هاجَتstirred وَساوِسَهُhis troubled thoughts بِرَومَةَat Rawma دورُdwellings
هاجَت وَساوِسَهُ بِرَومَةَ دورُ
دُثُرٌruined عَفَونَwere effaced كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were سُطورُlines of writing
دُثُرٌ عَفَونَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ سُطورُ
Dwellings at Rawma stirred his troubled thoughts—
His anxiety stirred him in Rome’s abode
ruined and effaced, as though they were lines of writing.
An unkempt scroll as if they were lines
أَهدىbestowed لَهاon them الإِقفارَdesolation حَتّىuntil أَوحَشَتthey grew lonely
أَهدى لَها الإِقفارَ حَتّى أَوحَشَت
مِنfrom بَعدِafter أُنسٍcompanionship زائِرٌa visitor وَغَيورُand a jealous one
مِن بَعدِ أُنسٍ زائِرٌ وَغَيورُ
Desolation was bestowed on them until they grew lonely,
Solitude offered him the wilderness until it frightened him
after companionship, by a visitor and a jealous one.
After the company of a frequent and jealous visitor
جَرَتِswept الرِياحُthe winds بِهاthrough them وَغَيَّرَand altered رَسمَهاtheir traces
جَرَتِ الرِياحُ بِها وَغَيَّرَ رَسمَها
هَزِمُthundering الكُلاthe flanks دانيlow-hanging الرَبابِthe cloud-banks مَطيرُrain-bearing
هَزِمُ الكُلا داني الرَبابِ مَطيرُ
The winds swept through them, and their traces were changed
The winds blew him and changed his appearance
by a rain-bearing cloud, thundering in its flanks, its cloud-banks hanging low.
Defeating everyone, the rain clouds’ player is near
أَبكىdid he weep? نَعَمyes أَبكاهُmade him weep رَبعٌa campsite بِاللِوىat al-Liwa
أَبكى نَعَم أَبكاهُ رَبعٌ بِاللِوى
تَسفىis blown عَلَيهِover it مَعَwith العَجاجِthe dust-cloud المُورُwindblown dust
تَسفى عَلَيهِ مَعَ العَجاجِ المُورُ
Did he weep? Yes—a campsite at al-Liwa made him weep,
It cried over bliss that made it cry
over which windblown dust swirls amid the dust-clouds.
With the crows, the owl keeps vigil over it
خَلَتِstood empty الدِيارُthe dwellings وَكانَand were يُعهَدُknown أَهلُهاtheir people
خَلَتِ الدِيارُ وَكانَ يُعهَدُ أَهلُها
وَأَجَدَّand hastened بِالأَحبابِwith the loved ones عَنهاaway from them مَسيرُa journey
وَأَجَدَّ بِالأَحبابِ عَنها مَسيرُ
The dwellings emptied, though their people once were known there;
The homes became empty though their people were once familiar
and a swift journey carried the loved ones away from them.
And separation from them was difficult for loved ones
تاللَهِby God ماnot إِنan emphatic particle كادَalmost يَقتُلُنيkills me الهَوىlove
تاللَهِ ما إِن كادَ يَقتُلُني الهَوى
لَولاbut for رُسومٌtraces بِالعَقيقِat al-Aqiq وَدورُand dwellings
لَولا رُسومٌ بِالعَقيقِ وَدورُ
By God, love would not have brought me near death,
By God, love did not nearly kill me
but for traces and dwellings at al-Aqiq.
If not for ruins at Acacia and abodes
وَلَقَدand indeed تَكونُused to be بِهاin them أَوانِسُgraceful maidens كَالدُمىlike figurines
وَلَقَد تَكونُ بِها أَوانِسُ كَالدُمى
بيضُwhite التَرائِبِupper chests ناعِماتٌsoft and delicate حورُdark-eyed
بيضُ التَرائِبِ ناعِماتٌ حورُ
And in them once were graceful maidens, like figurines,
With them would be intimate friends like statues
fair-chested, soft and dark-eyed.
White shrouds, beautiful maidens
إِذwhen بِالحَوادِثِwith misfortunes طَرفَةٌa turning aside عَنfrom أَهلِهاtheir people
إِذ بِالحَوادِثِ طَرفَةٌ عَن أَهلِها
وَإِذاand when أَهلُهاtheir people مُتَآلِفونَliving in harmony حُضورُpresent
وَإِذا أَهلُها مُتَآلِفونَ حُضورُ
When calamities turned aside from their people,
When events separated them from their people
and their people were united and present,
And when their people gathered, they were present
حَتّىuntil تَشَتَّتَscattered بِالجَميعِwith the whole company وَخانَهُمand betrayed them
حَتّى تَشَتَّتَ بِالجَميعِ وَخانَهُم
دَهرٌTime بِخُلّانِagainst friends of الصَفاءِpure affection عَثورُcausing stumbles
دَهرٌ بِخُلّانِ الصَفاءِ عَثورُ
until the whole company was scattered and they were betrayed
Until time betrayed them all and failed them
by Time, which trips up friends of pure affection.
