خَليليَّmy two friends أَلّاwill you not عُجتُماyou two turn aside بالقلائصwith the young she-camels
خَليليَّ أَلّا عُجتُما بالقلائص
علىtoward حائرٍa bewildered man فيin عَرْصَةِthe courtyard of الدَّارthe dwelling شاخِصِstaring fixedly
على حائرٍ في عَرْصَةِ الدَّار شاخِصِ
My two friends, will you not turn aside with the young she-camels
My beloveds! Do not be surprised at the bags
toward a bewildered man, staring in the dwelling's courtyard?
Of one perplexed in the courtyard of the house looking up
يُخالُhe is thought ورسمُwhile the trace of الحيِّthe encampment يُخرِسُsilences نُطقَهُhis speech
يُخالُ ورسمُ الحيِّ يُخرِسُ نُطقَهُ
أخاa brother to ميتَةٍdeath لولاwere it not for اِرتعادthe trembling of الفرائصِthe flank-muscles
أخا ميتَةٍ لولا اِرتعاد الفرائصِ
He seems—while the camp's traces silence his speech—
He seems a lifeless form, dumbfounded,
a brother to death, but for the trembling of his flanks.
Like a dead man were it not for the shuddering of the eyelids
وَلمّاand when تولّوْاthey departed يَحمِلونcarrying قُلوبناour hearts
وَلمّا تولّوْا يَحمِلون قُلوبنا
عَلىupon راتِكاتٍswift-pacing she-camels بالحُدوجwith the litters رواقِصِdancing
عَلى راتِكاتٍ بالحُدوج رواقِصِ
When they departed, carrying our hearts
And when they turned away, bearing our hearts
on swift-pacing she-camels dancing with their litters,
On litters, with the mourning-women keening,
ظَلَلْناwe remained بذيat Dhu الأَرْطىal-Arta كأنّas though عيونناour eyes
ظَلَلْنا بذي الأَرْطى كأنّ عيوننا
مَزادٌwaterskins أضَلَّتْهنّhad overlooked them راحةُthe palm of عَافِصِone sealing them
مَزادٌ أضَلَّتْهنّ راحةُ عَافِصِ
we remained at Dhu al-Arta, as though our eyes
We remained in the house of the Bereaved, our eyes
were waterskins the sealing hand had overlooked.
As though they were a caravan which the departure of the tribes had misled.
نُقاسِمُهمwe share with them شَطرَhalf of العيونthe eyes فَماso not تَرىyou see
نُقاسِمُهم شَطرَ العيون فَما تَرى
مِنَamong القومِthe company إلّاexcept ناظراًone gazing بتَخاوصِwith narrowed eyes
مِنَ القومِ إلّا ناظراً بتَخاوصِ
We share with them half our eyes; you see
When we share out the eyes between us, you see
none among the company but gazing with narrowed eyes.
None of the people except looks askance.
وَنَلثمُand we kiss فيin رَبْعِthe campsite of الذّينthose who تحمّلواdeparted
وَنَلثمُ في رَبْعِ الذّين تحمّلوا
منfrom التُّربِthe dust آثارtraces of الخُطاfootsteps والأخامصِand arched soles
من التُّربِ آثار الخُطا والأخامصِ
In the campsite of those who departed, we kiss
And we kiss in the dust those who bore
the dusty traces of footsteps and arched soles.
From the earth traces of the tattoos and amulets.
بنفسيmy life as ransom وإنْand even though لمnot أرضَI am content with نفسيmy life أوانِسٌlovely women
بنفسي وإنْ لم أرضَ نفسي أوانِسٌ
يُفَتِّلْنَthey twist فيin جُنْحٍnight's darkness عقودَthe knots of العَقائِصِthe braids
يُفَتِّلْنَ في جُنْحٍ عقودَ العَقائِصِ
My life for those lovely women—though I deem my life unworthy—
I console myself, though I do not please myself, with intimate friends
who twist the knots of their braids in the darkness.
