لاdo not تلوميهِblame him فيin الهَوَىlove واعذرِيهِand excuse him
لا تلوميهِ في الهَوَى واعذرِيهِ
هلdoes? يُفيدُhelp المَلامُreproach مَنone who لاnot يَعيهِheeds it
هل يُفيدُ المَلامُ مَن لا يَعيهِ
Do not blame him for love; excuse him.
Do not blame him for loving, and excuse him,
Does reproach help one who does not heed it?
Does blame benefit one who cannot comprehend it?
للهوىfor love كالمَلامlike reproach داعٍa cause فإنْso if قُلsaid (verb fragment)
للهوى كالمَلام داعٍ فإنْ قُل
تِyou (feminine ending) بتركِfor abandoning الداعيthe cause إذَنْthen فاترُكيهِthen abandon it
تِ بتركِ الداعي إذَنْ فاترُكيهِ
Love, like reproach, has a cause; if you call
Love responds to blame as an inviter, so if you say,
for abandoning the cause, then abandon it yourself.
"Abandon the inviter," then abandon him.
حَدَقُpupils الغيدِthe graceful women فاتناتٌbewitching وإلاّor else
حَدَقُ الغيدِ فاتناتٌ وإلاّ
فَجَمادٌthen lifeless matter فُؤادُthe heart منwhomever تلتقيهِyou meet him
فَجَمادٌ فُؤادُ من تلتقيهِ
The pupils of graceful women are bewitching; otherwise
The hearts of the infatuated are burning embers, otherwise
the heart of anyone you meet is lifeless matter.
They are solid stone in the breasts of those you meet.
والهوىand love فيin القُلوبِhearts شَرْطٌa requisite فإنso if لمnot
والهوى في القُلوبِ شَرْطٌ فإن لم
يَكُbe بالمُشتَهىfor what is desired فبالمكروهthen for what is disliked
يَكُ بالمُشتَهى فبالمكروه
Love is a requisite in hearts; if it is not
And love in hearts is a condition - for if it is not
for what is desired, then it is for what is disliked.
For the desired, then for the hated.
كُلُّناall of us يبتغيseek منfrom العَيشِlife ضَرْباًa kind
كُلُّنا يبتغي من العَيشِ ضَرْباً
وسُرورُand the joy الفتىthe young man بماin what يبتغيهِhe seeks it
وسُرورُ الفتى بما يبتغيهِ
We all seek a certain kind of life,
We all seek a way of life,
and a young man's joy lies in what he seeks.
And the joy of a young man is in what he seeks.
إنماsimply نحنُwe فيin اختِلافِdifference عُقولٍminds
إنما نحنُ في اختِلافِ عُقولٍ
مِثلَماjust as نحنُwe فيin اختلافِdifference وُجوهِfaces
مِثلَما نحنُ في اختلافِ وُجوهِ
We simply differ in our minds,
We only differ in our minds,
just as we differ in our faces.
Just as we differ in our faces.
رُبّماperhaps طابَwas pleasing للفتَىto the young man ماwhat كَرِهناwe disliked
رُبّما طابَ للفتَى ما كَرِهنا
وَهْوَand he منّاone of us وعافَand spurned ماwhat نشتهيهِwe desire it
وَهْوَ منّا وعافَ ما نشتهيهِ
A young man may delight in what we dislike,
One may find pleasant what we hate
though he is one of us, and spurn what we desire.
And dislike what we desire.
لوif تَساوىwere alike المذاقُtaste لمnot يَكُbe فيin الدthe (start of 'world')
لو تَساوى المذاقُ لم يَكُ في الد
دُنياworld (completion) خسيسٌa lowly man ولمand not تَقُمْbe sustained بالنبيهِby the eminent
دُنيا خسيسٌ ولم تَقُمْ بالنبيهِ
If tastes were alike, there would be in the
If tastes were equal, there would not be
world no lowly man, nor would it be sustained by the eminent.
In the world a wretched one, nor one held in high esteem.
صُنتُI guarded نفسيmyself عنfrom جاهلٍan ignorant man صانَhe guarded عنّيfrom me
صُنتُ نفسي عن جاهلٍ صانَ عنّي
نفسَهُhimself يشكونيhe complains of me كماjust as أشتكيهI complain of him
نفسَهُ يشكوني كما أشتكيه
I guarded myself from an ignorant man, who guarded from me
I protected my soul from an ignorant one who protected
himself; he complains of me as I complain of him.
His soul from me, complaining of me as I complain of him.