The flow of congeniality stumbled
سَقياًmay rain bless لِأَيّامِfor the days of الهَوىlove إِذwhen عَيشُناour life
سَقياً لِأَيّامِ الهَوى إِذ عَيشُنا
غَضٌّfresh وَإِذand when غُصنُthe branch of الشَبابِyouth نَضيرُverdant
غَضٌّ وَإِذ غُصنُ الشَبابِ نَضيرُ
May rain bless the days of love, when our life
Watering the days of passion when our life
was fresh and youth's branch was verdant;
Was fresh, and the youthful branch was verdant
أَيّامَdays لاnot يَنفَكُّceases مُقتَنِصاًcapturing بِهاin them
أَيّامَ لا يَنفَكُّ مُقتَنِصاً بِها
وَطرَthe fulfillment of الصَبابَةِardent love زائِرٌa visitor وَمَزورُand one visited
وَطرَ الصَبابَةِ زائِرٌ وَمَزورُ
days when, there, they were forever capturing
Days that cannot be escaped that hunt
love's fulfillment—visitor and visited alike.
The fleeting and frequented youth
كَمhow often قَدindeed تَخَمَّطَتِstrode forcefully through القُلوصُthe young she-camel بِيَwith me الدُجاthe darkness
كَم قَد تَخَمَّطَتِ القُلوصُ بِيَ الدُجا
وَرِداؤُهاand her cloak وَرِدائِيَand my cloak الدَيجورُblackest night
وَرِداؤُها وَرِدائِيَ الدَيجورُ
How often the young she-camel strode through darkness with me,
How the hearts writhed over me at night
with blackest night her cloak and mine,
Their mantles and my black mantle
فيamong ضُمَّرٍlean camels مِثلِlike القِداحِarrow-shafts سَواهِمٍgaunt
في ضُمَّرٍ مِثلِ القِداحِ سَواهِمٍ
أَزرىweakened بِهاthem التَفليسُprivation وَالتَهجيرُand midday travel
أَزرى بِها التَفليسُ وَالتَهجيرُ
among lean camels, gaunt as arrow-shafts,
In a sleepless night like wakefulness
worn down by privation and travel in midday heat.
My bags and poverty made me travel and emigrate
تُطوىare folded up لَهُنَّfor them بِصَبرِهِنَّthrough their endurance عَلىin السُرىnight travel
تُطوى لَهُنَّ بِصَبرِهِنَّ عَلى السُرى
وَبِسَيرِهِنَّand through their journeying سَباسِبٌopen plains وَوُعورُand rugged ground
وَبِسَيرِهِنَّ سَباسِبٌ وَوُعورُ
Folded up before them, through their patience in night travel
Patience helps them endure the journey
and their pace, were open plains and rugged ground,
And their travel —necklaces and fresh wounds
حَتّىuntil يَزُرنَthey visit مُهَذَّباًa refined noble مِنfrom حِميَرٍHimyar
حَتّى يَزُرنَ مُهَذَّباً مِن حِميَرٍ
بِالزائِرينَwith visitors فَناؤُهُhis courtyard مَعمورُfilled
بِالزائِرينَ فَناؤُهُ مَعمورُ
until they visited a refined noble of Himyar,
Until they visit civilized rulers
whose courtyard is filled with visitors.
Whose hospitality makes their homes flourish
مَلِكٌa king إِذاif اِستَعصَمتَyou seek protection مِنهُfrom him بِحَبلِهِby his rope
مَلِكٌ إِذا اِستَعصَمتَ مِنهُ بِحَبلِهِ
خَضَعَتbow down لَدَيكَbefore you حَوادِثٌcalamities وَدُهورُand ages
خَضَعَت لَدَيكَ حَوادِثٌ وَدُهورُ
A king: if you seek protection from him by his rope,
A king whom when you seek refuge in his rope
calamities and ages bow down before you.
Events and times will submit before you
مَلِكٌa king يَميرُprovisions السائِلينَpetitioners بِسَيبِهِwith his bounty
مَلِكٌ يَميرُ السائِلينَ بِسَيبِهِ
وَبِسَيفِهِand with his sword سَبُعَthe wild beast of الفَلاةِthe desert يَميرُprovisions
وَبِسَيفِهِ سَبُعَ الفَلاةِ يَميرُ
A king who provisions petitioners with his bounty,
A king who provides the askers with his sword
and with his sword feeds the desert's wild beasts.
