ياO أيُّهاyou الرائِدُthe scout ذُوpossessed of التَلَمُّسِsearching
يا أيُّها الرائِدُ ذُو التَلَمُّسِ
أَهْدِsend إِلَىto الذِئْبِيِّal-Dhiʾbi غَيْرِnot المُبْلِسِthe despairing
أَهْدِ إِلَى الذِئْبِيِّ غَيْرِ المُبْلِسِ
O scout, ever searching,
O you the wise leader
send to al-Dhiʾbi, who does not despair,
Guide to the voracious wolf your unmatched praise
مَدْحَكَyour praise يَكْشِفْhe will dispel عَنْكَfrom you بُؤْسmisery of الأَبْؤُسِthe dire miseries
مَدْحَكَ يَكْشِفْ عَنْكَ بُؤْس الأَبْؤُسِ
كَالغَيْثِlike rain فِيin جَوْنِdark القُدامَىthe foremost wing-feathers مُلْبِسِclothing
كَالغَيْثِ فِي جَوْنِ القُدامَى مُلْبِسِ
your praise; he will lift the worst misery from you.
That reveals your misery of miseries
Like rain in a dark-winged cloud, clothing
Like rain in the hearts of elders fully dressed
أَنْواءَهُits rain-star seasons بِالطَلْقِin good fortune لاnot بِالأَنْحُسِin ill fortune
أَنْواءَهُ بِالطَلْقِ لا بِالأَنْحُسِ
هاجَتْsurged لَهُfor it بَغْرَةُa fierce downpour نَجْمٍa star مِرْجَسِthunderous
هاجَتْ لَهُ بَغْرَةُ نَجْمٍ مِرْجَسِ
its rain-stars in good fortune, not ill luck,
Its meteors unleashed not constrained
a thunderous star's downpour surges for it.
For it a star of glory anchored
إِنَّindeed ابنَthe son of قَيْسٍQays عِنْدَat كُلِّevery مَحْبِسِimpasse
إِنَّ ابنَ قَيْسٍ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَحْبِسِ
طاوَعَobeyed نَفْساًa soul عِنْدَamid ضِنِّthe stinginess of الأَنْفُسِsouls
طاوَعَ نَفْساً عِنْدَ ضِنِّ الأَنْفُسِ
Indeed, Ibn Qays, at every impasse,
That the son of Qais is at every prison
obeyed a soul when other souls grew miserly,
Who obeys himself despite resentment
أَمَّارَةًever commanding بِالجُودِgenerosity لاnot بِالأَيْبَسِdry withholding
أَمَّارَةً بِالجُودِ لا بِالأَيْبَسِ
ذَلَّتyielded readily بِإِعْطاءِto giving الجَزِيلِthe lavish المُنْفِسِthe precious
ذَلَّت بِإِعْطاءِ الجَزِيلِ المُنْفِسِ
ever commanding generosity, not dry withholding,
Commanding in generosity not miserliness
readily yielding to lavish, precious giving
It humbles with abundant overflowing generosity
وَالغَرْفِand scooping مِنْfrom فَيْضِthe overflow of البِحارِthe seas القُمَّسِdeep
وَالغَرْفِ مِنْ فَيْضِ البِحارِ القُمَّسِ
ذَوَّدَdefended عَنْfrom عِرْضِthe honor of امْرِىءٍa man لَمْnot يَطْفَسِbecame vile
ذَوَّدَ عَنْ عِرْضِ امْرِىءٍ لَمْ يَطْفَسِ
and drawing from the overflow of deep seas.
And diving into oceans of streaming generosity
He shielded the honor of a man who was never vile;
It averted the honor of a man who did not sin
وَمَنْand whoever جَرَىfollowed مَجْرَاهُhis course لَمْnot يُدنَّسِis defiled
وَمَنْ جَرَى مَجْرَاهُ لَمْ يُدنَّسِ
سَهْلٌapproachable إِذَاwhen اغْبَرَّgrew dark وُجُوهُthe faces of العُبَّسٍthe scowling
سَهْلٌ إِذَا اغْبَرَّ وُجُوهُ العُبَّسٍ
and whoever follows his course is not defiled.
And who emulated him was not disgraced
Approachable when scowling faces grow dark,
Easy when the frowning faces dusty
أَبْلَجُbright-browed سَوّارٌfierce in onset طَوِيلُtall in المِقْيَسِstature
أَبْلَجُ سَوّارٌ طَوِيلُ المِقْيَسِ
هَوَّاسَةٌa prowler كَالأَسَدِlike the lion المُفَرِّسِprey-tearing
هَوَّاسَةٌ كَالأَسَدِ المُفَرِّسِ
bright-browed, fierce in onset, tall in stature,
Radiant bracelet long in measurement
a prowler like a prey-tearing lion.
