رضيتُI was content منin place of عينِthe actual presence ذاكthat الحَيِّencampment بالأثَرِwith a trace
رضيتُ من عينِ ذاك الحَيِّ بالأثَرِ
حتىuntil رَضيتُI was content بسَمْعwith hearing الذِّكرِthe mention والخَبَرِand the news
حتى رَضيتُ بسَمْع الذِّكرِ والخَبَرِ
In place of that encampment itself, I was content with a trace,
I was content with the ruins of that settlement, with its vestiges,
until I was content merely to hear its mention and its news.
Until I was content with just hearing tell and reports of it.
وهامَand was enraptured قلبيmy heart بماwith what يَحْويهِit contains مُنشغِفاًpassionately enamored
وهامَ قلبي بما يَحْويهِ مُنشغِفاً
حتىeven بماwith what فيهِin it منof تُرْبٍdust ومنand of حَجَرِstone
حتى بما فيهِ من تُرْبٍ ومن حَجَرِ
And my heart was passionately enamored of all it holds,
And my heart wandered, enamored with all it contained,
even of the dust and stones within it.
Even the dirt and stones within it.
أستقبِلُI welcome الرِّيحَthe wind منfrom واديهِits valley مُعتنِقاًembracing
أستقبِلُ الرِّيحَ من واديهِ مُعتنِقاً
كأنَّهاas though it were ليof mine صَديقٌa friend جاءَcame منfrom سَفَرِa journey
كأنَّها لي صَديقٌ جاءَ من سَفَرِ
I welcome the wind from its valley with an embrace,
I welcome the breeze from its valley, embracing it,
as though it were a friend of mine come from a journey.
As if it were a friend come to me from a journey.
ويُؤْنِسُand gladdens البرقُlightning عينيmy eye إذْwhen يَلوحُit gleams لهاfor it
ويُؤْنِسُ البرقُ عيني إذْ يَلوحُ لها
منَfrom الكثيبِthe sand dune فتجنيso it reaps لَذَّةَthe delight النَّظَرِof gazing
منَ الكثيبِ فتجني لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ
And lightning gladdens my eye when it gleams before it
And lightning delights my eyes when it flashes for them
from the sand dune, so it reaps the delight of gazing.
From the sand dune, bestowing the pleasure of sight.
ياoh حَبَّذاhow lovely أرضُthe land عُسفانَʿUsfan التيwhich شَرَقَتْshone
يا حَبَّذا أرضُ عُسفانَ التي شَرَقَتْ
بالبيضِwith the fair ones والسُّمْرِand the dusky ones بينَamid البيضِthe white ones والسُّمُرِand the brown ones
بالبيضِ والسُّمْرِ بينَ البيضِ والسُّمُرِ
Oh, how lovely the land of ʿUsfan, which shone
Blessed is the land of Usfan that shone
with the fair and the dusky, amid the white and the brown.
With white and brown sands between the white and brown.
وحَبَّذاand how lovely القُبَّةُthe dome الزَّرقاءُblue منof فَلَكٍthe celestial sphere
وحَبَّذا القُبَّةُ الزَّرقاءُ من فَلَكٍ
فإنَّهاfor it اشتَمَلَتْenclosed ليلاًat night علىaround القَمَرِthe moon
فإنَّها اشتَمَلَتْ ليلاً على القَمَرِ
And how lovely the blue dome of the heavens,
And blessed is the blue dome of the sky’s sphere
for at night it enclosed the moon:
For it covered the moon at night.
رَبيبةٌa cherished maiden فيin بُرُودِstriped cloaks البَدْوِthe Bedouins طالعةٌrising
رَبيبةٌ في بُرُودِ البَدْوِ طالعةٌ
تُغنِيdispense مَحاسِنُهاher charms عنwith زِينةِthe adornment الحَضَرِof townsfolk
تُغنِي مَحاسِنُها عن زِينةِ الحَضَرِ
a cherished maiden, rising in Bedouin cloaks,
A lovely girl in the cool of the desert appears
whose charms have no need of city finery.
Whose beauty makes finery seem vulgar.
تَرنُوshe gazes بطَرْفٍwith a look غَضيضِlowered الجَفْنِeyelid مُنكسرٍdowncast
تَرنُو بطَرْفٍ غَضيضِ الجَفْنِ مُنكسرٍ
فلاso not نَراهاwe see her بقلبٍwith a heart غيرِnot مُنكسِرِbroken
فلا نَراها بقلبٍ غيرِ مُنكسِرِ
She gazes with a downcast look, her eyelids lowered,
She glances with a tender, downcast lid
so we never see her with a heart unbroken.
So we cannot see her with an unbroken heart.
بِتناwe spent the night علىin خَطَرٍperil منfrom سُخطِهاher anger ولَقدand indeed
بِتنا على خَطَرٍ من سُخطِها ولَقد
تأتيcomes السَلامةُsafety أحياناًsometimes منَfrom الخَطَرِperil
تأتي السَلامةُ أحياناً منَ الخَطَرِ
We spent the night in peril from her anger; yet indeed,
We are at the brink of her wrath, though safety
safety sometimes comes from peril.
