إِنَّindeed الخَليطَthe companions أَجدّواresolved firmly on البَينَparting فَاِنقَذَفواand rushed away
إِنَّ الخَليطَ أَجدّوا البَينَ فَاِنقَذَفوا
وَأَمتَعوكَand left you بِشَوقٍwith longing أَيَّةًwhichever way صَرَفواthey turned
وَأَمتَعوكَ بِشَوقٍ أَيَّةً صَرَفوا
The companions made their parting final and rushed away,
The tribe found the separation unbearable so they escaped
And left you with longing, whichever way they turned.
And preoccupied you with a yearning no matter how they evaded
ماnot أَقلَعواthey ceased يَضرِبونَdiscussing الأَمرَthe matter بَينَهُمamong themselves
ما أَقلَعوا يَضرِبونَ الأَمرَ بَينَهُم
إِذاwhen النَوىdistance فَوَّتَتput beyond reach أَولاهُمtheir foremost اِختَلَفواthey disagreed
إِذا النَوى فَوَّتَت أَولاهُم اِختَلَفوا
They never ceased debating the matter among themselves;
They did not stop quarreling amongst themselves
When distance carried their foremost beyond reach, they disagreed,
When intentions went astray, the first of them differed
حَتّىuntil اِهتَدَواthey found their way لِلَّتيto what كُنّاwe were نَظُنُّsuspecting بِهِمof them
حَتّى اِهتَدَوا لِلَّتي كُنّا نَظُنُّ بِهِم
وَأَنسَلواand sent darting away الحاجَةَthe desire القَلبَthe heart الَّذيwhich شَعَفواthey inflamed
وَأَنسَلوا الحاجَةَ القَلبَ الَّذي شَعَفوا
Until they settled on what we had suspected of them,
Until they found what we suspected them of
And sent the heart they had inflamed darting after its desire.
And they eased the need, the heart they were infatuated with
وَأَدبَرواand they turned away تَرتَميhurling across الأَرضَthe land الفَلاةُthe desert بِهِمwith them
وَأَدبَروا تَرتَمي الأَرضَ الفَلاةُ بِهِم
لبتةfor a spell (unclear form) ثُمَّthen ماnot عاجواthey wheeled back وَلاnor عَطَفواthey turned back
لبتة ثُمَّ ما عاجوا وَلا عَطَفوا
They turned away, the desert hurling them across the land,
And they walked away, the barren land hurling them
For a spell; then they neither wheeled back nor returned.
Abruptly, without resistance or sympathy
وَأَعرَضَand spread broad الآلُthe mirage دونَbefore الحَيّthe tribe فَاِنتَصَبَتthen grew taut
وَأَعرَضَ الآلُ دونَ الحَيّ فَاِنتَصَبَت
قُوىthe cords النَوىof separation بِذَويthrough those bearing الأَضغانِgrudges فَأَتَلَفواand they wrought ruin
قُوى النَوى بِذَوي الأَضغانِ فَأَتَلَفوا
The mirage spread between us and the tribe; then grew taut
And the family shunned the beloved so the hardy desires united
The cords of parting among the spiteful, who wrought ruin.
With those of determination and they allied
وَشَمَّرَتand sped away بِهِمwith them بُزَلٌmature camels مُحَبَّسَةٌheld in reserve
وَشَمَّرَت بِهِم بُزَلٌ مُحَبَّسَةٌ
وَحالَand intervened دونَهُمُbetween us and them الرَبوُthe uplands الَّذيwhich عَسَفواthey crossed without guidance
وَحالَ دونَهُمُ الرَبوُ الَّذي عَسَفوا
Mature camels held in reserve sped away with them,
And bottled up resentment unleashed itself upon them
And the uplands they crossed without guidance screened them from view.
And forbidden desires prevented them which they had disobeyed
باءَmet his doom القَتيلُthe slain victim الَّذيwhom اِختانوهُthey treacherously betrayed غائِلَةًby guile
باءَ القَتيلُ الَّذي اِختانوهُ غائِلَةً
ماnot كُلِّفواthey were charged دِيَّةًblood-money فيهِfor him وَماand not حَلَفواthey swore an oath
ما كُلِّفوا دِيَّةً فيهِ وَما حَلَفوا
The victim they treacherously betrayed met his doom;
So the murdered victim whom they had betrayed returned
They owed no blood-money for him, nor swore an oath.
Without compensation or oaths binding them
تَقَسَّمواthey divided up قَلبَهُhis heart ثُمَّthen اِغتَدواthey set out at dawn زُجَلاًnoisily rejoicing
تَقَسَّموا قَلبَهُ ثُمَّ اِغتَدوا زُجَلاً
وَاِستَكرَهوهُand they forced it بِدَمعٍinto tears لَمnot يَكُنit was يَكفceasing
وَاِستَكرَهوهُ بِدَمعٍ لَم يَكُن يَكف
They divided up his heart, then set out at dawn rejoicing,
They split his heart then excessive in lamentation
And forced it into tears that never ceased.