Impetuous like the watching lion
يَعْلُوstrikes from above بِحَدِّwith the edge of السَيْفِthe sword مُوسَىthe razor of القَوْنَسِthe helmet crest
يَعْلُو بِحَدِّ السَيْفِ مُوسَى القَوْنَسِ
صَقْعاًwith crashing blows وَيُورِيand kindles sparks بِالطِعانِwith spear-thrusts المِدْعَسِdeep-piercing
صَقْعاً وَيُورِي بِالطِعانِ المِدْعَسِ
With his sword's edge he strikes the helmet's razor crest,
Rising with the sword of Musa the warrior
with crashing blows, and strikes sparks with deep spear-thrusts.
Headers and stabs with the sharpened spear
تَرَىyou see مَلاوِيحَthe scorching ordeals of الحُرُوبِthe wars الضُرَّسِtooth-gnashing
تَرَى مَلاوِيحَ الحُرُوبِ الضُرَّسِ
يُجْلِينَthey lay bare مِنْهُfrom him عَنfrom كَرِيمِnoble المَعْطِسِthe nose
يُجْلِينَ مِنْهُ عَن كَرِيمِ المَعْطِسِ
You see the scorching ordeals of tooth-gnashing wars
You see the glittering arches of armored horses
lay bare his noble nose.
Repelling from him the insects of the generous man
وَاعْلَمْand know بِأَنِّيthat I طامِعٌhopeful لَمnot أَبْأَسِhave despaired
وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنِّي طامِعٌ لَم أَبْأَسِ
أُهْدِيI send ثَنَائِيmy praise مِنْfrom بَعِيدِa distant المَحْدِسِplace of approach
أُهْدِي ثَنَائِي مِنْ بَعِيدِ المَحْدِسِ
And know that I am hopeful; I have not despaired.
And know that I am an ambitious man who did not despair
I send my praise from a far-off place.
I send my praise from afar
إِذَاwhen البَرِيدُthe courier الْتَاثَis delayed لَمْnot يُعَرِّسِhalts for night-rest
إِذَا البَرِيدُ الْتَاثَ لَمْ يُعَرِّسِ
طَوَالِعاًrising verses يَمْأَسُranges كُلَّevery مَمْأَسِcourse
طَوَالِعاً يَمْأَسُ كُلَّ مَمْأَسِ
When the courier is delayed, it does not halt for rest,
When the mail disrupted the gangs
as rising verses, ranging along every path.
Rising for every sorrowful person
أَعْنانُهَاtheir reaches يَبْقَيْنَendure بَعْدafter الأَحْرُسِlong ages
أَعْنانُهَا يَبْقَيْنَ بَعْد الأَحْرُسِ
قَدْonce كُنْتI used to أَرْمِيpress onward بِالجُلالon the huge camel الأَعْيَسِtawny-white
قَدْ كُنْت أَرْمِي بِالجُلال الأَعْيَسِ
Their reaches endure beyond long ages.
Their help lasting after the guards
I used to speed on a huge, tawny-white camel
I used to pelt the glorious inaccessible
بيداًdeserts كَصَحْراءlike an expanse of الأَدِيمthe hide الأَمْلَسِsmooth
بيداً كَصَحْراء الأَدِيم الأَمْلَسِ
وَالأَمُّand the guide يُهْدِيguides بِالنُجُومِby the stars الطُمَّسِdimmed
وَالأَمُّ يُهْدِي بِالنُجُومِ الطُمَّسِ
across deserts like expanses of smooth hide,
With a hand like the desert of outstretched skin
while the guide steered by dim stars,
And the mother sends stars that pierce
إِذْwhen لانَgrew limp أَعْناقُthe necks of الوَسَانَىthe sleepy النُعَّسِthe drowsy
إِذْ لانَ أَعْناقُ الوَسَانَى النُعَّسِ
وَماجَand surged إِرْجافُthe jolting of المَهَارَىthe Mahri camels الرُعَّسِhead-bobbing
وَماجَ إِرْجافُ المَهَارَى الرُعَّسِ
when the necks of drowsy sleepers drooped,
When the necks of vile cowards yield
and the jolting of head-bobbing Mahri camels surged,
And the shock of creeping cowards surge
بَوَّاعَةfar-reaching الأَيْدِيthe forelegs صِلابِhard الأَرْؤُسِthe heads
بَوَّاعَة الأَيْدِي صِلابِ الأَرْؤُسِ
وَكُلِّand every وَجْناءَstout-cheeked she-camel ضَمُوزٍsilent عِرْمِسِsturdy
وَكُلِّ وَجْناءَ ضَمُوزٍ عِرْمِسِ
long-reaching in foreleg, hard of head,
The generosity of rigid heads and tough arms
and on every stout-cheeked, silent, sturdy she-camel.
