يُناديhe calls out مَنِwho الساريthe night-traveler إِلَيَّto me وَمُزعِجيand one disturbing me
يُنادي مَنِ الساري إِلَيَّ وَمُزعِجي
فَقُلتُso I said جَوادٌa generous man ذوpossessing مَحَلٍّrank وَسُؤدَدِand nobility
فَقُلتُ جَوادٌ ذو مَحَلٍّ وَسُؤدَدِ
He calls out, ‘Who comes to me by night and disturbs me?’
The one who calls me from the yard disturbs me
I said, ‘A generous man of rank and nobility,
So I said, a generous horse of pure breed
حُسامٌa keen sword عَلىagainst الأَعداءِthe enemies ماضٍsharp غِرارُهُits edge
حُسامٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ ماضٍ غِرارُهُ
وَمَلكٌand an angel لَدىwith ذيone possessing خُلَّةِfriendship المُتَوَدِّدِthe affectionate one
وَمَلكٌ لَدى ذي خُلَّةِ المُتَوَدِّدِ
A sword whose edge is keen against enemies,
A sword over enemies going to and fro
And an angel to an affectionate friend.
And a king with a frowning face ever indignant
أَتَيتُكَI came to you أَطويI fold up الأَرضِthe earth شَرقاًeastward وَمَغرباًand westward
أَتَيتُكَ أَطوي الأَرضِ شَرقاً وَمَغرباً
عَلىon ضامِرِlean الأَحشاءِthe belly كَالبَرقِlike lightning أَجرَدِsleek-coated
عَلى ضامِرِ الأَحشاءِ كَالبَرقِ أَجرَدِ
I came to you, folding up the earth, east and west,
I came to you traversing the earth far and wide
On a lean-bellied, sleek steed like lightning.’
Like lightning on a skinny horse I dashed and glided
فَقالَso he said وَماand what تَبغيyou seek فَقُلتُso I said مُدامَةٌwine
فَقالَ وَما تَبغي فَقُلتُ مُدامَةٌ
تُشَتِّتُscatters شَملَthe gathering الهَمِّsorrow عَنfrom كُلِّevery مُكمَدِgrief-stricken person
تُشَتِّتُ شَملَ الهَمِّ عَن كُلِّ مُكمَدِ
He said, ‘And what do you seek?’ I said, ‘Wine
So he said what do you want, I said cheerfulness
That scatters gathered sorrow from every grief-stricken soul.’
That would dispel the worries of every sullen squatter
فَقالَso he said نَعَمyes عِنديI have سُلافَةُchoicest wine كَرمَةٍa grapevine
فَقالَ نَعَم عِندي سُلافَةُ كَرمَةٍ
كَوَجنَةِlike the cheek of مَعشوقِbeloved الشَمائِلِthe character traits أَغيَدِsupple and graceful
كَوَجنَةِ مَعشوقِ الشَمائِلِ أَغيَدِ
He said, ‘Yes, I have a vine’s choicest wine,
He said yes I have a chalice of generosity
Like the cheek of one graceful and beloved for his ways.’
Like the cheeks of the beloved with perfect features
وَأَبرَزَهاand he brought it forth عَذراءَa virgin أَحلىsweeter مِنَthan المَنىwishes
وَأَبرَزَها عَذراءَ أَحلى مِنَ المَنى
كَشَمسِlike the sun of الضُحىmidmorning أَوor كَاللَظىlike flame المُتَوَقِّدِblazing
كَشَمسِ الضُحى أَو كَاللَظى المُتَوَقِّدِ
And he brought it forth, a virgin sweeter than desire,
And he brought forth a maiden fairer than wishes
Like the midmorning sun, or a blazing flame.
Like the rising sun or embers brightly kindled
إِذاwhen مُزِجَتit was mixed أَبدَتit revealed حَباباًbubbles كَأَنَّهُas though it were
إِذا مُزِجَت أَبدَت حَباباً كَأَنَّهُ
مِنَof الدَرِّpearls طَوقٌa necklace فيin غِلالَةِa sheer robe عَسجَدِgold
مِنَ الدَرِّ طَوقٌ في غِلالَةِ عَسجَدِ
When mixed, it revealed bubbles that seemed
When blended it showed bubbles as if they were
A necklace of pearls within a sheer robe of gold.
A necklace in a bowl of silver finely dappled
قَسِرتُunclear; apparently ‘I went’ بِهاwith it وَهيَand it الحَياةُlife لِرَوضَةٍto a garden
قَسِرتُ بِها وَهيَ الحَياةُ لِرَوضَةٍ
تَروحُcome at evening عَلَيهاover it الغادِياتِthe morning rain clouds وَتَغتَديand come at dawn
تَروحُ عَلَيها الغادِياتِ وَتَغتَدي
[I went] with it—life itself—to a garden,
I took it in and it was life for a garden
Over which the morning rain clouds pass at dusk and dawn.