Repulsed by tears that would not cease
كَأَنَّas though ظَعنَهُمُtheir women's caravan فيin الآلِthe mirage حينَwhen نَأَواthey went far away
كَأَنَّ ظَعنَهُمُ في الآلِ حينَ نَأَوا
إِذاwhen اِستَقَلَّتlifted aloft بِهِمwith them بَيداءُa desert waste أَوor شَرَفُa height
إِذا اِستَقَلَّت بِهِم بَيداءُ أَو شَرَفُ
Their women's caravan, in the mirage as they receded, seemed,
As if their betrayal of the family when they parted
When a desert waste or a height lifted them into view,
If the desert or elevated land secluded them
نَخلٌpalm trees تَبيتُspend the night عَناقَlong-necked ones الطَيرof the birds أَمِنَةًsafe
نَخلٌ تَبيتُ عَناقَ الطَير أَمِنَةً
بِحَيثُwhere يَنبُثُspreads out مِنهُfrom it اليُسرُtender palm shoots وَالسَعَفُand fronds
بِحَيثُ يَنبُثُ مِنهُ اليُسرُ وَالسَعَفُ
Like palm trees where long-necked birds spend the night secure,
Were palm trees spending the night embracing birds safely
Where tender shoots and fronds spread out from them.
Where ease and branches emerge from it
عالَينَthey raised aloft رَقماًpatterned cloth مِنَof الأَصنافِvaried fabrics زَيَّنَهُadorned it
عالَينَ رَقماً مِنَ الأَصنافِ زَيَّنَهُ
قَعائِدٌseated women وَجُلوسٌand sitters فَوقَهاabove them غُرَفُchambers
قَعائِدٌ وَجُلوسٌ فَوقَها غُرَفُ
They raised patterned cloths of varied kinds, adorned
Lofty in number, adorned in variety
By seated women, with chambers above them.
With sewn edges and seating atop of which are chambers
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle قَصَينَthey outdistanced الجملَةَthe herd (uncertain reading) اِندَفَعَتsurged forth
حَتّى إِذا ما قَصَينَ الجملَةَ اِندَفَعَت
شُمُّtowering peaks الجِبالِof the mountains بِهِنَّwith them الجِملَةُthe camel herd الشَرَفُthe lofty ones
شُمُّ الجِبالِ بِهِنَّ الجِملَةُ الشَرَفُ
Until, when they had outstripped the herd, there surged
Until when the caravan had traversed the highland
With them the lofty camel herd, like towering mountains:
The mountains' heights were traversed by the elevated caravan
مِنfrom كُلِّevery آدَمِtawny عودٍmature camel فيin لَهازِمِهِhis jowls
مِن كُلِّ آدَمِ عودٍ في لَهازِمِهِ
مِنfrom غَيرِother than ضَربَةِa stroke عِرقٍa vein خانَهُmarred him كَلَفُdark mottling
مِن غَيرِ ضَربَةِ عِرقٍ خانَهُ كَلَفُ
Each a tawny, mature camel, upon whose jowls
Of each human, every moist twig in its hollows
Dark mottling had left its mark, though no vein had been struck.
Without a drop of sweat betraying its burden
إِذاwhen حُدينَthey were urged by song نَماhe surged قُدماًonward فَمَهَّلَهُand slowed him
إِذا حُدينَ نَما قُدماً فَمَهَّلَهُ
عَلىamong نَواعِبِهِنَّtheir swift she-camels الأَيدُstrength وَالرَسَفُand the heavy gait
عَلى نَواعِبِهِنَّ الأَيدُ وَالرَسَفُ
When they were urged by song, he surged ahead, yet was slowed
When they marched slowly, the hands and curtains slowed them
Among their swift she-camels by his massive strength and heavy gait.
Over its contours the procession and the train
وَفيand in الخُدورِthe curtained litters دُمىًstatues حورٌwide-eyed مُصَوَّرَةٌfinely fashioned
وَفي الخُدورِ دُمىً حورٌ مُصَوَّرَةٌ
خُلِقنَthey were created أَحسَنَfairer مِمّاthan what قالَsaid مَنwhoever يَصِفُdescribes
خُلِقنَ أَحسَنَ مِمّا قالَ مَن يَصِفُ
In the curtained litters were finely fashioned statues, wide-eyed,
In the tents, imagined beauties pictured
Created fairer than any describer could say.
