أَعلىloftiest المَمالِكِthe kingdoms ماthose that يُبنىare built عَلىupon الأَسَلِspears
أَعلى المَمالِكِ ما يُبنى عَلى الأَسَلِ
وَالطَعنُand spear-thrusts عِندَin the eyes of مُحِبِّيهِنَّthose who love them كَالقُبَلِlike kisses
وَالطَعنُ عِندَ مُحِبِّيهِنَّ كَالقُبَلِ
The loftiest kingdoms are those built upon spears,
The highest kingdoms are built on foundations,
The loftiest kingdoms are those erected upon spear-points,
and spear-thrusts, to those who love them, are like kisses.
And spears among those who love them are like kisses.
And thrusting, to those who love them, is like kissing.
وَماand not تَقِرُّcome to rest سُيوفٌswords فيin مَمالِكِهاtheir kingdoms
وَما تَقِرُّ سُيوفٌ في مَمالِكِها
حَتّىuntil تُقَلقَلُare brandished دَهراًfor a long time قَبلُbeforehand فيamong القَلَلِheads
حَتّى تُقَلقَلُ دَهراً قَبلُ في القَلَلِ
No swords rest secure in their kingdoms
No swords will settle in their realms,
Swords do not rest securely within their realms
until long brandished beforehand among heads.
Until they shake the ages before they shake the hills.
Until they have long rattled against the crowns of skulls.
مِثلُone like الأَميرِthe emir بَغىsought أَمراًa goal فَقَرَّso came to rest بِهِwith it
مِثلُ الأَميرِ بَغى أَمراً فَقَرَّ بِهِ
طولُthe length الرِماحِof spears وَأَيديand the forelegs of الخَيلِhorses وَالإِبِلِand camels
طولُ الرِماحِ وَأَيدي الخَيلِ وَالإِبِلِ
A man like the emir sought a goal; with it came to rest
The prince desired something, so the length
Like the Emir, who sought a prize and secured it
the long spears and the forelegs of horses and camels,
Of spears, horses' hands, and camels fulfilled it.
By the length of lances and the legs of horses and camels.
وَعَزمَةٌand a resolve بَعَثَتهاroused it هِمَّةٌan ambition زُحَلٌSaturn
وَعَزمَةٌ بَعَثَتها هِمَّةٌ زُحَلٌ
مِنfrom تَحتِهاbeneath it بِمَكانِat the distance of التُربِdust مِنfrom زُحَلِSaturn
مِن تَحتِها بِمَكانِ التُربِ مِن زُحَلِ
and a resolve stirred by an ambition—Saturn
And a determination roused by courageous ambition,
With resolve driven by an ambition so high,
lies beneath it as dust lies beneath Saturn.
Beneath which the soil seemed as insignificant as gravel.
That Saturn is beneath it, as dust is beneath Saturn.
عَلىupon الفُراتِthe Euphrates أَعاصيرٌwhirlwinds وَفيand in حَلَبٍAleppo
عَلى الفُراتِ أَعاصيرٌ وَفي حَلَبٍ
تَوَحُّشٌdesolation لِمُلَقّيfor the recipient of النَصرِvictory مُقتَبَلِfresh
تَوَحُّشٌ لِمُلَقّي النَصرِ مُقتَبَلِ
On the Euphrates are whirlwinds, and in Aleppo
There are storms on the Euphrates, and in Aleppo,
Upon the Euphrates rage storms, while in Aleppo
there is desolation for the recipient of fresh victory.
A ferocity towards the encounter of victory.
A wild yearning waits to meet the coming victory.
تَتلوfollow أَسِنَّتُهُhis spearheads الكُتبَthe letters الَّتيwhich نَفَذَتwent forth
تَتلو أَسِنَّتُهُ الكُتبَ الَّتي نَفَذَت
وَيَجعَلُand he makes الخَيلَthe horses أَبدالاًsubstitutes مِنَin place of الرُسُلِthe messengers
وَيَجعَلُ الخَيلَ أَبدالاً مِنَ الرُسُلِ
His spearheads follow the letters already sent,
His tongues recite the books which were decisive,
His spearheads follow the decrees that were dispatched,
and he makes horses substitutes for messengers.