Who unfold the knotted necklaces of chastity,
عَفائِفُchaste women يَكتُمنَthey conceal المَحاسنَthe charms كلّهاall of them
عَفائِفُ يَكتُمنَ المَحاسنَ كلّها
وَيَنظرنَand they look وَهْناًlate at night منthrough عيونthe eyeholes of الوصاوصِthe face-veils
وَيَنظرنَ وَهْناً من عيون الوصاوصِ
Chaste women who conceal all their charms,
Young women who conceal all the fair charms
and peer late at night through their veils' eyeholes.
And glance, behaving weakly, from languid eyes,
فراقٌa parting لَناfor us لَمnot يَدْعُهُsummoned it نَعْقُthe cawing of ناعقٍa cawing bird
فراقٌ لَنا لَم يَدْعُهُ نَعْقُ ناعقٍ
ومنُصدَعٌand a rift لمnot يَجْنِهِcaused it قبصُthe pinch of قابِصِone pinching
ومنُصدَعٌ لم يَجْنِهِ قبصُ قابِصِ
Ours is a parting no cawing bird summoned,
An estrangement which no plaint of a complainer leaves alone
and a rift no pinching hand brought about.
And a devotion which no rending of a rending woman rends,
وَمنand who ذاthis one الّذيwho تَبقىendures علىthrough الهجرِestrangement والنّوىand distance
وَمن ذا الّذي تَبقى على الهجرِ والنّوى
مودّتُهُhis affection غيرُother than المحبِّthe lover المخالصِthe sincerely devoted one
مودّتُهُ غيرُ المحبِّ المخالصِ
Whose love endures estrangement and distance,
And who is he whom his steadfastness on estrangement and passion
save that of the sincerely devoted lover?
Leaves with a devotion other than that of the sincere lover?
وَزارٍand many a detractor عَلىof مَجْدِيmy glory وَلَمand not أَرَI have seen زارياًa detractor
وَزارٍ عَلى مَجْدِي وَلَم أَرَ زارياً
عَلىof الفَضلِexcellence إِلّاexcept مُثقَلاًburdened بالمناقِصِwith shortcomings
عَلى الفَضلِ إِلّا مُثقَلاً بالمناقِصِ
Many a man disparages my glory; yet I have seen no detractor
And a visitor to my glory, though I have not seen a visit
of excellence who was not burdened with shortcomings.
To merit except one laden with secret envy,
أَلاtake heed لاdo not تُفاحِصْنِيchallenge me فتعلمَlest you learn أيُّنَاwhich of us
أَلا لا تُفاحِصْنِي فتعلمَ أيُّنَا
يروحgoes at evening ويغدوand goes at morning خازياًdisgraced بالمفاحِصِin the trials
يروح ويغدو خازياً بالمفاحِصِ
Beware: do not challenge me, lest you learn which of us
Do not examine me closely, then, till you learn which of us
goes forth at dusk and dawn disgraced by the trials.
Fares forth at morning and returns at evening downcast.
وَكيفَand how تسامينيdo you rival me in loftiness وظلُّكwhile your shadow قالصٌis shrinking
وَكيفَ تساميني وظلُّك قالصٌ
وظلِّيwhile my shadow علىover سُوحِthe courts of العُلاgreatness غيرُnot قالصِshrinking
وظلِّي على سُوحِ العُلا غيرُ قالصِ
How can you rival me in loftiness when your shadow shrinks,
How do you aspire above me when your shade is thin
while mine, over the courts of greatness, does not shrink?
While my shade upon the mountain-tops is never-fading?
وَأنتَand you حَريصٌeager أَنthat يقاَلit be said مؤمِّلٌan aspirant
وَأنتَ حَريصٌ أَن يقاَل مؤمِّلٌ
وَإنّيand indeed I عَلىfor كسبِgaining العُلاgreatness غيرُnot حارِصِeager
وَإنّي عَلى كسبِ العُلا غيرُ حارِصِ
You are eager to be called an aspirant,
And you are eager that it should be said, "He hopes,"
while I feel no eagerness to acquire greatness.