Created more beautifully than one describing can portray
لاfirst part of 'they encountered' قَينَlast part of 'they encountered' عَيشاًa life مِنَof الدُنياthis world سُعِدنَthey found happiness بِهِin it
لا قَينَ عَيشاً مِنَ الدُنيا سُعِدنَ بِهِ
وَماand not المَعيشَةُlife إِلّاexcept مُتعَةٌa pleasure سَلَفُa loan
وَما المَعيشَةُ إِلّا مُتعَةٌ سَلَفُ
They had found a worldly life that made them happy;
They had not experienced any life of happiness in the world
And life is nothing but a pleasure on loan.
For life is but a loaned enjoyment
إِذاwhen ذَكَرنَthey mention حَديثاًa tale قُلنَthey say أَحسَنَهُits best
إِذا ذَكَرنَ حَديثاً قُلنَ أَحسَنَهُ
وَهُنَّand they عَنfrom كُلِّevery سوءٍevil يُتَّقىto be shunned صُدُفُturn away
وَهُنَّ عَن كُلِّ سوءٍ يُتَّقى صُدُفُ
When they spoke of a matter, they said its finest things,
When a story was mentioned, they told the best of it
And turned away from every evil to be shunned.
And they are far from any evil to be avoided, shielded
قَدalready كُنَّthey were لِلقَلبِfor the heart هَمّاًa care فُهوَso it is مُختَبِلٌdistraught
قَد كُنَّ لِلقَلبِ هَمّاً فُهوَ مُختَبِلٌ
صَبٌّlove-struck بِهِنَّwith them وَلَوand even if عَذَّبنَهُthey tormented it كَلِفُdevoted
صَبٌّ بِهِنَّ وَلَو عَذَّبنَهُ كَلِفُ
They had been the heart's care; now it is distraught,
To the heart they were a worry so it is confused
Love-struck for them, devoted even if they tormented it.
Pouring with love for them, even if they tortured it harshly
مَنamong كُلِّevery بَيضاءَfair woman لَمnot يَسفَعscorches عَوارِضَهاher cheeks
مَن كُلِّ بَيضاءَ لَم يَسفَع عَوارِضَها
مِنَfrom المَعيشَةِlife تَبريحٌtorment وَلاnor أَزَفُstraitened need
مِنَ المَعيشَةِ تَبريحٌ وَلا أَزَفُ
Each a fair woman whose cheeks were never scorched
Of every radiant one whose flaws her livelihood did not reveal
By life's torment or straitened need.
Neither relief nor suffering from life
وَفيand among الفَريقِthe company الأُلىwho باتواspent the night مُنَعَّمَةٌa pampered woman
وَفي الفَريقِ الأُلى باتوا مُنَعَّمَةٌ
هَيفاءُslender-waisted لَمnot يَغذُهاnourished her مِنfrom عَيشِهاher life شَظَفُprivation
هَيفاءُ لَم يَغذُها مِن عَيشِها شَظَفُ
Among the company who spent the night was a pampered woman,
While the fortunate ones spent the night indulged
Slender-waisted, never reared on life's privation.
Neglected, their meager existence did not provide subsistence
كَبَيضَةِlike an egg الهَيقِof the male ostrich فيin الأَدحيthe ostrich's scraped nest باتَspent the night لَهاfor it
كَبَيضَةِ الهَيقِ في الأَدحي باتَ لَها
دونَshielding from النَدىthe dew مِنfrom خَوافيthe covert feathers دَفِّهِof his wing عُطُفُfolds
دونَ النَدى مِن خَوافي دَفِّهِ عُطُفُ
Like a male ostrich's egg in its nest, shielded all night
Like an ostrich egg in the sand for it there remains
From dew by the enfolding covert feathers of his wing.
Besides the dew, only the edges of its shell's folds
إِذاwhen دَجاgrew dark اللَيلُthe night وَلاهاhe turned toward it مَقاتِلَهُhis vulnerable parts
إِذا دَجا اللَيلُ وَلاها مَقاتِلَهُ
فَقَدfor already بَرىwore away لَحمُهُhis flesh مِنfrom حُبِّهاlove of it العَجَفُemaciation
فَقَد بَرى لَحمُهُ مِن حُبِّها العَجَفُ
When night grew dark, he turned his vulnerable parts toward it;
When the night grows dark and its battles subside
From love of it, emaciation had worn away his flesh.
Its flesh craves her love, famished
مُجرَنثِماًhuddled لِغَماءٍagainst a dark storm باتَspent the night يَضرِبُهُbattering him
مُجرَنثِماً لِغَماءٍ باتَ يَضرِبُهُ
مِنهُfrom it الرَضابُfine spray وَمِنهُand from it المَسبِلُthe pouring rain الهَطِفُthe copious
مِنهُ الرَضابُ وَمِنهُ المَسبِلُ الهَطِفُ
Huddled against a dark storm that battered him all night,
Tossing in the darkness which continued to strike it
From it came fine spray, and from it pouring, rushing rain.