وإذاand if لمnot ألقَI meet السفيهَthe fool بحِلمٍwith forbearance
وإذا لم ألقَ السفيهَ بحِلمٍ
ضاعَwas lost حِلميmy forbearance فكنتُso I became عينَthe very السفيهِfool
ضاعَ حِلمي فكنتُ عينَ السفيهِ
And if I do not meet the fool with forbearance,
And if I did not meet the fool with forbearance
my forbearance is lost, and I become the very fool.
My forbearance would be lost, and I would be the fool.
كانَthere was للعلمِfor learning دولةٌa reign عندَamong قومٍa people
كانَ للعلمِ دولةٌ عندَ قومٍ
عَرَفوهُthey knew it فأكرَمواso they honored عارفيهِthose who knew it
عَرَفوهُ فأكرَموا عارفيهِ
Learning once held sway among a people
Knowledge once had a status among people
who recognized it and honored those who knew it.
Who knew it, and so honored those who knew it.
ليسَthere is not فيناamong us منanyone who يَقبَلُaccepts العلمَknowledge عَفْواًfor free
ليسَ فينا من يَقبَلُ العلمَ عَفْواً
فإذاso if بِعتَهُyou sell it فَمنthen who يشتريهِbuys it
فإذا بِعتَهُ فَمن يشتريهِ
No one among us accepts knowledge for free;
Among us there is none who accepts knowledge freely,
so if you sell it, who will buy it?
So if you sell it, who will buy it?
قدindeed هجوناwe satirized بنيthe sons الزَمانِof the age فنِلناso we received
قد هجونا بني الزَمانِ فنِلنا
حَظَّa share هجوٍof satire لأنّناbecause we مِنamong بنيهِits sons
حَظَّ هجوٍ لأنّنا مِن بنيهِ
We have satirized the sons of the age, and received
The people of our time satirized us, so we obtained
a share of satire, because we are among its sons.
A share of satire, for we are among their people.
سيفُthe sword أهلthe practitioners الشِعرِof poetry الهِجاءُsatire ولكِنْbut
سيفُ أهل الشِعرِ الهِجاءُ ولكِنْ
قَلَّfew are منthose whom هذاthis السيفُsword يقطعُcuts فيهِinto him
قَلَّ من هذا السيفُ يقطعُ فيهِ
Satire is the poets' sword, but
The sword of poets is satire, but few
few are those this sword can cut.
Wield this sword and cut with it.
علّمتنيtaught me تجاربُthe trials الدَّهرِof time ماwhat لاnot
علّمتني تجاربُ الدَّهرِ ما لا
كنتُI was أدرِيknowing منof آلهِits family وذَويِهِand its kin
كنتُ أدرِي من آلهِ وذَويِهِ
Time's trials taught me what
The experiences of fate taught me what
I had not known of its family and kin.
I did not know of its family and relatives.
وتركتُand I set aside القَرِيضَverse أنتهِزُI seek to seize الفُرthe opportunity (first part)
وتركتُ القَرِيضَ أنتهِزُ الفُر
صةَopportunity (completion) حتىuntil رأيتُI saw منone who يقتضيهِmerits it
صةَ حتى رأيتُ من يقتضيهِ
I set verse aside, waiting to seize the
And I gave up poetry to seize upon
opportunity, until I saw one who merited it.
Opportunities, when I saw who seeks them.
صِفَةٌa quality أصْفَتِcleared القَريحةَpoetic inspiration حتّىuntil
صِفَةٌ أصْفَتِ القَريحةَ حتّى
سَهَّلتmade easy فيin البديعِpoetic embellishment نظمَcomposition البَديهِimpromptu verse
سَهَّلت في البديعِ نظمَ البَديهِ
A quality cleared my poetic inspiration, until
An attribute I described creativity until
it made impromptu composition in ornate verse easy.
It facilitated in rhetoric the composition of extempore verse.
مُعجِزاتٌmiracles فيin الفِعلِdeed مُمكِنةٌpossible فيin الthe
مُعجِزاتٌ في الفِعلِ مُمكِنةٌ في ال
قَولِspeech لكنbut بعيدةُfar beyond التشبيهcomparison
قَولِ لكن بعيدةُ التشبيه
Miracles in deed, possible in
Marvels in deed are possible in words, but are
speech, but beyond comparison.
Distant in simile.
إنماindeed نائبُthe deputy الوزيرof the minister وزيرٌa minister
إنما نائبُ الوزير وزيرٌ
قامَacted بالفضلwith virtue وهْوand he لاnot يدَّعيهِclaims it
قامَ بالفضل وهْو لا يدَّعيهِ
The minister's deputy is indeed a minister,
The deputy of a minister is a minister
who has practiced virtue without claiming it.
