نسمة الأرياح هبي — عبد اللطيف بن إبراهيم آ…

نَسمَةَ الأرياحِ هُبِّي

فاحمِلي مِنِّي السلاما

O breeze of the winds, blow,

And carry greetings from me.

بلِّغيهِ مَن بِقَلبي

لَو نأَى عَني أَقاما

Deliver them to the one who, in my heart,

Though far from me, abides.

وصِفِي حالِي فإِنّي

بعدَهُ ذُقتُ الحِماما

And describe my state, for I

Have tasted death since his departure.

خَبِّري مُذ سارَ أنِّي

لم أزَل أرعَى الذِماما

Tell him that, since he departed,

I have never ceased to honor the pledges.

فبهِ أمسَيتُ صَبّاً

ذا اشتِقاقٍ مُستَهاما

So through him I have become lovesick,

Full of longing, bewildered by love.

حُبُّهُ أورَثَ قَلبي

لوعةً ثمَّ كِلاما

Love of him has bequeathed to my heart

Burning anguish, then wounds.

لا أُطيقُ الصَبرَ عنهُ

لا ولَم أَهنا المَناما

I cannot endure separation from him;

No, nor have I enjoyed sleep.

قَد رَماني من لِحاظٍ

شأنُها الفَتكُ سِهاما

He has shot at me, from glances

Whose nature is to kill, arrows.

أَودَعَت قلبيَ حُزناً

ووُلُوعاً وهُياما

They lodged sorrow in my heart,

And passion and love's delirium.

وَجرى دمعِيَ حتَّى

صارَ في الخدِّ حَراما

And my tears flowed until

They became forbidden upon my cheek.

ما تغنِّي الوُرقُ إِلّا

هَيَّجَت مني الغَراما

The gray doves never sing

Without stirring my ardent love;

أو ذَكرتُ الوصلَ إِلّا

وغَدا الدَمعُ انسِجاما

Nor do I recall our union

Without my tears pouring down.

لائِمي في الحبِّ مهلاً

لا تلُم كُفَّ الملاما

You who reproach me for love, be gentle;

Do not blame me; cease your reproach.

أولَعَ الحب بِقَلبي

فَعلَى ماذَا عَلاما

Love has taken hold of my heart;

Then why—why do you reproach me?

لا تَلُمني في هَوى مَن

صارَ لِلبيضِ سِهاما

Do not blame me for loving one

Who has become arrows against fair beauties.

يا لَهُ ظَبيٌ كَحيلٌ

ريقُهُ يحكي المداما

Ah, what a kohl-eyed gazelle he is!

His saliva resembles wine.

ثغرُهُ مثلُ وَمِيضِ الـ

ـبَرقِ إذ لاحَ ابتِساما

His mouth is like the flash of

Lightning when it gleams in a smile.

يَستَعيرُ البدرُ منهُ

وكَذا الشَمسُ التَماما

The full moon borrows from him—

And so does the sun—its perfection.

إن تَثنَّى هزَّ غُصناً

أَو رَنا سَلَّ حُساما

If he sways, he sets a bough trembling;

Or if he gazes, he unsheathes a sword.

يا مَليكَ الحُسنِ صِلنِي

فعَسى تَشفِي السِقاما

O king of beauty, unite with me,

For perhaps you will cure my sickness.

عاجِلاً أو لا فَزُرنِي

يا حَبيبي لَو مَناما

Soon—or if not, then visit me,

O my beloved, if only in a dream.

فُقتَ كلَّ الغِيدِ حُسناً

مثلَ مَن فاقَ الكِراما

You have surpassed all graceful beauties in beauty,

Like one who has surpassed the noble:

ماجِدٌ نَدبٌ أَغَرٌّ

فاضِلٌ فاتَ القحاما

Noble, gallant, radiant,

Virtuous, surpassing the elders.

قَد بَنى بَيتاً مُنيفاً

لِلمَعالي لن يُراما

He has built a lofty house

For high honors, beyond all reach.

وَأشادَ المجدَ طِفلاً

فلهُ أَضحَى غُلاما

He raised up glory while still a child;

So glory became his young servant.

ورَقى في العِلمِ حتَّى

زادَ عِزّاً واحتِراما

And he rose in learning until

He gained greater honor and esteem.

خطَبَ العليا فَلَبَّتـ

ـهُ وَأَعطَتهُ الزِماما

He courted exalted rank, and it answered

Him and handed him the reins.

فَبِها سادَ ذَوِي المَفـ

ـخَرِ فَضلاً ومَقاما

Through it he surpassed men of

Glory in merit and rank.

خِلِّ يا عَبدَ اللطيفِ

هاكَ خُذ مِنِّي نِظاما

My friend, O Abd al-Latif,

Here—take from me a string of verse.

خُذهُ والعيبَ استُرَنهُ

زادَك المَولى احتِشاما

Take it, and conceal its faults;

May the Lord increase your dignity.

ثمَّ بلِّغ يا خَليلي

صاحبَ الفخرِ السَلاما

Then convey, my dear friend,

Greetings to the man of glory.

ذاكَ عبدُ اللَهِ مَن هُو

صارَ في الفَضلِ إِماما

That is Abd Allah, the one who

Has become a leader in excellence.

باسِلٌ في الحَربِ يُدعى

ويَرى الأُسدَ ندامى

He is called valiant in war,

And regards lions as boon companions.

عدلُهُ والجورُ كالصُبـ

ـحِ مَتى وافى الظَلاما

His justice against oppression is like dawn

When it comes upon darkness.

جارُهُ جارٌ عَزيزٌ

فَحشاهُ أن يُضاما

His neighbor is an honored neighbor;

So far be it from him to suffer wrong.

وكَذا المَيمُونُ أعني

وارثَ المَجدِ الهُماما

And likewise the blessed one—I mean

The valiant heir to glory.

يا مُنى نَفسي صِلُونا

وَاصرِموا البَينَ انصِراما

O desires of my soul, unite with us,

And sever separation utterly.

لهفَ نَفسي لِلِقاكُم

لَيتَهُ لَو كانَ داما

How my soul yearns to meet you!

Would that, if it came, it would endure.

وَلكم ربِّي حَباكُم

نعماً منه جِساما

And how often my Lord has bestowed on you

Great blessings from Him!

وصَلاةُ اللَهِ تَغشى

سيِّداً سادَ الأَناما

And may God's blessing enfold

A master who surpassed all humankind,

وَكَذا الصَحبُ وآلٌ

مَن غَدَوا للدِينِ هاما

And likewise the Companions and the family,

Who became the heads of the faith.