هل حبل خولة بعد الهجر موصول — Abda Bin Yazid

هَل حَبلُ خَولَةَ بَعدَ الهَجرِ موصولُ

أَم أَنتَ عَنها بَعيدُ الدارِ مَشغولُ

Is Khawla's bond still joined after estrangement,

or are you far from her dwelling, preoccupied?

حَلَّت خُوَيلَةُ في دارٍ مُجاوِرَةً

أَهلَ المَدائِنِ فيها الديكُ وَالفيلُ

Khuwayla has settled in a dwelling, neighboring

the people of al-Mada'in, where rooster and elephant dwell.

يُقارِعونَ رُؤوسَ العُجمِ ضاحِيَةً

مِنهُم فَوارِسُ لا عُزلٌ وَلا ميلُ

They strike the heads of the non-Arabs in the open,

horsemen among them, neither unarmed nor unsteady riders.

فَخامَرَ القَلبَ مِن تَرجيعِ ذِكرَتِها

رَسٌّ لَطيفٌ وَرَهنٌ مِنكَ مَكبولُ

From the repeated recalling of her memory, the heart was seized

by a faint, subtle trace; a pledge of yours lies fettered.

رَسٌّ كَرَسِّ أَخي الحُمّى إِذا غَبَرَت

يَوماً تَأَوَّبَهُ مِنها عَقابيلُ

A trace like a fever-sufferer's, when his fever has passed

for a day, and its relapses return to him.

وَلِلأَحِبَّةِ أَيّامٌ تَذَكَّرُها

وَلِلنَوى قَبلَ يَومِ البَينِ تَأويلُ

And loved ones have days that you recall,

and separation has its meaning before the day of parting.

إِنَّ الَّتي ضَرَبَت بَيتاً مُهاجِرَةً

بِكوفَةِ الجُندِ غالَت وُدَّها غولُ

She who pitched a tent, having migrated,

at Kufa of the army—a ghoul has snatched away her love.

فَعَدِّ عَنها وَلا تَشغَلكَ عَن عَمَلٍ

إِنَّ الصَبابَةَ بَعدَ الشَبِّ تَضليلُ

So turn from her; let her not distract you from work:

longing for love after youth leads astray.

بِجَسرَةٍ كَعَلاةِ القَينِ دَوسَرَةٍ

فيها عَلى الأَينِ إِرقالٌ وَتَبغيلُ

On a sturdy, massive she-camel, like a smith's anvil,

with a swift stride and a mule-like trot despite fatigue;

عَنسٍ تُشيرُ بِقِنوانٍ إِذا زُحِرَت

مِن خَصبَةٍ بَقِيَت فيها شَعاليلُ

a mature she-camel waving date-clusters when driven hard,

from a fertile palm with straggling clusters still remaining;

قَرواءَ مَقذوفَةٍ بِالنَحضِ يَشعَفُها

فَرطُ المِراحِ إِذا كَلَّ المَراسيلُ

long-backed and packed with flesh, thrilled

by exuberant high spirits when the swift-paced camels tire.

وَما يَزالُ لَها شَأوٌ يُوَقِّرُهُ

مُحَرَّفٌ مِن سُيورِ الغَرفِ مَجدولُ

She always has a burst of speed held in check

by a twisted cord plaited from thongs of tanned hide.

إِذا تَجاهَدَ سَيرُ القَومِ في شَرَكٍ

كَأَنَّهُ شَطَبٌ بِالسَروِ مَرمولُ

When the company's progress becomes a struggle along branching tracks,

like palm-strips interwoven with cypress,

نَهجٍ تَرى حَولَهُ بَيضَ القَطا قُبَصاً

كَأَنَّهُ بِالأَفاحيصِ الحَواجيلُ

on a clear road, you see sandgrouse eggs about it in clutches,

like little flasks in their scraped-out nests:

حَواجِلٌ مُلِئَت زَيتاً مُجَرَّدَةً

لَيسَت عَلَيهِنَّ مِن خوصٍ سَواجيلُ

flasks filled with oil, left bare,

with no palm-leaf coverings around them.

وَقَلَّ ما في أَساقي القَومِ فَاِنجَرَدوا

وَفي الأَداوى بَقِيّاتٌ صَلاصيلُ

The water in the men's skins dwindled, so they hastened onward,

with only remnants sloshing in their flasks.