Who has assumed excellence, though he does not claim it.
عُمدةُthe mainstay العاجزِof the incapable man الكلامُtalk ولِلفَعْand for the doer (first part)
عُمدةُ العاجزِ الكلامُ ولِلفَعْ
عَالِdoer (completion) فِعلٌa deed عنin place of قولهِhis speech يُغنيهِsuffices him
عَالِ فِعلٌ عن قولهِ يُغنيهِ
Talk is the incapable man's mainstay; the man of
The discourse of the incapable is words, but for the
action has deeds that spare him speech.
Capable, deeds render words unnecessary.
كَلَّفَtasked الناسَthe people وصفَهُdescribing him وهْوَand he لوif كُلْwere tasked (first part)
كَلَّفَ الناسَ وصفَهُ وهْوَ لو كُلْ
لِفَهُwith it (completion) ماnot استطاعَwas able أنْto يُحصيهِrecount it fully
لِفَهُ ما استطاعَ أنْ يُحصيهِ
He tasked people with describing him; yet were he
It burdened people to describe it, yet if it
tasked with it, he could not recount it all.
Were tasked to describe itself, it could not enumerate it.
يَسَعُencompasses المُلكَthe realm صدرُهُhis breast مثلَlike عَينٍan eye
يَسَعُ المُلكَ صدرُهُ مثلَ عَينٍ
وَسِعتْtook in كُلَّevery فَدفَدٍvast plain تجتليهِbeholds it
وَسِعتْ كُلَّ فَدفَدٍ تجتليهِ
His breast encompasses the realm, like an eye
Its chest can contain a kingdom, like an eye
that has taken in every vast plain it beholds.
That contained all the sparks that flash in it.
كاتبٌa scribe يقطعُcuts through السُيوفَswords يَراعٌa reed pen
كاتبٌ يقطعُ السُيوفَ يَراعٌ
فيin يديهِhis hands وليسَand there is no ضَرْبٌblow يَليهِfollows it
في يديهِ وليسَ ضَرْبٌ يَليهِ
A scribe: a reed pen cuts through swords
A writer who wields swords, a watchman
in his hands, and no blow follows it.
With weapons in his hands, though no blows follow them.
زاهدٌan ascetic يلبَسُwears السوادَblack ويمشيand walks
زاهدٌ يلبَسُ السوادَ ويمشي
فيon بَياضٍwhite لديهِbefore him مِشْيةَa gait تِيهِof pride
في بَياضٍ لديهِ مِشْيةَ تِيهِ
An ascetic who wears black and walks
An ascetic wearing black, walking
across the white before him with a swaggering gait.
In white, though his gait is one of confusion.
وإذاand when غابَتِare absent الصحائفُthe pages عنهُfrom him
وإذا غابَتِ الصحائفُ عنهُ
حَضَرَتْهُattend him صَفائحٌsword-blades تقتفيهِfollow his trail
حَضَرَتْهُ صَفائحٌ تقتفيهِ
And when the pages are absent from him,
And when books disappear from him
sword-blades attend him, following his trail.
Tablets follow, tracking him.
عَلِمَknew السيفُthe sword أنَّهُthat he يكِسبُgives البِيthe bright blades (first part)
عَلِمَ السيفُ أنَّهُ يكِسبُ البِي
ضَbright blades (completion) فِرِنْداًa watered pattern فجاءَهُso it came to him يجتديهِseeking his bounty
ضَ فِرِنْداً فجاءَهُ يجتديهِ
The sword knew that he gives bright
The sword knew it earns whiteness,
blades their watered pattern, so it came to him seeking his bounty.
So it came to him to scrape it.
طالماhow often أخجَلَput to shame الكِرامَthe generous كريمٌa generous man
طالما أخجَلَ الكِرامَ كريمٌ
أكثرَmay multiply اللهُGod فيamong الوَرَىmankind حاسِديهِthose who envy him
أكثرَ اللهُ في الوَرَى حاسِديهِ
How often a generous man has put the generous to shame!
Often, a generous one embarrassed the noble ones -
May God multiply his enviers among mankind.
God multiplied in the earth his enviers.