While I, for the attainment of the heights, am not striving.
وَأَبنِيand I build أهاضيبَtowering heights of المكارمnoble deeds والنّدىand generosity
وَأَبنِي أهاضيبَ المكارم والنّدى
وأَنتَwhile you مُعَنّىًare wearied باِبتناءِwith building القَرامِصِdugout shelters
وأَنتَ مُعَنّىً باِبتناءِ القَرامِصِ
I build towering heights of noble deeds and generosity,
And I rear the structures of bounty and sweet flowing love,
while you are wearied with building dugout shelters.
While you are busied in raising up the stunted date-palm.
بنيO sons of عمّناour uncle كمhow often نَكْظِمُwe suppress الغيظَanger منكُمُat you
بني عمّنا كم نَكْظِمُ الغيظَ منكُمُ
علىover لاذعاتٍburning barbs بينناbetween us وقوارِصِand stinging taunts
على لاذعاتٍ بيننا وقوارِصِ
Sons of our uncle, how often we suppress our anger at you
O sons of my uncle! How much rancour do we conceal from you,
over the burning barbs and stinging taunts between us.
On account of the sharp words between us and biting discourse!
وَدِدْتُمْyou wished بأنّthat المجدَglory أصبحَhad become شارداًa stray
وَدِدْتُمْ بأنّ المجدَ أصبحَ شارداً
وَليسَand there is no لَناfor us فيهof it اِقتِناصٌcapture لقانِصِfor a hunter
وَليسَ لَنا فيه اِقتِناصٌ لقانِصِ
You wished that glory had become a stray,
And you wished that glory had become cast down
with no hunter among us able to capture it.
And that for us cutting it off there was no harvest-reaper.
وَماذاand what عليكمْis it to you مَنْwhoever عَلاrises above رَتَباتكمْyour ranks
وَماذا عليكمْ مَنْ عَلا رَتَباتكمْ
ولمand not تَبْتَنوهاyou built them فيon أجلِّthe noblest of المراهِصِfoundations
ولم تَبْتَنوها في أجلِّ المراهِصِ
What harm is it to you if someone rises above your ranks,
Why is it your concern if others have attained a rank above you
when you did not build them on the noblest foundations?
When you did not build it up through the complete term of life?
وَتَطوونَand you fold away منّاof us ماwhat قضىdecreed اللَّهُGod نَشرَهُits spreading abroad
وَتَطوونَ منّا ما قضى اللَّهُ نَشرَهُ
وماand not ضرّhas harmed ضوءَthe light of الصُّبحِdawn إنكارُthe denial of غامِصِa detractor
وما ضرّ ضوءَ الصُّبحِ إنكارُ غامِصِ
You fold away what God decreed should be spread abroad concerning us;
And you spurn aside from us what God has unfolded
yet no detractor's denial has harmed the light of dawn.
As though the outshining of dawn were disapproved by the blind.
وَقلتُمand you said بأنَّthat النَّجْرَthe stock والسِّنْخَand the root واحدٌare one
وَقلتُم بأنَّ النَّجْرَ والسِّنْخَ واحدٌ
فَماذاso what وَقَدwhen indeed فُتْناكُمُwe have surpassed you بالخصائِصِin distinctive virtues
فَماذا وَقَد فُتْناكُمُ بالخصائِصِ
You said that our stock and our root are one;
And you said that palm leaves and rushes are the same−
so what, when we have surpassed you in distinctive virtues?
What then when we tried you by the distinguishing properties!
تَعالَوْاcome نعدُّlet us count الفخرَgrounds for pride منّاamong us ومنكُمُand among you
تَعالَوْا نعدُّ الفخرَ منّا ومنكُمُ
لِننظرso we may see أَوْلاناwhich of us is more deserving برجعof the return of النّقائِصِshortcomings
لِننظر أَوْلانا برجع النّقائِصِ
Come, let us count the grounds for pride on our side and yours,
Come let us enumerate glory as between us and you
to see which of us most deserves reproaches in return.