وَالعيسُ تُدلَكُ دَلكاً عَن ذَخائِرِها

يُنحَزنَ مِنهُنَّ مَحجونٌ وَمركولُ

The pale camels were worked hard to draw upon their stored strength,

prodded along—some tugged with a crook, some kicked;

وَمُزجَياتٍ بِأَكوارٍ مُحَمًّلَةٍ

شَوارُهُنَّ خِلالَ القَومِ مَحمولُ

and others driven on with loaded saddles,

their gear carried among the company.

تَهدي الرِكابَ سَلوفٌ غَيرُ غافِلَةٍ

إِذا تَوَقَّدَتِ الحِزّانُ وَالميلُ

A watchful, forward-going she-camel leads the mounts

when the rugged ground and sloping dunes blaze with heat.

رَعشاءُ تَنهَضُ بِالذِفرى مُواكِبَةٌ

في مِرفَقَيها عَن الدَفَّينِ تَفتيلُ

Quivering, she lifts the ridge behind her ears, keeping pace,

her elbows turned well away from her sides.

عَيهَمَةٌ يُنتَحى في الأَرضِ مَنسِمُها

كَما اِنتَحى في أَديمِ الصَرفِ إِزميلُ

A powerful, fleet camel, whose hoof bites into the earth

as a chisel cuts into the face of copper.

تَخدي بِهِ قُدُماً طَوراً وَتَرجِعُهُ

فَحَدُّهُ مِن وِلافِ القَبضِ مَفلولُ

At times she drives it forward, then draws it back,

its edge blunted by constant drawing-in.

تَرى الحَصى مُشفَتِرّاً عَن مَناسِمِها

كَما تُجَلجِلُ بِالوَغلِ الغَرابيلُ

You see pebbles scattering away from her hooves,

as sieves rattle with grain refuse.

كَأَنَّها يَومَ وِردِ القَومِ خامِسَةً

مُسافِرٌ أَشعَبُ الرَوقَينِ مَكحولُ

On the company's fifth-day watering, she seems

a roaming wild bull, wide-horned and kohl-eyed,

مُجتابُ نِصعٍ جَديدٍ فَوقَ نُقبَتِهِ

وَلِلقَوائِمِ مِن خالٍ سَراويلُ

wearing a fresh white robe over his coat,

with trousers of dark cloth upon his legs.

مُسَفَّعُ الوَجهِ في أَرساغِهِ خَدَمٌ

وَفَوقَ ذاكَ إِلى الكَعبَينِ تَحجيلُ

His face is dark-marked, with bands around his fetlocks,

and white stockings above them, up to his hocks.

باكَرَهُ قانِصٌ يَسعى بِأَكلُبِهِ

كَأَنَّهُ مِن صِلاءِ الشَمسِ مَملولُ

A hunter came upon him at dawn, running with his dogs,

as though roasted on embers by the sun's heat.

يَأوي إِلى سَلفَعٍ شَعثاءَ عارِيَةٍ

في حِجرِها تَولَبٌ كَالقِردِ مَهزولُ

He returns to a coarse, disheveled, unclothed woman,

in whose lap lies a scrawny child, like a monkey.

يُشلي ضَوارِيَ أَشباهاً مُجَوَّعَةً

فَلَيسَ مِنها إِذا أُمكِنَّ تَهليلُ

He urges on keen hunting dogs, alike and kept hungry;

when they have their chance, none hangs back.

يَتبَعنَ أَشعَثَ كَالسِرحانِ مُنصَلِتاً

لَهُ عَلَيهِنَّ قَيدَ الرُمحِ تَمهيلُ

They follow a shaggy runner, swift as a wolf,

a spear's length ahead of them, with that much respite.

أَورَدتُهُ القَومَ قَد رانَ النُعاسُ بِهِم

فَقُلتُ إِذ نَهِلوا مِن جَمِّهِ قيلوا

I brought the men to the water, while drowsiness overcame them,

and said, when they had drunk from its abundance, 'Rest at noon,

حَدَّ الظَهيرَةِ حَتّى تَرحَلوا أُصُلاً

إِنَّ السِقاءَ لَهُ رَمٌّ وَتَبليلُ

through the height of midday, until you depart in late afternoon;

the waterskin needs mending and moistening.'