And he makes the horses replacements for messengers.
And he makes his war-steeds the substitutes for messengers.
يَلقىhe meets المُلوكَthe kings فَلاso not يَلقىhe finds سِوىanything but جَزَرٍbeasts for slaughter
يَلقى المُلوكَ فَلا يَلقى سِوى جَزَرٍ
وَماand what أَعَدّواthey prepared فَلاso not يَلقيhe finds سِوىanything but نَفَلِbooty
وَما أَعَدّوا فَلا يَلقي سِوى نَفَلِ
He encounters kings, but finds only beasts for slaughter;
He meets kings, so he meets nothing but rewards,
He confronts kings and finds nothing but cattle for slaughter;
and all they have prepared he finds only as booty.
And they prepared nothing for him except gifts.
Whatever they prepared, he finds nothing but spoils.
صانَprotected الخَليفَةُthe caliph بِالأَبطالِwith champions مُهجَتَهُhis lifeblood
صانَ الخَليفَةُ بِالأَبطالِ مُهجَتَهُ
صِيانَةَthe protection of الذَكَرِthe hard-steeled sword الهِندِيَّIndian بِالخَلَلِwith sheath-linings
صِيانَةَ الذَكَرِ الهِندِيَّ بِالخَلَلِ
The caliph guarded his lifeblood with champions,
The Caliph protected his violated lands with heroes,
The Caliph has guarded his life with heroes,
as a hard Indian blade is guarded by sheath-linings.
Protecting fame like an Indian protects his ankle bracelet.
As the scabbard guards the edge of the Indian blade.
الفاعِلُthe doer الفِعلَthe deed لَمnot يُفعَلwas done لِشِدَّتِهِbecause of its difficulty
الفاعِلُ الفِعلَ لَم يُفعَل لِشِدَّتِهِ
وَالقائِلُand the speaker القَولَthe words لَمnot يُترَكwere disregarded وَلَمand not يُقَلِwere uttered
وَالقائِلُ القَولَ لَم يُترَك وَلَم يُقَلِ
The doer of deeds never done, so arduous are they,
The doer did not do the deed out of its intensity,
The doer of deeds too mighty to be attempted,
and the speaker of words never disregarded, never uttered before;
And the speaker did not neglect his words nor diminish them.
The speaker of words that were neither unspoken nor mere talk.
وَالباعِثُand the sender of الجَيشَthe army قَدalready غالَتswallowed عَجاجَتُهُits dust cloud
وَالباعِثُ الجَيشَ قَد غالَت عَجاجَتُهُ
ضَوءَthe light of النَهارِday فَصارَso became الظُهرُnoon كَالطَفَلِlike dusk
ضَوءَ النَهارِ فَصارَ الظُهرُ كَالطَفَلِ
and the sender of an army whose dust has swallowed
The one who launched the army, his passion overwhelmed,
He launches an army whose rising dust has devoured
the light of day, turning noon to dusk.
The light of day, so noon seemed like dawn.
The light of day, turning high noon into twilight.
الجَوُّthe sky أَضيَقُthe narrowest ماwhat لاقاهُhas encountered it ساطِعُهاits rising dust
الجَوُّ أَضيَقُ ما لاقاهُ ساطِعُها
وَمُقلَةُand the eye of الشَمسِthe sun فيهِwithin it أَحيَرُthe most bewildered المُقَلِthe eyes
وَمُقلَةُ الشَمسِ فيهِ أَحيَرُ المُقَلِ
The sky is the narrowest space its rising dust has met,
The atmosphere is too narrow for its shining one,
The sky is too narrow to hold its soaring clouds,
and the sun's eye within it is the most bewildered of eyes.
And the sun blinking in it is the most confused of the blinkers.
And the eye of the sun is the most bewildered of eyes within it.