عَجِبواthey marveled منat صَغيرِthe little ماthat which لاحَappeared منof أفْdeeds (first part)
عَجِبوا من صَغيرِ ما لاحَ من أفْ
عالهِhis deeds (completion) والكبيرُand the great لاnot يُرضيهِsatisfies him
عالهِ والكبيرُ لا يُرضيهِ
They marveled at the little they saw of his
They were amazed at the smallness of what appeared of
deeds, while even great deeds do not satisfy him.
His deeds, though the great does not satisfy him.
ليسَnot يكفيsatisfies الأميرَthe prince ماwhat قدalready كفىhas satisfied الراthe petitioner (first part)
ليسَ يكفي الأميرَ ما قد كفى الرا
جيpetitioner (completion) فيُعطيهso he gives him فوقَbeyond ماwhat يرتجيهِhe hopes for it
جي فيُعطيه فوقَ ما يرتجيهِ
The prince is not content with what has satisfied the
What sufficed the commoner does not suffice the prince,
petitioner, so he gives him more than he hopes for.
So he gives beyond what is hoped of him.
ذاكَthat one يرجوhopes بحَسْبِaccording to مِقدارِهِhis measure وَهْand he (first part)
ذاكَ يرجو بحَسْبِ مِقدارِهِ وَهْ
وَhe (completion) عَلىaccording to قَدْرِthe measure نفسِهِhis own self يُعطيهِhe gives him
وَ عَلى قَدْرِ نفسِهِ يُعطيهِ
That one hopes according to his measure; the other
That one hopes according to his measure, and this one
gives him according to his own stature.
Gives according to the measure of his soul.
يَفخَرُboasts الغيثُthe rain إذwhen يُشَبَّهُis likened فيin الجُوgenerosity (first part)
يَفخَرُ الغيثُ إذ يُشَبَّهُ في الجُو
دِgenerosity (completion) بهِwith him مُنكِراًobjecting علىto واصفِيهِhis describers
دِ بهِ مُنكِراً على واصفِيهِ
Rain boasts when compared, in
The rain boasts when it is likened in
generosity, with him, rebuking his describers.
Generosity to it, denying those who described it.
ذاكthat one يجريflows بالماءwith water حيناًfor a while وهذاand this one
ذاك يجري بالماء حيناً وهذا
بِنُضارٍwith pure gold يَدومُcontinues للسائليهِfor those who ask him
بِنُضارٍ يَدومُ للسائليهِ
That one flows with water for a while, but this one
One flows with water for a time, while the other
pours pure gold continually for those who ask of him.
With freshness lasting for those who seek it.
منwho لزَهرِfor the flowers الرُّبىof the hills بحُسنِwith the beauty مُحيّاface
من لزَهرِ الرُّبى بحُسنِ مُحيّا
هُhis وزُهرُand the radiant ones النُجومِof the stars لاnot تَحْكيهِresemble it
هُ وزُهرُ النُجومِ لا تَحْكيهِ
Who could give the flowers of the hills the beauty of his
With the beauty of its smiling and the blossoming
face, when the radiant stars cannot match it?
Of stars - nothing can portray it.
يُطبَعُis forged السيفُthe sword منfrom مَضاءِthe keenness يديهِhis hands
يُطبَعُ السيفُ من مَضاءِ يديهِ
وتُصاغُand is fashioned الحُلِيُّjewelry منfrom لَفْظِthe utterance فيهِhis mouth
وتُصاغُ الحُلِيُّ من لَفْظِ فيهِ
The sword is forged from the keenness of his hands,
The sword is forged from the brightness of his hands,
and jewelry is fashioned from the words of his mouth.
And jewelry fashioned from the eloquence in them.
ياO عِماداًa pillar لدَولةٍof a state مَنwhomever تُصافيyou befriend (verb fragment)
يا عِماداً لدَولةٍ مَن تُصافي
هِhim تُصَفيّهِyou purify him قبلَbefore أنto تَصطفيهِyou choose him
هِ تُصَفيّهِ قبلَ أن تَصطفيهِ
O pillar of a state! Whomever you befriend,
O pillar of a state, scrutinize those you appoint,
you purify him before you choose him.
Scrutinizing them before selecting them.
أنتَyou مَنthe one who ينبغيis fitting لهُfor him الشِعرُpoetry لكنْbut
أنتَ مَن ينبغي لهُ الشِعرُ لكنْ
لكَyou have حَقٌّa due ماnot كُلُّevery شِعرٍpoem يَفيهِfulfills it
لكَ حَقٌّ ما كُلُّ شِعرٍ يَفيهِ
You are the one to whom poetry is due, yet
You are the one poetry befits, but for you
you have a claim that not every poem can fulfill.
Is a right - not all poetry fulfills it.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.