And with his sword the beasts of the wilderness flock
مَلِكٌa king يُجِلُّhonors نَعَم'yes' إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle قالَهاhe says it
مَلِكٌ يُجِلُّ نَعَم إِذا ما قالَها
حَتّىuntil يَجودَhe gives generously وَمالَهاand it has no تَغيِيرُchange
حَتّى يَجودَ وَمالَها تَغيِيرُ
A king who honors his 'yes' whenever he says it,
A king who respects gifts when he gives them
until he gives, with no change to it.
Until he becomes generous and they change
مَنَعَrestrained العُيونَthe eyes فَماso not تَكادُnearly تُبينُهُdiscern him
مَنَعَ العُيونَ فَما تَكادُ تُبينُهُ
مِنfrom وَجهِهِhis face الإِجلالُawe وَالتَوقيرُand reverence
مِن وَجهِهِ الإِجلالُ وَالتَوقيرُ
Eyes are held back, scarcely able to discern him,
Eyes cannot discern him
by the awe and reverence his face inspires.
From the veneration and esteem upon his face
حَمَلَundertook الصَنائِعَbenefactions عَنon behalf of قَبائِلِthe tribes of يَعرُبٍYa'rub
حَمَلَ الصَنائِعَ عَن قَبائِلِ يَعرُبٍ
مَلِكٌa king أَصابِعُهاtheir fingers إِلَيهِtoward him تُشيرُpoint
مَلِكٌ أَصابِعُها إِلَيهِ تُشيرُ
He undertook benefactions on behalf of Ya'rub's tribes—
A king who won the allegiances of Arab tribes
a king toward whom their fingers point.
Their fingers point towards him
مُستَكسِبٌearning gain لِلحَمدِfor praise يَومَon the day of كُنوزِهِhis treasures
مُستَكسِبٌ لِلحَمدِ يَومَ كُنوزِهِ
مُستَجهِلٌfierce فيin الحَربِwar وَهوَwhile he is وَقورُdignified
مُستَجهِلٌ في الحَربِ وَهوَ وَقورُ
Seeking praise on the day of his treasures,
Seeking praise the day his treasures
fierce in war, though he is dignified.
Pretending ignorance in war though dignified
غادٍgoing in the morning عَلىfor كَسبِgaining المَحامِدِpraise رائِحٌgoing in the evening
غادٍ عَلى كَسبِ المَحامِدِ رائِحٌ
فيin راحَتَيهِhis two palms مَنِيَّةٌdeath وَنُشورُand resurrection
في راحَتَيهِ مَنِيَّةٌ وَنُشورُ
He goes out morning and evening to earn praise;
Going to earn accolades walking gently
in his two palms are death and resurrection.
In his comforts, gifts and help abound
قَدindeed كانَwas شَملُthe union of المالِwealth غَيرَnot مُشَتَّتٍscattered
قَد كانَ شَملُ المالِ غَيرَ مُشَتَّتٍ
حيناًfor a time فَشَتَّتَthen scattered شَملَهُits unity مَنصورُMansur
حيناً فَشَتَّتَ شَملَهُ مَنصورُ
Wealth once stood together, undispersed,
Possessions were once undivided
for a time; then Mansur scattered its company.
Then Mansur divided their unity
سَنّىprepared يَزيدُYazid لَهُfor him البِناءَthe edifice فَشادَهُso he raised it high
سَنّى يَزيدُ لَهُ البِناءَ فَشادَهُ
وَإِلَيهِand toward him أَعناقُthe necks of المَكارِمِnoble deeds صُورُbent
وَإِلَيهِ أَعناقُ المَكارِمِ صُورُ
Yazid prepared the edifice for him, and he raised it high,
Yazid perfected construction for him, exalting it
and the necks of noble deeds are bent toward him.
And necks of generosity likened themselves to him
مُغرىًdevoted بِنُجحِto fulfilling نَعَم'yes' وَلَيسَand not يَكيدُهُbeguiles him
مُغرىً بِنُجحِ نَعَم وَلَيسَ يَكيدُهُ
عَنfrom تَركِforsaking لا'no' المَيسورُease وَالمَعسورُand hardship
عَن تَركِ لا المَيسورُ وَالمَعسورُ
Devoted to fulfilling 'yes,' he is not turned
Tempting with the success of gifts, nothing prevents him
from forsaking 'no' by ease or hardship.