And every goat-like wrinkled and small
وَإِنْand even if حَبَاcrept رَمْلُsand الرُكامof piled dunes الأَدْهَسِdusky
وَإِنْ حَبَا رَمْلُ الرُكام الأَدْهَسِ
جُبْتُI traversed بِهَاon her جَوْبَcleaving الظَلامِthe darkness الحِنْدِسِpitch-black
جُبْتُ بِهَا جَوْبَ الظَلامِ الحِنْدِسِ
Even when the dusky sand of piled dunes crept,
As the sands love the mound of rubble
I crossed on her, cleaving the pitch-black darkness.
I came at it with the pace of pitch-dark blindness
دُونَكَhere, take مِنْfrom جِدِّيmy earnest effort عَلَىwith التَنَطُّسَmeticulous care
دُونَكَ مِنْ جِدِّي عَلَى التَنَطُّسَ
تَعْلُوrise عَلَىabove الإِقْواءِrhyme-discord وَالمُخَمَّسِand five-part verse
تَعْلُو عَلَى الإِقْواءِ وَالمُخَمَّسِ
Take this from my earnest labor, wrought with care:
Below you seriously I pace about
verses rising above faulty rhyme and five-part verse,
Rising above the incapable and pretend cripple
فُتْلاًtightly twisted كَإِمْرارِlike the tight twisting of المُمَرِّa tightly wound cord الأَمْلَسِsmooth
فُتْلاً كَإِمْرارِ المُمَرِّ الأَمْلَسِ
يُجْهَلُis unknown أَوْor يُعْرَفُis known مِنْهَاfrom them المُحْتَسِيthe one who sips
يُجْهَلُ أَوْ يُعْرَفُ مِنْهَا المُحْتَسِي
twisted tight like a smooth, tightly wound cord.
An eruption like the passing of smooth flow
The one who sips from them is unknown or known,
Whose man is ignorantly known or not
فِيin غَيْرِabsence of لاno بَغْيٍwrongdoing وَلاand no تَفَجُّسِarrogant boasting
فِي غَيْرِ لا بَغْيٍ وَلا تَفَجُّسِ
يَرْجُوكَhope in you أَقْوَامٌpeoples بِبَيْتِat the House of المَقْدِسِHoliness
يَرْجُوكَ أَقْوَامٌ بِبَيْتِ المَقْدِسِ
without injustice or arrogant boasting.
Without malice or prying
People in Bayt al-Maqdis place their hopes in you,
People hope through you the sacred house
وَمَنْand whoever رَأَىsaw وَجْهَكَyour face لَمْnot يُنَكِّسِlowers his head
وَمَنْ رَأَى وَجْهَكَ لَمْ يُنَكِّسِ
إِنْif خَبَّscurries شَيْطانُthe devil of امْرِىءٍa man مُوَسْوَسِbeset by whispers
إِنْ خَبَّ شَيْطانُ امْرِىءٍ مُوَسْوَسِ
and whoever sees your face does not hang his head.
And whoever saw your face did not frown
If the devil of a whisper-haunted man scurries,
If the devil of a whispering man is defeated
أَبْدَيْتَyou displayed لِينَthe gentleness of الآنِسِthe friendly المُسْتَأْنِسِthe companionable
أَبْدَيْتَ لِينَ الآنِسِ المُسْتَأْنِسِ
وَفِيكَand in you أَحْياناًsometimes شِماسُrestiveness الشُمَّسِthe unbroken steeds
وَفِيكَ أَحْياناً شِماسُ الشُمَّسِ
you show the gentleness of one friendly and companionable.
You showed me gentle intimacy
Yet at times you have the restiveness of unbroken steeds,
In you sometimes the sun’s ray at noon
عِنْدَwhen مِراسِgrappling with الشَرِّevil ذِيpossessing التَمَرُّسِpersistence
عِنْدَ مِراسِ الشَرِّ ذِي التَمَرُّسِ
يَقْتُلُhe kills بِالنِفْطِwith naphtha ذَبابَthe flies of الدُرَّسِmangy camels
يَقْتُلُ بِالنِفْطِ ذَبابَ الدُرَّسِ
when grappling with stubborn evil.
Against the platforms of creeping evil
He kills with naphtha the flies on mangy camels.
That kills flies of armored horses with venom
ياO قائِدَleader of الجَيْشِthe army وَزَيْنَand adornment of المَجْلِسِthe council
يا قائِدَ الجَيْشِ وَزَيْنَ المَجْلِسِ
أُسْنِيgive me richly فَقَدْfor indeed قَلَّتhave grown scarce رِفادُthe gifts of الأُوَّسِthe givers
أُسْنِي فَقَدْ قَلَّت رِفادُ الأُوَّسِ
O leader of the army and ornament of the council,
O leader of army and beauty of council
give me richly: gifts from givers have grown scarce.
Equip me as the chiefs' help has dwindled
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.