يَنالُhe reaches أَبعَدَfarther مِنهاthan her وَهيَwhile she is ناظِرَةٌwatching
يَنالُ أَبعَدَ مِنها وَهيَ ناظِرَةٌ
فَماso not تُقابِلُهُshe faces him إِلّاexcept عَلىin وَجَلِdread
فَما تُقابِلُهُ إِلّا عَلى وَجَلِ
He reaches farther than she does, while she watches,
He obtains further than it while it is watching,
He reaches farther than the sun, while it watches on;
so she faces him only in dread.
So it only meets him with anxiety and unease.
It dares not face him but with trembling fear.
قَدindeed عَرَّضَinterposed السَيفَthe sword دونَin the way of النازِلاتِcalamities بِهِupon him
قَد عَرَّضَ السَيفَ دونَ النازِلاتِ بِهِ
وَظاهَرَand layered الحَزمَprudence بَينَbetween النَفسِthe self وَالغِيَلِand treacherous attacks
وَظاهَرَ الحَزمَ بَينَ النَفسِ وَالغِيَلِ
He has interposed the sword against calamities befalling him,
He exposed his sword instead of the afflictions upon him,
He interposed the sword before the calamities that sought him,
and layered prudence between his life and treacherous attacks.
And aided wisdom between the self and perfidy.
And fortified his soul with prudence against hidden snares.
وَوَكَّلَand he charged الظَنَّintuition بِالأَسرارِwith secrets فَاِنكَشَفَتso were revealed
وَوَكَّلَ الظَنَّ بِالأَسرارِ فَاِنكَشَفَت
لَهُto him ضَمائِرُhidden thoughts أَهلِthe people of السَهلِthe plain وَالجَبَلِand the mountain
لَهُ ضَمائِرُ أَهلِ السَهلِ وَالجَبَلِ
And he charged his intuition with secrets; then were revealed
He made assumption responsible for secrets, so
He set his intuition upon secrets, and laid bare
to him the hidden thoughts of the people of plain and mountain.
The consciences of the people of the plains and mountains were revealed to him.
To his gaze the hidden hearts of men from plain and mountain.
هُوَhe الشُجاعُthe brave man يَعُدُّcounts البُخلَstinginess مِنas a form of جُبُنٍcowardice
هُوَ الشُجاعُ يَعُدُّ البُخلَ مِن جُبُنٍ
وَهوَand he الجَوادُthe generous man يَعُدُّcounts الجُبنَcowardice مِنas a form of بَخَلِstinginess
وَهوَ الجَوادُ يَعُدُّ الجُبنَ مِن بَخَلِ
He is the brave man who counts stinginess as cowardice,
He is the brave one who considers stinginess a form of cowardice,
He is the brave one who counts miserliness as cowardice;
and he is the generous man who counts cowardice as stinginess.
And he is the generous one who considers cowardice a form of stinginess.
He is the generous one who counts cowardice as stinginess.
يَعودُhe returns مِنfrom كُلِّevery فَتحٍconquest غَيرَnot مُفتَخِرٍboastful
يَعودُ مِن كُلِّ فَتحٍ غَيرَ مُفتَخِرٍ
وَقَدand already أَغَذَّhe hastened إِلَيهِtoward it غَيرَnot مُحتَفِلٍconcerned
وَقَد أَغَذَّ إِلَيهِ غَيرَ مُحتَفِلٍ
He returns from every conquest without boasting,
He returns from every conquest without boasting,
He returns from every conquest without boasting,
having sped toward it without concern.
While others not celebrating have provided for him.
And he hastened toward it without festive fanfare.
وَلاand not يُجيرُprotects عَلَيهِagainst him الدَهرُTime بُغيَتَهُhis quarry
وَلا يُجيرُ عَلَيهِ الدَهرُ بُغيَتَهُ
وَلاand not تُحَصِّنُsafeguards دِرعٌa coat of mail مُهجَةَlifeblood البَطَلِof the champion
وَلا تُحَصِّنُ دِرعٌ مُهجَةَ البَطَلِ
Nor can Time shield his quarry from him,
Time does not grant him his ambitions through its tyranny,
Fate cannot protect its quarry against him,
nor can a coat of mail protect a champion's lifeblood.