To see which of us surpasses with all the attributes taken away.
فَماfor there is no لكُمُfor you مَجدٌglory سِوىexcept مالِthe wealth of باخلٍa miser
فَما لكُمُ مَجدٌ سِوى مالِ باخلٍ
وَلاand no فيكُمُamong you مَدحٌpraise سِوىexcept قولِthe words of خارِصِa liar
وَلا فيكُمُ مَدحٌ سِوى قولِ خارِصِ
You have no glory but a miser's wealth,
You possess no glory but the wealth of a carrier of faggots
and no praise among you but a liar's words.
And there is no praise of you but only from a cheating pleader,
وَماand not أَنتُمُyou بخلُstingy البطونِof belly لزادكمْwith your own provisions
وَما أَنتُمُ بخلُ البطونِ لزادكمْ
وَلكِنْbut لأزوادِwith provisions for البطونِbellies الخمائِصِpinched by hunger
وَلكِنْ لأزوادِ البطونِ الخمائِصِ
You are not stingy with provisions for your own bellies,
You are not the penetration of the interiors by your provisions
but with provisions for bellies pinched by hunger.
But penetrate the interiors of provisions by your greedy bellies:
بَنِيO sons of عمّناour uncle كَمhow often تسرحونyou roam to pasture بِهامكمْwith your heads
بَنِي عمّنا كَم تسرحون بِهامكمْ
بعَقْوَةِin the precinct of مفتولِsinewy of الذّراعforelimb قُصاقِصِa mighty lion
بعَقْوَةِ مفتولِ الذّراع قُصاقِصِ
Sons of our uncle, how often you send your heads to pasture
O sons of my uncle! How proudly your minds range at large
in the haunt of a sinewy-limbed, mighty lion!
With the power of the outstretched arm, brachia like palm-fronds
وَكَمand how often تَحملوناyou make us mount كلَّevery يومٍday وليلةٍand night
وَكَم تَحملونا كلَّ يومٍ وليلةٍ
علىupon ظَهرِthe back of جمّاحٍa headstrong steed منof الشّرِّevil قامِصِbucking
على ظَهرِ جمّاحٍ من الشّرِّ قامِصِ
How often, every day and night, you make us mount
And how every day and night you load us
the back of a headstrong, bucking steed of evil.
Upon the back of a stallion suffering from mange
يُعَنُّit is reined فَيجريthen it runs مِلْءَthe full extent of كلall فروجِهِits strides
يُعَنُّ فَيجري مِلْءَ كل فروجِهِ
وَيُتلىand is followed غداةَon the morning of الجَريِthe run منهfrom it بناكِصِby one recoiling
وَيُتلى غداةَ الجَريِ منه بناكِصِ
It is reined, then races at the full stretch of every stride,
Who chafes till he flows from every orifice
and on its morning run is followed by one recoiling from it.
And is recited at dawn with ejaculations omitted.
أَفيis it within الحقّjustice أنْthat نمشيwe tread الضّراءَthe thickets وأنتُمُwhile you
أَفي الحقّ أنْ نمشي الضّراءَ وأنتُمُ
تدِبّونyou creep مِنfrom خَلْفِيbehind me دَبيبَwith the crawling of الدَّعامِصِwater-grubs
تدِبّون مِن خَلْفِي دَبيبَ الدَّعامِصِ
Is it right that we tread the thickets, while you
Is it right that we should walk in misery while you
creep behind me like water-grubs?
Step with the tread of a blood-swollen parasite?
وَنرضىand we accept بِدونless than النّصْفِfair dealing منكمْfrom you وأنتُمُwhile you
وَنرضى بِدون النّصْفِ منكمْ وأنتُمُ
تُلِطّونyou withhold what is owed إلطاطَlike the withholding of الغريمِthe debtor المُلاوِصِthe evasive one
تُلِطّون إلطاطَ الغريمِ المُلاوِصِ
And that we accept less than fair dealing from you, while you
And (that) we should consent to less than half from you
withhold our due like an evasive debtor?
While you pile up the confusion of the deceiver?
