاقيعَbubbles الشَّرابِof the drink الطَّوافِياfloating!
فكانوا فَقاقيعَ الشَّرابِ الطَّوافِيا!
Others departed before him, then after him,
While people before him are gone and after him
And they were but floating bubbles upon a drink.
They were but bubbles of fleeting drinks!
وكنْتَand you were كَمِثْلِlike النَّجْمthe star يَسْطَعُshining سَرْمَداًforever
وكنْتَ كَمِثْلِ النَّجْم يَسْطَعُ سَرْمَداً
فَيًسْعِدُso it gladdens أيَّاماًdays لناfor us وليالِياand nights!
فَيًسْعِدُ أيَّاماً لنا وليالِيا!
You were like a star that shines forever,
And you were like a star shining forever
Bringing joy to our days and nights.
Making our days and nights happy!
وقدand indeed كنتَyou were فَذّاًunique فيamong الرجالmen مُسَوّداًhonored as a leader
وقد كنتَ فَذّاً في الرجال مُسَوّداً
بِفِكْرٍwith a mind إذاwhen جَلَّىshone forth أضاءilluminated الدواجياthe dark nights!
بِفِكْرٍ إذا جَلَّى أضاء الدواجيا!
Unique among men, you were honored as a leader,
You were unmatched among men, pure
With a mind that, when it shone forth, lit the dark nights.
With a mind that illuminates when unravelled!
وكانand was عَصِيُّthe unruly part of الشِّعرِpoetry يُلْقيyielding قِيادَهits reins
وكان عَصِيُّ الشِّعرِ يُلْقي قِيادَه
إليكto you ويَدْنوand draws near منهof it ماwhat كانwas نائياdistant!
إليك ويَدْنو منه ما كان نائيا!
Unruly poetry surrendered its reins
And the stubborn poem yields its lead to you
To you, and what in it was distant drew near.
And comes close to you from afar!
ونَعْجَزُand we fail عنat بعضsome of القريضverse ويَسْتَوِيand takes shape
ونَعْجَزُ عن بعض القريض ويَسْتَوِي
لديكbefore you مُطِيعاًobedient أحْرُفاًletters ومعانِياand meanings!
لديك مُطِيعاً أحْرُفاً ومعانِيا!
Some verse defeats us, yet it takes shape
We are incapable of some poetry yet it
Obediently before you, in letters and meanings.
Becomes obedient to you, words and meanings!
فَتَخْتارُso you choose منهfrom it ماwhat تشاءyou wish قصائداًpoems
فَتَخْتارُ منه ما تشاء قصائداً
تَسُرُّdelight حناياناour inmost hearts وتُذْرِيand make shed tears المآقِياthe eyes' inner corners!
تَسُرُّ حنايانا وتُذْرِي المآقِيا!
From it you choose whatever poems you wish,
So you choose from it whatever odes you want
Delighting our hearts and making our eyes shed tears.
That would cheer our worries and reduce disasters!
وهاand not (likely وما) كنتَyou were مِجداباًbarren وماand not كنتyou were مُصْفياًdepleted
وها كنتَ مِجداباً وما كنت مُصْفياً
كماas زعمواthey claimed بلrather كنتَyou were كالنَّهرlike a river جارياflowing!
كما زعموا بل كنتَ كالنَّهر جاريا!
And you were [not] barren, nor were you spent,
And here you were a spring and not a strainer
As they claimed; rather, you flowed like a river.
As they claimed, but you were like a flowing river!
ولكنَّكَbut you اخْتَرْتَchose السَّكوتَsilence تَرَفُّعاًholding yourself above
ولكنَّكَ اخْتَرْتَ السَّكوتَ تَرَفُّعاً
عنabove الهَزْلfrivolity يُزْجِيهputs it forth الشَّعارِيرُthe hack poets هاذِياbabbling!
عن الهَزْل يُزْجِيه الشَّعارِيرُ هاذِيا!
But you chose silence, holding yourself above
But you chose silence out of pride
The babbling frivolity put forth by hack poets.
From frivolity brought by prattling poets!
ولَيْتَكَand if only you لمhad not تَسْكُتْfallen silent فأنَّىfor how
ولَيْتَكَ لم تَسْكُتْ فأنَّى
لِبُلْبُلٍfor a nightingale سكوتٌsilence فقدfor perhaps يُدْميmakes bleed السكوتُsilence الحوانياthe breast's curved ribs!
لِبُلْبُلٍ سكوتٌ فقد يُدْمي السكوتُ الحوانيا!
If only you had not fallen silent! For how
I wish you had not been silent, for how can
Can a nightingale be silent? Silence may make the ribs bleed.
A nightingale be silent when silence kills the beloved!
لقدindeed كانit was بالشَّدْوِwith singing الرَّخيمmellow مُداوِياًhealing
لقد كان بالشَّدْوِ الرَّخيم مُداوِياً
وكانand it was بهthrough it نَجْماًa star إلىtoward الدَّرْبِthe path هادِياguiding!
وكان به نَجْماً إلى الدَّرْبِ هادِيا!
Indeed, with its mellow song it brought healing,
With mellow singing it was healing
And through that song was a star guiding the way.
And with it a star guiding to the path!
رعاكَmay He guard you الذيHe who أَسْدَىbestowed favors إليكupon you ولمand not تكُنْyou were
رعاكَ الذي أَسْدَى إليك ولم تكُنْ
جَحُوداًungrateful فأسْدَيْتَso you bestowed الأمانيhopes الغوالياprecious!