لَمّا وَرَدنا رَفَعنا ظِلَّ أَردِيَةٍ

وَفارَ بِاللَحمِ لِلقَومِ المَراجيلُ

When we reached water, we raised a canopy of cloaks,

and cauldrons boiled with meat for the men:

وَرداً وَأَشقَرَ لَم يُنهِئهُ طابِخُهُ

ما غَيَّرَ الغَليُ مِنهُ فَهوَ ماكولُ

bay-red and chestnut, not cooked through by its cook;

whatever the boiling had changed in it was eaten.

ثُمِّتَ قُمنا إِلى جُردٍ مُسَوَّمَةٍ

أَعرافُهُنَّ لِأَيدينا مَناديلُ

Then we rose and went to sleek, marked horses,

their manes serving as towels for our hands.

ثُمَّ اِرتَحَلنا عَلى عيسٍ مُخَدَّمَةٍ

يُزجي رَواكِعَها مَرنٌ وَتَنعِيلُ

Then we set out on pale camels with anklet-bound feet,

their weary, bending ones kept moving by leather lashes and hoof-shoes.

يَدلَحنَ بِالماءِ في وُفرٍ مُخَرِّبَةٍ

مِنها حَقائِبُ رُكبانٍ وَمعدولُ

They trudge with water in capacious, loop-handled skins,

some carried behind riders, others balanced as side-loads.

نَرجو فَواضِلَ رَبٍّ سَيبُهُ حَسَنٌ

وَكُلُّ خَيرٍ لَدَيهِ فَهوَ مَقبولُ

We hope for the bounty of a lord whose gifts are generous,

and every good thing he has to offer is welcome.

رَبٌّ حَبانا بِأَموالٍ مُخَوَّلَةٍ

وَكُلُّ شَيءٍ حَباهُ اللَهُ تَخويلُ

A lord who has bestowed freely granted wealth upon us;

whatever God bestows is a gift.

وَالمَرءُ ساعٍ لِأَمرٍ لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ

وَالعَيشُ شُحٌّ وَإِشفاقٌ وَتَأميلُ

And man pursues a goal he never reaches,

and life is avarice, anxiety, and hope.

وَعازِبٍ جادَهُ الوَسمِيُّ في صَفَرٍ

تَسري الذِهابُ عَلَيهِ فَهوَ مَوبولُ

And many a remote tract the autumn rain watered in Safar,

night showers sweep over it, leaving it drenched.

وَلَم تَسَمَّع بِهِ صَوتاً فَيُفزِعَها

أَوابِدُ الرُبدِ وَالعينُ المَطافيلُ

No sound has been heard there that might startle

the wild gray ostriches and wide-eyed wild cows with young.

كَأَنَّ أَطفالَ خيطانِ النَعامِ بِهِ

بَهمٌ مُخالِطُهُ الحَفّانُ وَالحولُ

The young of the ostrich flocks there seem

like lambs mingled with ostrich chicks and full-grown hens.

أَفزَعتُ مِنهُ وُحوشاً وَهيَ ساكِنَةٌ

كَأَنَّها نَعَمٌ في الصُبحِ مَشلولُ

I startled wild creatures there as they stood at ease,

like herds driven out at dawn,

بِساهِمِ الوَجهِ كَالسِرحانِ مُنصَلِتٍ

طِرفٍ تَكامَلَ فيهِ الحُسنُ وَالطولُ

on a gaunt-faced, wolf-like, swift-running horse,

a noble steed perfected in beauty and stature.

خاظي الطَريقَةِ عُريانٍ قَوائِمُهُ

قَد شَفَّهُ مِن رُكوبِ البَردِ تَذبيلُ

Thick-fleshed along his back, with bare legs,

riding through the cold had wasted him lean.

كَأَنَّ قُرحَتَهُ إِذ قامَ مُعتَدِلاً

شَيبٌ يُلَوَّحُ بِالحِنّاءِ مَغسولُ

When he stands upright, his white forehead-star is like

gray hair, tinged with henna, then washed.

إِذا أُبِسَّ بِهِ في الأَلفِ بَرَّزَهُ

عوجٌ مُرَكَّبَةٌ فيها بَراطيلُ

When urged among a thousand, he is brought to the fore

by well-set, curving legs, their hooves like oblong stones.

يَغلو بِهِنَّ وَيَثني وَهوَ مُقتَدِرٌ

في كَفتِهِنَّ إِذا اِستَرغَبنَ تَعجيلُ

He casts them far forward, then folds them back, in full command;

he draws them in swiftly when their strides stretch wide.