Where the promenaders walked enjoying its riches
كَأَنَّas though البَهارَthe yellow oxeye flowers الغَضَّtender فيهاin it مَداهِنٌointment bowls
كَأَنَّ البَهارَ الغَضَّ فيها مَداهِنٌ
مِنَof المتِبرِgold (uncertain form) صيغَتwere fashioned فيamong غُصونِboughs زَبَرجَدِemerald
مِنَ المتِبرِ صيغَت في غُصونِ زَبَرجَدِ
As though its tender yellow oxeye blooms were ointment bowls
As if the fresh spring in it were sweet perfumes
Fashioned from gold amid boughs of emerald.
Molded from chrysolite on branches of emerald
كَأَنَّas though اِنتِثارَthe scattering القَطرِthe raindrops وَالزَهرُand the flowers زاهِرٌblooming
كَأَنَّ اِنتِثارَ القَطرِ وَالزَهرُ زاهِرٌ
عَلىupon الوَردِthe roses دَمعٌtears فَوقَupon خَدٍّa cheek مُوَرِّدِrose-colored
عَلى الوَردِ دَمعٌ فَوقَ خَدٍّ مُوَرِّدِ
As though the scattered raindrops, while the flowers bloom,
As if the dripping drops and blooms were shedding
Upon the roses were tears upon a rosy cheek.
Tears of joy over rosy cheeks a-trickling
وَتُزهىand it glories بِمَنثورٍin stock-flowers يَلوحُgleaming كَجَوهَرٍlike jewels
وَتُزهى بِمَنثورٍ يَلوحُ كَجَوهَرٍ
عَلىupon نَمَطٍa carpet بَينَamong الرِياضِthe gardens مُبَدَّدِscattered
عَلى نَمَطٍ بَينَ الرِياضِ مُبَدَّدِ
And it glories in stock-flowers gleaming like jewels
Adorned it is with a scatter that shines like gems
Scattered upon a carpet amid the gardens.
Spread over the meadows strewn far and wide
وَأَطيارُهاand its birds تُغنىsatisfy النَديمَthe drinking companion إِذاwhen شَدَتthey sing
وَأَطيارُها تُغنى النَديمَ إِذا شَدَت
عَلىamong الأَيكِthe trees عَنin place of شَدوِthe singing of الغَريضِal-Gharid وَمَعبَدِand Ma’bad
عَلى الأَيكِ عَن شَدوِ الغَريضِ وَمَعبَدِ
And its birds, when they sing, satisfy the drinking companion
And its birds sing to entertain the boon companion
Among the trees, in place of al-Gharid’s and Ma’bad’s singing.
Of the melody of lute and flute so well guided
وَنَرجِسُهاand its narcissus بَينَamong الشِقائِقِthe anemones شاخِصٌstaring
وَنَرجِسُها بَينَ الشِقائِقِ شاخِصٌ
يُرَدِّدُrepeats لَحظَthe gaze of المُستَهامِthe lovesick one المُسَهَّدِthe sleepless one
يُرَدِّدُ لَحظَ المُستَهامِ المُسَهَّدِ
And its narcissus stares among the anemones,
Its narcissi amid the daisies rear their heads
Repeating the gaze of the lovesick, sleepless one.
Reflecting the gaze of the enamored mild
فَماso not زِلتُI ceased بِالإِبريقِwith the ewer أَقبِضُI capture روحَهاits spirit
فَما زِلتُ بِالإِبريقِ أَقبِضُ روحَها
مِنَfrom الدَنِّthe wine jar ماwhat lies بَينَbetween الرُبىthe hills بِتَمَرُّدِin defiance
مِنَ الدَنِّ ما بَينَ الرُبى بِتَمَرُّدِ
So I kept capturing its spirit with the ewer
So I kept drawing its life with the ewer
From the wine jar, amid the hills, in defiance,
From the lowly world mid the hills in revolt
وَأَشرَبُهاand I drink it حَتّىuntil اِنثَنَيتُI sank back مُجَدَّلاًthrown to the ground
وَأَشرَبُها حَتّى اِنثَنَيتُ مُجَدَّلاً
صَريعاًstruck down عَلىto شَدوِthe singing of الحَمامِthe doves المُغَرِّدِwarbling
صَريعاً عَلى شَدوِ الحَمامِ المُغَرِّدِ
And drinking it until I slumped back, laid low,
And drank it until I swayed inebriated
Prostrate, to the song of the warbling doves.
Laid down intoxicated by the singing doves
أَناI ذاكَthat one أُعطيI give اللَهوَpleasure ماas long as عِشتُI live مِقوَديmy reins
أَنا ذاكَ أُعطي اللَهوَ ما عِشتُ مِقوَدي
وَأَعدَلُand I turn aside عَنfrom تَفنيدِthe censure of كُلِّevery مُفَنِّدِfaultfinder
وَأَعدَلُ عَن تَفنيدِ كُلِّ مُفَنِّدِ
I am that man: while I live, I give pleasure my reins,
I am the one who lives taking joy as my guide
And turn aside from every faultfinder’s censure.
And turns away from refuting each skeptic derided
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.