جَحُوداً فأسْدَيْتَ الأماني الغواليا!
May He who favored you watch over you; you were not
May He who bestowed upon you bless you, you were not
Ungrateful, and so you bestowed cherished hopes.
Ungrateful so you bestowed the most precious wishes!
لَشَتَّانَhow far apart ماwhat بَيْنَbetween الثَّرىthe earth مُتَطامِناًlying low
لَشَتَّانَ ما بَيْنَ الثَّرى مُتَطامِناً
وبَيْنَand between الثُّرَيَّاthe Pleiades.. حِطَّةًlowliness وتعالِياand exaltation!
وبَيْنَ الثُّرَيَّا.. حِطَّةً وتعالِيا!
How far apart are the earth, lying low,
Great is the difference between being settled
And the Pleiades—lowliness and exaltation!
In dust and being glorified, exalted!
تَذَكَّرْتُI remembered ماwhat كُنَّاwe were بِهin it منof تآلُفٍmutual affection
تَذَكَّرْتُ ما كُنَّا بِه من تآلُفٍ
حَبِيبٍdear ولمand not أَذْكُرْI recalled قِلًىhatred وتَجافِياand estrangement!
حَبِيبٍ ولم أَذْكُرْ قِلًى وتَجافِيا!
I remembered the affection that united us,
I remembered the affection we had
So dear, and remembered no hatred or estrangement.
Beloved one, and I did not recall any disconnection or indifference!
وكيفand how وماand not كنْتَyou were العَزوفَone who shuns عنfrom الهُدىguidance
وكيف وما كنْتَ العَزوفَ عن الهُدى
ولاnor المَجْدglory يوماًever فَاسْتَبَنْتَso you discerned الخوافِياhidden things!
ولا المَجْد يوماً فَاسْتَبَنْتَ الخوافِيا!
How could I? You never turned away from guidance
How can I when you were never aloof from righteousness
Or glory, not for a day; thus you discerned hidden things.
Nor did the glory one day reveal to you its mysteries!
وماand not كُنْتُهُI was so يوماًever فَعِشْناso we lived. تآخِياًin brotherhood
وما كُنْتُهُ يوماً فَعِشْنا. تآخِياً
كريماًnoble يُمَنِّيناgiving us hope وعِشْناand we lived تَصافياin sincere affection!
كريماً يُمَنِّينا وعِشْنا تَصافيا!
Nor was I ever so; thus we lived in brotherhood,
I never lived a day without you, connected
Noble and inspiring our hopes, and lived in sincere affection.
Kind one who wishes us well, and we lived in harmony!
وماand not كنْتُI was أَرجوhoping أَنْthat تَرُوحَyou depart وأَسْتَوِيand I settle
وما كنْتُ أَرجو أَنْ تَرُوحَ وأَسْتَوِي
بِرَبْعيin my dwelling حزيناًgrieving دامِعَtearful العيْنِthe eye راثِياlamenting!
بِرَبْعي حزيناً دامِعَ العيْنِ راثِيا!
I never expected you to depart while I remained
I never hoped that you would leave and I
In my dwelling, grieving, tearful-eyed, lamenting.
Would remain lonely, with tearful eyes mourning!
ولكنَّهbut it is حُكْمُthe decree of القضاءِfate.. وماand not لناfor us
ولكنَّه حُكْمُ القضاءِ.. وما لنا
سوىexcept الصَّبْرِpatience مِعْواناًa helper. سوىexcept الصَّبْرِpatience آسِياa healer!
سوى الصَّبْرِ مِعْواناً. سوى الصَّبْرِ آسِيا!
But this is fate's decree, and we have
But such is the decree of fate.. And we have
No helper but patience, no healer but patience.
Nothing but patience to lean on. Only patience comforting!
يُخَبِّرُنيit tells me أَنَّنيthat I. سأَلْقاكshall meet you فيin غَدٍtomorrow
يُخَبِّرُني أَنَّني. سأَلْقاك في غَدٍ
فيَلْقىso shall receive كِلاناboth of us مِنَّةًgrace وأَيادياand favors!
فيَلْقى كِلانا مِنَّةً وأَياديا!
It tells me that I shall meet you tomorrow,
Informing me that I will meet you tomorrow
And both of us shall receive grace and favors.
And we will both receive blessings and care!
ونَلْقىand we receive مِنfrom اللهGod الكريمِthe Generous تَجاوُزاًpardon
ونَلْقى مِن الله الكريمِ تَجاوُزاً
ونَلْقاهُand we meet Him رحْماناًall-merciful.. ونلْقاهand we meet Him راضياpleased!
ونَلْقاهُ رحْماناً.. ونلْقاه راضيا!
And we shall receive pardon from God, the Generous,
And we will receive forgiveness and mercy
And find Him all-merciful, and find Him pleased.
From the Benevolent God.. And find Him pleased!
تباركْتَblessed are You رَبِّيmy Lord.. ماhow أَجَلَّكَmajestic You are حانِياًtenderly caring
تباركْتَ رَبِّي.. ما أَجَلَّكَ حانِياً
عليناfor us.. وإنْand even though كُنَّاwe are غُواةًastray ضوارِياsavage creatures!
علينا.. وإنْ كُنَّا غُواةً ضوارِيا!
Blessed are You, my Lord! How sublime You are, tender
Blessed are You my Lord.. How gentle You are with us
Toward us, though we are wayward, savage creatures!
Even when we were straying misguided!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.