From leaving neither the affluent nor the poor
لاnot يَبلُغُmatches الدُنياthe world كَثيرَthe abundance of عَطائِهِhis giving
لا يَبلُغُ الدُنيا كَثيرَ عَطائِهِ
وَقَليلُهُand his little عِندَbeside الكَثيرِmuch كَثيرُmuch
وَقَليلُهُ عِندَ الكَثيرِ كَثيرُ
The world cannot match his abundant giving,
His abundant gifts do not exhaust the world’s riches
and his little, compared with much, is still much.
And its paucity to the abundant is great
ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) المَلِكُthe king الَّذيwho أَضحىhas come to be لَهُfor him
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَضحى لَهُ
غُرَرُthe brightest of المَدائِحِpraises فيthroughout البِلادِthe lands تَسِيرُtravel
غُرَرُ المَدائِحِ في البِلادِ تَسِيرُ
O king, for whom now
O King! Praises for you in the lands pace
the brightest praises travel through the lands,
Whose pearls of eulogies roam
أَشرَبتَyou made drink أَرواحَthe spirits of العِدىthe enemies وَقُلوبَهاand their hearts
أَشرَبتَ أَرواحَ العِدى وَقُلوبَها
خَوفاًfear فَأَنفُسُهاso their souls إِلَيكَtoward you تَطيرُfly
خَوفاً فَأَنفُسُها إِلَيكَ تَطيرُ
you made the spirits and hearts of your foes drink
You quenched the souls of enemies and their hearts
fear, so their souls fly toward you.
Flew to you in fear
لَوif حاكَمَتكَthey brought you to judgment وَطالَبَتكَand demanded from you بِذَحلِهاfor their blood-debt
لَو حاكَمَتكَ وَطالَبَتكَ بِذَحلِها
شَهِدَتwould testify عَلَيكَagainst you مَلاحِمٌbattles وَنُسورُand vultures
شَهِدَت عَلَيكَ مَلاحِمٌ وَنُسورُ
If they brought you to judgment and demanded their blood-debt,
If your feats and lions had tried you
battles and vultures would testify against you.
They would have testified against you
وَذَعَرتَand you terrified صَرفَthe vicissitudes of الدَهرِTime حينَwhen ضَمِنتَهُyou took charge of it
وَذَعَرتَ صَرفَ الدَهرِ حينَ ضَمِنتَهُ
فَالدَهرُso Time مِنكَof you وَصَرفُهُand its vicissitudes مَذعورُterrified
فَالدَهرُ مِنكَ وَصَرفُهُ مَذعورُ
And you terrified Time's vicissitudes when you took charge of them,
You tamed the turns of fate when you secured it
so Time and its vicissitudes are terrified of you.
So fate is scared of you and its turns cower
ياO اِبنَson of التَبابِعَةِthe Tubba' rulers المُلوكِthe kings أُوليpossessors of النُهىwisdom
يا اِبنَ التَبابِعَةِ المُلوكِ أُولي النُهى
ماnot مِثلُهُمtheir like فيin سالِفٍages past مَذكورُremembered
ما مِثلُهُم في سالِفٍ مَذكورُ
O son of the Tubba' kings, possessors of wisdom,
O descendant of kings, masters of glory
none like them is remembered in ages past.
None like them were mentioned in the past
كَمhow many مِنof أَبٍa forefather لَكَof yours ماجِدٍnoble مِنfrom حِميَرٍHimyar
كَم مِن أَبٍ لَكَ ماجِدٍ مِن حِميَرٍ
جَزلِlavish in النَّوالِbounty عَطاؤُهُhis giving مَشكورُgratefully acknowledged
جَزلِ النَّوالِ عَطاؤُهُ مَشكورُ
How many a noble forefather of yours from Himyar,
How many glorious fathers you have from Khimyar
lavish in bounty, his giving gratefully acknowledged!
Whose abundant gifts are appreciated
ياO مَنyou who يُجيرُgives refuge مِنَfrom الزَمانِTime وَصَرفِهِand its vicissitudes
يا مَن يُجيرُ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَصَرفِهِ
مَنwho ذاthis one سِواكَbesides you مِنَfrom الزَمانِTime يُجيرُgives refuge
مَن ذا سِواكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ يُجيرُ
O you who give refuge from Time and its vicissitudes,
O you who protects from fate and its turns
who but you gives refuge from Time?
Who but you protects from fate?