وَلَمand not تَعطِسواyou would have sneezed لَولاىَwere it not for me إلّاexcept بِأجدَعٍwith a mutilated nose
وَلَم تَعطِسوا لَولاىَ إلّا بِأجدَعٍ
وَلَمand not تَنظُرواyou would have looked إلّاexcept بِعُمْىٍthrough blind بخائِصِfleshy eyes
وَلَم تَنظُروا إلّا بِعُمْىٍ بخائِصِ
Without me, you would have sneezed only through a mutilated nose,
And you never sneezed except with one whose nose was cut off
and looked only through blind, fleshy eyes,
And you never looked except with the blindness of a blinker
وَلَمand not تَركَبواyou would have ridden إِلّاexcept قَراthe back of كلِّevery ظالعٍlimping camel
وَلَم تَركَبوا إِلّا قَرا كلِّ ظالعٍ
أجبَّshorn of سنامِthe hump of الظّهرِthe back بالرّحلِunder the saddle شامِصِbucking
أجبَّ سنامِ الظّهرِ بالرّحلِ شامِصِ
and ridden only the backs of limping camels,
And you never rode a riding beast except one docked of tail
hump-shorn and bucking beneath the saddle.
Which knocks the saddle-bags with the saddle strap.
صِلواjoin الحَسَبَancestral honor الماضيpast بماwith what لاnot يَشينُهُdisgraces it
صِلوا الحَسَبَ الماضي بما لا يَشينُهُ
فكمfor many ذيa man of نِجارٍstock خالصٍpure غيرُnot خالصِpure himself
فكم ذي نِجارٍ خالصٍ غيرُ خالصِ
Link your ancestral honor to deeds that do not disgrace it;
Maintain the bygone reputation with what does not dishonor it,
for many a man of pure stock is not pure himself.
For how many a pure basket does not contain purity!
ولاand do not تحصُلواobtain منfrom جانبthe domain of الفخرِglory كلِّهِall of it
ولا تحصُلوا من جانب الفخرِ كلِّهِ
علىupon أوّلٍa forebear زاكٍnoble وأصلٍand a root مُصامِصِunalloyed
على أوّلٍ زاكٍ وأصلٍ مُصامِصِ
Do not gain, from the whole realm of glory,
And do not gain from the aspect of glory everything
only a noble forebear and an unalloyed root.
Except a first, prosperous, not mixed with dregs.
وَكونواand be اِبتِداءَthe beginning of الفخرِglory لاnot غايةًan end لهto it
وَكونوا اِبتِداءَ الفخرِ لا غايةً له
وثَبْتينand steadfast فيin مرأىًpublic view وفيand in فحصthe scrutiny of فاحِصِan examiner
وثَبْتين في مرأىً وفي فحص فاحِصِ
Be the beginning of glory, not its end,
And be the beginning of glory, not the end of it,
and steadfast in public view and under an examiner's scrutiny.
And remain visible and exposed to the test of an examiner,
كَأنّيas though I بهاsee her تختالُstrutting بَينَamong صَفائحٍsword-blades
كَأنّي بها تختالُ بَينَ صَفائحٍ
رقاقٍslender وأرماحٍand spears طِوالٍlong عَوارصِquivering
رقاقٍ وأرماحٍ طِوالٍ عَوارصِ
I seem to see her strutting among sword-blades,
As though it walked proudly between thin, polished blades
slender, and spears long and quivering,
And long, hurling spears.
تَسدّshe blocks فِجاجَthe broad paths of العُذرِexcuse مِنّاfrom us ومنكُمُand from you
تَسدّ فِجاجَ العُذرِ مِنّا ومنكُمُ
فليسso there is no إلىto عُذرٍan excuse مَحيصٌescape-route لحائِصِfor an evader
فليس إلى عُذرٍ مَحيصٌ لحائِصِ
blocking the broad paths of excuse for us and you,
They bar the holes of excuse from us and you,
so no evader has any way out through an excuse.
So to excuse there is no way to slip through.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.