وَقَد غَدَوتُ وَقَرنُ الشَمسِ مُنفَتِقٌ

وَدونَهُ مِن سَوادِ اللَيلِ تَجليلُ

And I have gone out at dawn as the sun's rim split forth,

with a veil of night's darkness still before it,

إِذ أَشرَفَ الديكُ يَدعو بَعضَ أُسرَتِهِ

لَدى الصَباحِ وَهُم قَومٌ مَعازيلُ

when the rooster rose up, calling some of his household

at daybreak—a folk without weapons—

إِلى التِجارِ فَأَعداني بِلِذَّتِهِ

رِخوُ الإِزارِ كَصَدرِ السَيفِ مَشمولُ

to the merchants; there I was drawn into pleasure by

a loose-girdled, good-natured man, like a sword's blade,

خِرقٌ يَجِدُّ إِذا ما الأَمرُ جَدَّ بِهِ

مُخالِطُ اللَهوِ وَاللَذّاتِ ضِلّيلُ

a generous fellow, earnest when affairs press him earnestly,

yet mingling in amusement and pleasures, utterly wayward.

حَتّى اِتَّكَأنا عَلى فُرشٍ يُزَيِّنُها

مِن جَيِّدِ الرَقمِ أَزواجٌ تَهاويلُ

Until we reclined upon cushions adorned

with pairs of wondrous designs in fine embroidery.

فيها الدَجاجُ وَفيها الأُسدُ مُخدِرَةً

مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ يُرى فيها تَماثيلُ

There were fowl upon them, and lions lying in their dens;

images of every kind of thing could be seen upon them.

في كَعبَةٍ شادَها بانٍ وَزَيَّنَها

فيها ذُبالٌ يُضيءُ اللَيلَ مَفتولُ

In a square chamber a builder had raised and adorned,

twisted wicks lit up the night.

لَنا أَصيصٌ كَجِذمِ الحَوضِ هَدَّمَهُ

وَطءُ العِراكِ لَدَيهِ الزِقُّ مَغلولُ

We had a vessel like the stump of a trough, shattered

by trampling in the crush; beside it the wineskin lay tied.

وَالكوبُ أَزهَرُ مَعصوبٌ بِقُلَّتِهِ

فَوقَ السِياعِ مِنَ الرَيحانِ إِكليلُ

The cup shone bright, its rim encircled,

above its clay coating, by a wreath of sweet herbs.

مُبَرَّدٌ بِمِزاجِ الماءِ بَينَهُما

حُبٌّ كَجَوزِ حِمارِ الوَحشِ مَبزولُ

Cooled by a mixing of water; between the two stood

a tapped jar like the barrel of a wild ass.

وَالكوبُ مَلآنُ طافٍ فَوقَهُ زَبَدٌ

وَطابَقُ الكَبشِ في السَفّودِ مَخلولُ

The cup was full, with foam floating on its surface,

and a side of mutton was skewered on the spit.

يَسعى بِهِ مِنصَفٌ عَجلانُ مُنتَطِقٌ

فَوقَ الخِوانِ وَفي الصاعِ التَوابيلُ

A girded servant hurried with it

over the table, with spices in a measuring-bowl.

ثُمَّ اِصطَبَحتُ كُمَيتاً قَرقَفاً أُنُفاً

مِن طَيِّبِ الراحِ وَاللَذّاتُ تَعليلُ

Then I drank at dawn: dark-red, shiver-inducing, freshly opened wine,

of the finest wine—for pleasures are solace—

صِرفاً مِزاجاً وَأَحياناً يُعَلِّلُنا

شِعرٌ كَمُذهَبَةِ السَمّانِ مَحمولُ

neat or mixed; sometimes we were entertained

by verse recited like al-Samman's gilded composition.

تُذري حَواشِيَهُ جَيداءُ آنِسَةٌ

في صَوتِها لِسَماعِ الشَربِ تَرتيلُ

A long-necked, gracious woman scatters its fringes,

her voice measured in song for the drinkers' ears.

تَغدو عَلَينا تُلَهّينا وَنُصفِدُها

تُلقى البُرودُ عَلَيها وَالسَرابيلُ

She comes to us in the morning, entertains us, and we reward her;

striped cloaks and tunics are cast over her.