Nor does any coat of mail protect the wound of a hero.
Nor does armor shield the life-blood of the hero.
إِذاwhenever خَلَعتُI bestowed عَلىupon عِرضٍhonor لَهُof his حُلَلاًrobes
إِذا خَلَعتُ عَلى عِرضٍ لَهُ حُلَلاً
وَجَدتُهاI found them مِنهُthrough him فيin أَبهىmore splendid مِنَthan الحُلَلِthe robes
وَجَدتُها مِنهُ في أَبهى مِنَ الحُلَلِ
Whenever I bestow robes upon his honor,
When I bestow a robe of honor upon a noble one,
If I were to drape robes of praise upon his honor,
I find them, through him, arrayed in something more splendid than robes.
I find it more beautifully adorned by him than robes of honor.
I would find them adorned by him with something fairer than robes.
بِذيto one with الغَباوَةِdullness مِنfrom إِنشادِهاreciting them ضَرَرٌharm
بِذي الغَباوَةِ مِن إِنشادِها ضَرَرٌ
كَماjust as تُضِرُّdoes harm رِياحُthe scents of الوَردِroses بِالجُعَلِto the dung beetle
كَما تُضِرُّ رِياحُ الوَردِ بِالجُعَلِ
Reciting them harms the dull-witted,
In the intoxication of chanting it there is harm,
Reciting them brings pain to the dull-witted,
as the fragrance of roses harms the dung beetle.
Like the winds harming rose bushes.
Just as the scent of roses harms the dung beetle.
لَقَدindeed رَأَتhas seen كُلُّevery عَينٍeye مِنكَin you مالِئَهاwhat fills it
لَقَد رَأَت كُلُّ عَينٍ مِنكَ مالِئَها
وَجَرَّبَتand has tested خَيرَthe finest سَيفٍsword خَيرَةُthe choicest of الدُوَلِdynasties
وَجَرَّبَت خَيرَ سَيفٍ خَيرَةُ الدُوَلِ
Every eye has surely seen in you what fills it,
Every eye has seen its fill of you,
Every eye has seen in you that which fills its gaze,
and the choicest of dynasties has tested the finest sword.
And the best of swords have tried the elite of states.
And the greatest of nations has tested the greatest of swords.
فَماso not تُكَشِّفُكَreveal in you الأَعداءُthe enemies مِنany مَلَلٍweariness
فَما تُكَشِّفُكَ الأَعداءُ مِن مَلَلٍ
مِنَfrom الحُروبِwars وَلاnor الآراءِjudgments عَنregarding زَلَلِerror
مِنَ الحُروبِ وَلا الآراءِ عَن زَلَلِ
Thus your enemies uncover no weariness in you
You are not wearied by enemies, neither in war
Enemies do not find you weary of war,
from war, nor do your judgments reveal any error.
Nor in opinions, from making mistakes.
Nor do judgments reveal in you any error.
وَكَمand how many رِجالٍmen بِلاwithout أَرضٍland لِكَثرَتِهِمbecause of their multitude
وَكَم رِجالٍ بِلا أَرضٍ لِكَثرَتِهِم
تَرَكتَyou left جَمعَهُمُtheir host أَرضاًland بِلاwithout رَجُلِa man
تَرَكتَ جَمعَهُمُ أَرضاً بِلا رَجُلِ
And how many men, with no ground for their vast numbers,
And how many men without land because of their multitudes
How many armies, landless in their vast numbers,
you left their host as ground without a single man!
Whose gathering you left a land without men!
Have you left as empty land, devoid of men?