Drawing from it screams, and from it lashes, dripping
أَوor حَرجَفٌan icy wind مِنfrom طِلالِdrizzles المُزنِof the rainclouds يَحفُزُهاdrives it
أَو حَرجَفٌ مِن طِلالِ المُزنِ يَحفُزُها
عَنهُaway from him الغُيومُthe clouds قَليلاًa little ثُمَّthen تَنعَشِفُgusts fiercely
عَنهُ الغُيومُ قَليلاً ثُمَّ تَنعَشِفُ
Or an icy wind from the rainclouds' drizzle, driven
Or a grouse from the slopes of the Unaza goading it
A little away from him by the clouds, then gusting fiercely.
The clouds sparing it briefly before being shredded
غَبراءَdust-gray تَنقُضُهُshakes him حَتّىuntil يُصاحِبَهاaccompanies it
غَبراءَ تَنقُضُهُ حَتّى يُصاحِبَها
مِنfrom زَفِّهِhis down قَلِقُloose الأَرصافِat the quill-bases مُنتَتِفُplucked out
مِن زَفِّهِ قَلِقُ الأَرصافِ مُنتَتِفُ
Dust-gray, it shook him until along with it flew
A flea-bitten one it shakes until it accompanies her
Down from his plumage, loose at the roots and plucked away.
From her twitching, the flinching ground's friction
وَباتَand spent the night يَعدِلُturning aside عَنهاfrom it حَدَّthe edge جُؤجُؤِهِof his breastbone
وَباتَ يَعدِلُ عَنها حَدَّ جُؤجُؤِهِ
مُعيرُهاlending it دَفَّهُhis wing وَالزَورُand the breast مُنحَرِفُturned aside
مُعيرُها دَفَّهُ وَالزَورُ مُنحَرِفُ
He spent the night turning his breastbone's edge away from it,
And it edged away from her to the extent of its hobbling
Lending it his wing, with his breast turned aside.
Mocking her with its cooing and deviant strutting
كَماjust as يُلازِمُhugs دونَbeneath الحنبَلِthe worn fur blanket اِبنَتَهُhis daughter
كَما يُلازِمُ دونَ الحنبَلِ اِبنَتَهُ
بِنَحرِهِwith his upper chest وَيَدَيهِand his hands الأَشمَطُthe grizzled man الخَرِفُthe senile one
بِنَحرِهِ وَيَدَيهِ الأَشمَطُ الخَرِفُ
As one hugs his daughter beneath a worn fur blanket,
As it stays close to its hen besides the millet
With his chest and hands—a grizzled, senile man.
With its neck and hands the foolish aged one
أُثيبُهاhe was recompensed with her مِنfor بَناتٍdaughters كُنَّwho were قَبلُformerly لَهُhis
أُثيبُها مِن بَناتٍ كُنَّ قَبلُ لَهُ
وَمِنand for بَنينَsons فَكُلّاًso all of them أَذهَبَcarried away التَلَفُdeath
وَمِن بَنينَ فَكُلّاً أَذهَبَ التَلَفُ
He had been given her in recompense for daughters once his,
I gifted her from daughters who were his before
And for sons; death had carried them all away.
And from sons but loss took them all
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen نَفَضَshook out الأَيّامُthe days مِرَّتَهُhis vigor
حَتّى إِذا نَفَضَ الأَيّامُ مِرَّتَهُ
وَاِستَوقَدَand flared up الهَمُّcare فيin صُدغَيهِhis temples وَالأَسَفُand sorrow
وَاِستَوقَدَ الهَمُّ في صُدغَيهِ وَالأَسَفُ
Until, when the days had shaken out his vigor,
Until when the days had completed their turn
And care and sorrow had flared in his temples,
And worries kindled in its temples and sorrow
تَنَصَّلَتهاshe bore her لَهُfor him مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat قُذِفَتshe was accused
تَنَصَّلَتها لَهُ مِن بَعدِ ما قُذِفَت
بِالعُقرِof barrenness قَذفَةَan accusation ظَنٍّof conjecture سَلفَعٌa brazen woman نَصَفُmiddle-aged
بِالعُقرِ قَذفَةَ ظَنٍّ سَلفَعٌ نَصَفُ
A woman bore her for him, after she had been accused
She was separated from him after being tossed
Of barrenness on mere suspicion—a brazen, middle-aged woman.
With a toss of assumption, deluded and cleaved in half
فَأَدرَكَتso she reached شُعبَةًa branch مِنof قَلبِهِhis heart بَقِيَتremained
فَأَدرَكَت شُعبَةً مِن قَلبِهِ بَقِيَت
فَلاso not يَزالُhe ceases عَلَيهاfor her خائِفاًfearful يَجِفُtrembling
فَلا يَزالُ عَلَيها خائِفاً يَجِفُ
So she reached a branch of his heart that still remained,
So she reached a piece of his heart that remained
And he is ever fearful for her, trembling.
He still fears over it, desiccated
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.