شبحٌa specter منfrom المجهولthe unknown بلrather هوَit أشرسُfiercer
شبحٌ من المجهول بل هوَ أشرسُ
يمشيwalks علىupon قلقيmy anxiety الذيwhich يتكدسُpiles up
يمشي على قلقي الذي يتكدسُ
A specter from the unknown—no, it is fiercer still.
A specter from the unknown, rather it is fierce
It walks upon my anxiety, which piles up.
It walks on my anxiety which piles up
لاروحno soul فيهِwithin it ولاnor رئاتٍlungs ترتقيrise
لاروح فيهِ ولا رئاتٍ ترتقي
لكنــــهbut it منfrom ريبتيmy misgivings يتنفــــسُbreathes
لكنــــه من ريبتي يتنفــــسُ
No soul within it, nor lungs that rise,
No soul in it, nor lungs that rise
But it breathes from my misgivings.
But from my horror it breathes
غادرتُI departed منfrom شكّيmy doubt بنصفِwith half قصيدةٍa poem
غادرتُ من شكّي بنصفِ قصيدةٍ
وبنصفهاand at half of it المأمولhoped-for ذاthis أتفــــرسُI scrutinize !
وبنصفها المأمول ذا أتفــــرسُ !
I departed from my doubt with half a poem,
I left half a poem from my doubt
And I scrutinize this hoped-for half of it!
And with its other half, hope scrutinizes!
أتلوI recite علىover ورقيmy paper تعاويذincantations السناradiance
أتلو على ورقي تعاويذ السنا
وأصونهاand I protect them عنfrom مابهاwhatever in them يتلبَّـــسُtakes possession !
وأصونها عن مابها يتلبَّـــسُ !
I recite over my paper the incantations of radiance,
I recite spells of forgetfulness on my paper
And protect them from whatever possesses them!
And protect them from what seeks to violate!
بيداءa desert صمتيmy silence للمسافةِfor distance صفحةٌa page
بيداء صمتي للمسافةِ صفحةٌ
يطوىis folded away بهاin it لحنُmelody الرجاhope ويُؤَand is estab- ســس-lished!
يطوى بها لحنُ الرجا ويُؤَ ســس!
The desert of my silence is a page for distance;
My silence's desert is a page for distance
In it, the melody of hope is folded away and established!
On which the tune of hope is folded and founded
أُمْلِيI dictate لهــاto it وكأنهاand as though it وكآبـــــتيand my melancholy
أُمْلِي لهــا وكأنها وكآبـــــتي
أشلاءُshreds ضوضاءٍa din بغتtransgressed تتغطرسُacts arrogantly!
أشلاءُ ضوضاءٍ بغت تتغطرسُ!
I dictate to it, as though it and my melancholy
I dictate to it as if it were my anguish
Were shreds of a din that transgressed, swaggering!
The limbs of a clamor that dared to be arrogant!
أدنوI draw near إلىto صــلحٍa truce يجيرُshelters تردُّديmy hesitation
أدنو إلى صــلحٍ يجيرُ تردُّدي
كيso that لاnot أجورُI act unjustly علىtoward الأمانِsafety وأُand I am بخَسُshortchanged
كي لا أجورُ على الأمانِ وأُ بخَسُ
I draw near a truce that shelters my hesitation,
I come close to a reconciliation that protects my hesitation
Lest I wrong safety and be shortchanged.
So I won't cheat on safety and be belittled
ليI have قومa people سُهدٍsleeplessness كلّماwhenever حدثتهمI spoke to them
لي قوم سُهدٍ كلّما حدثتهم
عاثواthey wreaked havoc خلاليwithin me وand التناغمharmony أخرسُmute
عاثوا خلالي و التناغم أخرسُ
I have a people of sleeplessness; whenever I address them,
I have a people of neglect, whenever I talk to them
They wreak havoc within me, and harmony is mute.
They wreak havoc on me and mute harmony
أُبْقِيI maintain علىon صبريmy patience خلالamid ضجيجهمtheir clamor
أُبْقِي على صبري خلال ضجيجهم
ومنَand of التعثّـــــرstumbling خيفةًfear أتوجـــسُI feel apprehensive !
ومنَ التعثّـــــر خيفةً أتوجـــسُ !
I hold on to my patience amid their clamor,
I keep my patience despite their clamor
And I feel a wary fear of stumbling!
And from stumbling, frightened I watch out!
دنيايmy world حينwhen تطاولتtowered بقلاعهاwith its citadels
دنياي حين تطاولت بقلاعها
إلّايَexcept me:جيشٌan army للحضارةِfor civilization يحرسُstands guard !
إلّايَ:جيشٌ للحضارةِ يحرسُ !
My world, when it towered with its citadels—
My world, when it grew haughty with its castles
Except for me: an army standing guard for civilization!
Except me - an army that guards civilization!
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.