ماnot زالَceased طِرفُكَyour steed يَجريrunning فيthrough دِمائِهِمِtheir blood
ما زالَ طِرفُكَ يَجري في دِمائِهِمِ
حَتّىuntil مَشىit walked بِكَcarrying you مَشيَwith the gait of الشارِبِthe drinker الثَمِلِthe drunken
حَتّى مَشى بِكَ مَشيَ الشارِبِ الثَمِلِ
Your steed kept running through their blood
Your glance continued to flow in their blood
Your steed ceased not to gallop through their blood
until it bore you along with a drunken drinker's gait.
Until you walked the gait of the satiated drinker.
Until it stumbled with you like a drunken reveler.
ياO مَنone who يَسيرُtravels وَحُكمُand the judgment of الناظِرينَthe onlookers لَهُin his favor
يا مَن يَسيرُ وَحُكمُ الناظِرينَ لَهُ
فيماin what يَراهُhe sees it وَحُكمُand the judgment of القَلبِthe heart فيin الجَذَلِjoy
فيما يَراهُ وَحُكمُ القَلبِ في الجَذَلِ
O you who journey, with the onlookers' judgment in your favor
O you who travel, while the opinion of onlookers
O you who march, commanding the gaze of all beholders,
in what you deem right, and the heart's verdict in joy:
And the heart’s opinion in affection are judges for him!
Ruling what they see, and ruling the heart with joy.
إِنَّindeed السَعادَةَgood fortune فيماin whatever أَنتَyou فاعِلُهُare doing it
إِنَّ السَعادَةَ فيما أَنتَ فاعِلُهُ
وُفِّقتَmay you be granted success مُرتَحِلاًjourneying أَوor غَيرَnot مُرتَحِلِjourneying
وُفِّقتَ مُرتَحِلاً أَو غَيرَ مُرتَحِلِ
Truly, good fortune lies in whatever you do;
Indeed happiness lies in what you are doing,
True happiness lies in whatever you choose to do,
may you prosper, whether journeying or staying.
Whether travelling or not travelling.
Whether you are destined to march forth or to remain.
أَجرِset running الجِيادَthe steeds عَلىas ماwhat كُنتَyou were مُجرِيَهاmaking them run
أَجرِ الجِيادَ عَلى ما كُنتَ مُجرِيَها
وَخُذand guide بِنَفسِكَyourself فيin أَخلاقِكَyour virtues الأُوَلِthe original
وَخُذ بِنَفسِكَ في أَخلاقِكَ الأُوَلِ
Run the steeds as you have always run them,
Race the steeds according to what you were racing them,
Let the coursers run as you have always let them run,
and hold yourself to your longstanding virtues.
And take your own self in your original morals.
And hold fast to your soul's primal nobility.
يَنظُرنَthey look مِنthrough مُقَلٍeyes أَدمىbloodied أَحِجَّتَهاtheir sockets
يَنظُرنَ مِن مُقَلٍ أَدمى أَحِجَّتَها
قَرعُthe striking of الفَوارِسِhorsemen بِالعَسّالَةِwith swaying lances الذُبُلِthe slender ones
قَرعُ الفَوارِسِ بِالعَسّالَةِ الذُبُلِ
They look out through eyes whose sockets have been bloodied
They glance with tearful eyes whose arguments
They gaze from eyes whose sockets are stained with blood
by the clash of horsemen with swaying, slender lances.
Are the striking of the horsemen with the frayed swords.
By the clash of knights and the quivering of spears.
فَلاso not هَجَمتَmay you charge بِهاwith them إِلّاexcept عَلىto ظَفَرٍvictory
فَلا هَجَمتَ بِها إِلّا عَلى ظَفَرٍ
وَلاand not وَصَلتَmay you arrive بِهاwith them إِلّاexcept عَلىat أَمَلِa hope
وَلا وَصَلتَ بِها إِلّا عَلى أَمَلِ
May you never charge with them except to victory,
You never raided with them except for victory,
You have never charged with them but towards victory,
nor arrive with them except at a hoped-for goal.
Nor ever arrived with them except to hope.
Nor arrived with them save at the threshold of hope.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model. Gemini 3.5 Flash is a user-supplied attribution. The original record does not identify its model.