Can sometimes come from danger.
إذاwhen تَكَدَّرَbecame turbid ماءُthe water النِّيلِof the Nile مُضطرِباًin turmoil
إذا تَكَدَّرَ ماءُ النِّيلِ مُضطرِباً
فإنَّthen indeed صفوَwell-being الوَرَىof mankind فيin ذلكَthat الكَدَرِturbidity
فإنَّ صفوَ الوَرَى في ذلكَ الكَدَرِ
When the Nile's water turns turbid in its turmoil,
When the Nile water grows turbid and disturbed,
then mankind's well-being lies in that turbidity.
The most wholesome things are found in that murk.
وفيand in زِيارةِa visit مِصرٍEgypt لوif ظَفِرتُI succeeded بهاwith it
وفي زِيارةِ مِصرٍ لو ظَفِرتُ بها
مَشَقَّةٌhardship تُعقِبُcauses to be followed الأتعابَtoil بالظَفَرِby success
مَشَقَّةٌ تُعقِبُ الأتعابَ بالظَفَرِ
And in a visit to Egypt, if I could attain it,
And visiting Egypt, if I gained it,
lies hardship that rewards toil with success.
Would mean effort followed by triumph’s reward.
مَنwho ليfor me بِزَورةِwith a visit هاتيكَthose الدِّيارِabodes لكيso that
مَن لي بِزَورةِ هاتيكَ الدِّيارِ لكي
أقضِيI may discharge الحُقوقَthe duties التيwhich يُقضَىis fulfilled بهاthrough them وَطَريmy desire
أقضِي الحُقوقَ التي يُقضَى بها وَطَري
Who will grant me a visit to those abodes, so that
Who will grant me the chance to visit those lands
I may discharge the duties through which my desire is fulfilled?
So I can fulfill the rights that are granted and owed?
مَوَدَّةٌaffection بَينناbetween us بالأمسِyesterday قدindeed غُرِسَتwas planted
مَوَدَّةٌ بَيننا بالأمسِ قد غُرِسَت
واليومَand today طالَبتُI demanded ذاكَthat الغَرْسَplanting بالثَّمَرِfor fruit
واليومَ طالَبتُ ذاكَ الغَرْسَ بالثَّمَرِ
Affection between us was planted yesterday,
Affection between us was planted in the past,
and today I have demanded fruit from that planting.
And today I have asked that planting for fruit.
عليَّupon me حَقٌّan obligation لمنto one who يُغضِيturns a blind eye بمنَّتِهِin his generosity
عليَّ حَقٌّ لمن يُغضِي بمنَّتِهِ
عنto القُصُورِshortcomings ويعفوand pardons عَفْوَwith the pardon of مُقْتَدِرِone with power
عن القُصُورِ ويعفو عَفْوَ مُقْتَدِرِ
I owe a duty to one who, in his generosity, overlooks
I have a right to one whose favor overlooks
shortcomings, and grants the pardon of one who has power.
Shortcomings, pardoning with a mighty pardon.
الطَّاهرُpure القلبِof heart لاno عيبٌfault يُدنِّسُهُdefiles him
الطَّاهرُ القلبِ لا عيبٌ يُدنِّسُهُ
والرَّاشدُand upright السَّعَيِin striving عِندَbefore اللهِGod والبَشَرِand humankind
والرَّاشدُ السَّعَيِ عِندَ اللهِ والبَشَرِ
Pure of heart, with no fault to defile him,
The pure of heart, no blemish can stain,
and upright in his striving before God and humankind.
And the rightly-guided is near God and man.
إذاif استطاعتْcould inflict يداهُhis two hands فيamong الوَرَىhumankind ضَرَراًharm
إذا استطاعتْ يداهُ في الوَرَى ضَرَراً
فإنَّthen indeed فيin قلبهhis heart عَجْزاًincapacity عنِfor الضَّرَرِharm
فإنَّ في قلبه عَجْزاً عنِ الضَّرَرِ
If his hands have the power to harm mankind,
If his hands in the world can cause harm,
then his heart is powerless to do harm.
Then in his heart is incapacity for harm.
وحَيثُand whereas لاnot يَتَّقِيhe takes precautions فيamong النَّاسِpeople منout of حَذَرٍfear
وحَيثُ لا يَتَّقِي في النَّاسِ من حَذَرٍ
يكونُhe is منof رَبِّهِhis Lord فيin غايةِthe utmost الحَذَرِcaution
يكونُ من رَبِّهِ في غايةِ الحَذَرِ
And whereas he takes no precautions out of fear among people,
And where one does not fear people cautiously,
toward his Lord he shows the utmost caution.
He will be in utmost caution of his Lord.