نَفَحاتُgusts كَفِّكَyour palm لَمnot تَزَلhave ceased مَذكورَةًremembered
نَفَحاتُ كَفِّكَ لَم تَزَل مَذكورَةً
تَشقىsuffer بِهِنَّthrough them جَماجِمٌskulls وَبُدورُand money-purses
تَشقى بِهِنَّ جَماجِمٌ وَبُدورُ
The gusts of your palm are ever remembered;
The breezes of your palm have not ceased being remembered
through them, skulls and money-purses come to grief.
By which skulls and heads prosper
كَمhow many رائِحينَtravelers إِلَيكَto you آبواreturned بِالغِنىwith wealth
كَم رائِحينَ إِلَيكَ آبوا بِالغِنى
وَغَدواand came in the morning عَلَيكَto you وَحَظُّهُمand their share مَوفورُabundant
وَغَدوا عَلَيكَ وَحَظُّهُم مَوفورُ
How many who went to you returned with wealth,
How many came poor to you
and came to you in the morning, their portion abundant.
And left you, their share plentiful
قَومٌa people هُمُthey مَوتٌdeath إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle حارَبواthey wage war
قَومٌ هُمُ مَوتٌ إِذا ما حارَبوا
قَوماًa people وَإِمّاand if سالَمواthey make peace فَبُحورُthen seas
قَوماً وَإِمّا سالَموا فَبُحورُ
A people who are death when they wage war
A people who are death if they fight a people
against a people, but seas when they make peace.
And if they make peace, then seas
جابواthey traversed البِلادَthe lands وَأَهلُهاand their people خَوَلٌservants لَهُمto them
جابوا البِلادَ وَأَهلُها خَوَلٌ لَهُم
مُستَسلِمينَsurrendering فَمُطلَقٌso one freed وَأَسيرُand one captive
مُستَسلِمينَ فَمُطلَقٌ وَأَسيرُ
They traversed the lands, whose people were their servants,
They roamed the lands and its people surrendered
surrendering—some released, others captive.
Given freely or captive
مَنَحواthey bestowed on العَدُوَّthe enemy مَعَalong with الصَوارِمِsharp swords وَالقَنىand spear-shafts
مَنَحوا العَدُوَّ مَعَ الصَوارِمِ وَالقَنى
جُمهورَa host of خَيلٍhorses خَلفَهاbehind them جُمهورُanother host
جُمهورَ خَيلٍ خَلفَها جُمهورُ
They bestowed on the enemy, along with sharp swords and spear-shafts,
They endowed the enemy with swords and spears
a host of horses, with another host behind them.
Hordes of horses behind which are hordes
مِنof كُلِّevery نَهدٍa sturdy steed لاnot يَزالُceases كَأَنَّهُas though it were
مِن كُلِّ نَهدٍ لا يَزالُ كَأَنَّهُ
يَومَon the day of الهِياجِbattle عَمَلَّسٌa swift wolf مَمطورُrain-soaked
يَومَ الهِياجِ عَمَلَّسٌ مَمطورُ
Each a sturdy steed, forever seeming,
From every rugged valley as if it still
on battle's day, a swift, rain-drenched wolf,
On the day of excitement, is slippery and smooth
حَتّىuntil تَذَلَّلَتِsubmitted البِلادُthe lands لِحَربِهِمto their warfare
حَتّى تَذَلَّلَتِ البِلادُ لِحَربِهِم
وَأُبيخَand was quenched مِنof نارِthe fire of العَدُوِّthe enemy سَعيرُa blaze
وَأُبيخَ مِن نارِ العَدُوِّ سَعيرُ
until the lands submitted to their warfare,
Until the lands submitted to their war
and the blaze of the enemy's fire was quenched.
And the enemy’s flames blazed
كانواthey were المُلوكَkings بَنيsons of المُلوكِkings وِراثَةًby inheritance
كانوا المُلوكَ بَني المُلوكِ وِراثَةً
وَالمُلكُand kingship فيهِمamong them لاnot يَزالُceases يَدورُto revolve
وَالمُلكُ فيهِم لا يَزالُ يَدورُ
They were kings, sons of kings by inheritance,
They were kings, heirs of kings
and kingship never ceases to revolve among them.
Kingship between them continues to alternate
أَعطاهُمُgave them ذُلَّthe abasement of المَقادَةِsubmission قَيصَرٌCaesar
أَعطاهُمُ ذُلَّ المَقادَةِ قَيصَرٌ
وَجَبىand delivered إِلَيهِمto them خَرجَهُhis tribute سابورُSabur
وَجَبى إِلَيهِم خَرجَهُ سابورُ
Caesar offered them abject submission,
Caesar gave them the humiliation of obedience
and Sabur delivered his tribute to them.
And Sapur collected levies unto them
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.