إنif كُنتُI had قَصَّرْتُfallen short فيin مَدحيmy praise لهُfor him سَلَفاًpreviously
إن كُنتُ قَصَّرْتُ في مَدحي لهُ سَلَفاً
فالقَطْرُfor raindrops يأتيcome قليلاًsparingly أوَّلَat the start of المَطَرِrain
فالقَطْرُ يأتي قليلاً أوَّلَ المَطَرِ
If I have fallen short in praising him before,
If I fell short praising him before,
for raindrops come sparingly at the start of rain.
The raindrops come little at first.
ورُبَّand many a مُختَصَرٍbrief utterance فيin اللَّفظِwording نَحسَبُهُwe consider it
ورُبَّ مُختَصَرٍ في اللَّفظِ نَحسَبُهُ
مُطوَّلاًlengthy فيin المعانيmeaning غيرَnot مُختصَرِbrief
مُطوَّلاً في المعاني غيرَ مُختصَرِ
And many a saying brief in wording we deem
And we may think a terse expression
lengthy in meaning, anything but brief.
To be prolonged in meaning, not abbreviated.
نالَattained الإمارةَthe emirate منone who لاقَتْwas suited بمَنصِبهِto his station
نالَ الإمارةَ من لاقَتْ بمَنصِبهِ
منfrom دولةٍa state نَقَدَتْهُscrutinized him نَقْدَwith the scrutiny of مُختبِرِan examiner
من دولةٍ نَقَدَتْهُ نَقْدَ مُختبِرِ
The emirate was won by one whose station it befitted,
He attained emirship when his position
from a state that scrutinized him as an examiner would.
Was assayed by a state and deemed worthy.
قدindeed أعطَتِit gave القوسَthe bow باريهاits carver علىwith ثِقَةٍconfidence
قد أعطَتِ القوسَ باريها على ثِقَةٍ
لكنَّهاbut it غيرُnot ذاتِpossessing السَّهمِthe arrow والوتَرِand the bowstring
لكنَّها غيرُ ذاتِ السَّهمِ والوتَرِ
It confidently gave the bow to its carver,
The bow gave its arrows in confidence,
but not the kind with arrow and bowstring.
Though they were not of arrow and bowstring.
قُلْsay للكريمِto the generous man الذيwho سادَsurpassed الكِرامَthe generous لَقْدindeed
قُلْ للكريمِ الذي سادَ الكِرامَ لَقْد
أسرَفْتَyou were excessive إذsince لمdid not تَدَعْleave فخراًglory لمُفتخِرِfor one who boasts
أسرَفْتَ إذ لم تَدَعْ فخراً لمُفتخِرِ
Tell the generous man who surpassed the generous: indeed,
Say to the generous one who surpassed the generous:
you have gone too far, since you left no glory for any boaster.
“You went too far when you left no boast for the boaster.”
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تَرقَىascending إلىuntil أنْthat نِلتَyou attained منزِلةًa station
ما زِلتَ تَرقَى إلى أنْ نِلتَ منزِلةً
تُعَدُّis reckoned منamong طَبَقاتِthe ranks الأنجُمof the stars الزُّهِرِradiant
تُعَدُّ من طَبَقاتِ الأنجُم الزُّهِرِ
You never ceased ascending until you attained a station
You continued to rise until you attained a rank
reckoned among the ranks of the radiant stars.
Considered to be among the spheres of brilliant stars.
ياO عُمدةَpillar الدَولةِof the state العُظمَىthe great التِّيwhich بعَثَتْsent
يا عُمدةَ الدَولةِ العُظمَى التِّي بعَثَتْ
إلىto المشارقِthe eastern lands منهاfrom its midst كوكبَa star السَّحَرِof dawn
إلى المشارقِ منها كوكبَ السَّحَرِ
O pillar of the great state that sent
O pillar of the supreme state which sent
to the eastern lands a morning star from its midst,
The star of magic rising in the east.
قدindeed ناظرَتْكَhave matched you علىby قَصدٍdesign مراتِبَهاits ranks
قد ناظرَتْكَ على قَصدٍ مراتِبَها
فهُنَّso they يَكبُرْنَgrow greater مَهْماwhenever ازدَدْتَyou increase فيin الكِبَرِgreatness
فهُنَّ يَكبُرْنَ مَهْما ازدَدْتَ في الكِبَرِ
its ranks have matched you by design,
It sized you up with intent for its ranks,
so they grow greater whenever your greatness grows.
For they grow greater as you grow in greatness.
هذِهْthis هيَit is الدَولةُthe state الغَرَّاءُillustrious نَنظُرُهاwe behold it
هذِهْ هيَ الدَولةُ الغَرَّاءُ نَنظُرُها
ماnot طالwas lengthy تأريخُهاits chronogram جاءَتكَit has come to you بالغُرَرِwith shining honors
ما طال تأريخُها جاءَتكَ بالغُرَرِ
This is the illustrious state we behold;
This is the splendid state we look to—
its chronogram is brief: 'It has come to you with shining honors.'
However long its history, it brought you jewels.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.