اجدك هل لي من هواك مجير — Abi Al Mahasin

اجدّك هل لي من هواك مجير

فايسر شجوى لوعة وزفير

Truly, is there anyone to shield me from loving you?

For the least of my grief is burning anguish and sighs.

اسامر في ليل التمام نجومه

وكل شجيّ للنجوم سمير

In the longest night, I keep its stars company,

and every grieving soul is a companion to the stars.

وقد منعوا طيف الخيال فلا الكرى

يلم ولا طيف الحبيب يزور

They have barred the phantom of fancy, so neither sleep

draws near, nor does the beloved's phantom visit.

وآخر عهدي يوم برقة عالج

وهوج المطايا بالظعون تسير

My last meeting was on the day at Barqat ʿAlij,

as headstrong riding-camels traveled with the departing women.

حمائل يحملن الحسان كأنها

دمى وكأن اليعملات قصور

Burden-bearers carrying the beauties, as though they were

figurines, and as though the swift she-camels were palaces.

تهز غصون البان وهي معاطف

وتجلو رياض الحزن وهي خدور

They sway ban-tree boughs that are really supple bodies,

and unveil upland gardens that are really curtained chambers.

فلم أدر والأشباه تشكل منظراً

أتلك ظباء أم كواعب حور

I could not tell, with likenesses confusing the sight,

whether those were gazelles or full-breasted, lustrous-eyed maidens.

ولما وقفنا للوداع بذي النقى

نعرَّ بالشكوى لهم ونشير

And when we stood for farewell at Dhu al-Naqa,

voicing our complaints to them and gesturing,

وفي القلب من برح الصبابة لاعج

له بين أثناء الضلوع سعير

in my heart was a burning from the torment of longing,

its blaze among the folds of my ribs.

وقد أشرقت للناظرين طوالعاً

بدور لها فوق الحدوج سفور

Before the onlookers there rose, shining,

full moons unveiled above the howdahs.

جرت لمراعاة النضير مدامعي

نجوماً فلاحت أنجم وبدور

My tears flowed as I gazed upon that radiant beauty,

as stars, so stars and full moons shone.

عشية اقصدن الحشا بنوافذ

من اللحظ في قلب الرمي تغور

That evening they fatally struck my heart with piercing shafts

of glances that sink into the heart of their target.

فلم نر أمضى من سهام كليلة

ينصلها سحر بها وفتور

We have seen nothing sharper than blunt arrows,

tipped by the enchantment and languor within them.

واقسم لولا ان ينم مراقب

ولوع بنا أو يستريب غيور

And I swear, were it not that a watcher might tell tales,

obsessed with us, or a jealous man grow suspicious,

جنى عاشق نوري اقاح ونرجس

وما هو الا اعين وثغور

a lover would pluck two blossoms, daisies and narcissus,

yet they are nothing but eyes and mouths.

وهل يسلم العيش الرغيد من الأذى

ويصفو لابناء الزمان سرور

Can easy living remain free from harm,

and joy stay unclouded for the children of Time?

إذا ما حلا عيش اتى الدهر دونه

فاصبح حلو العيش وهو مرير

Whenever living grows sweet, Time intervenes,

and sweet living becomes bitter.

ومن شيمتي ان لا اقر ظلامة

وان لم يكن الا الحسام نصير

It is my nature never to accept injustice,

even if my only ally is the sharp sword.

واهجر عذب الماء ان هان ورده

فاظمأ أو يروى الغليل هجير

I forsake sweet water if reaching it entails humiliation,

and thirst until the noonday heat can slake my thirst.

وان فتى يأبى له الضيم

بمثل أبائي للهوان جدير

And a man who will not endure oppression

deserves a refusal of abasement like my own.

فتى مطرت تبراً سحابة جوده

فكل مقل بالنضار مطير

A man whose cloud of generosity has rained unminted gold,

so every poor man is showered with pure gold.

ولو وسعت أمواله جود كفه

لأعوز بين الخافقين فقير

Were his riches ample enough for his hand's generosity,

no pauper could be found between East and West.

وأبلج وضاح لطلعة وجهه

ضياء به أفق السماح منير

A radiant, resplendent man, whose countenance has

a light that illumines the horizon of generosity.

ينيلك قبل العرق بشراً ففي الندى

وفي الخلق منه روضة وغدير

He grants you cheer before you sweat; in his bounty

and his character are a garden and a pool.

كفى المحل ان تنهل كفاه بالندى

فيخلف نزر الغاديات غزير

Against drought, it is enough that his two hands pour bounty,

and copious rain replaces the scant morning showers.

نوافله للمجتدين مقيمة

فسيان منه غيبة وحضور

His gifts remain available to petitioners,

so his absence and his presence are alike.

فتى يشتري حسن الثناء ومجده

خليق بأعلاق الثناء جدير

A man who purchases fine praise, whose glory

deserves, and is worthy of, praise's precious treasures.

وما تخصب الآمال ألا بريعه

فما بلد فيه الخصيب أمير

Hopes flourish only on his ground;

what, then, of a land where al-Khasib is emir?

فروع لابكار العلى لا يصدّه

عن الوصل ان تغلو لهن مهور

A conqueror of glory's virgins, not deterred

from union even if their dowries grow costly.

صفوح عن الجاني ولو شاء ما جنى

عليه ولكن الحليم غرور

Forgiving toward the offender—had he wished, none would have wronged

him; yet forbearance invites false confidence.

إذا احفظته خطأة هاج ضيغماً

له في حمى المجد الاثيل زئير

When wrongdoing angers him, he rouses as a lion,

with a roar in the sanctuary of deep-rooted glory.

ويطربه حسن الثناء كأنما

ادار له كأس المدام مدير

Fine praise delights him as though

a cupbearer had passed him a cup of wine.

نفت عنه ذم الحاسدين شمائل

لها ذائد عن ذمه وخفير

His virtues drove away from him the reproach of the envious;

they have a defender and a guardian against disparaging him.

رأوا نعماً كانت شجاً لصدورهم

فلا برحت تغلي عليه صدور

They saw blessings that lodged like choking bones in their breasts;

may their breasts never cease seething against him.

هم اضمروا غيظاً فعاقبهم به

رميض جوى يطوى عليه ضمير

They hid their rage, and for it they were punished

by scorching anguish enfolded within the heart.

نمته إلى العلياء اطيب دوحة

لها ثمر داني القطوف نضير

The finest tree raised him to the heights,

with fresh fruit whose clusters are within reach.

من النفر البيض الذين وجوههم

إذا ما دجا ليل الخطوب بدور

Of those bright-faced men whose faces,

when the night of calamities darkens, are full moons.

بها ليل ان خاضوا الحروب فانهم

ليوث وان سيلو الندى فبحور

Noble men: if they plunge into wars, they are

lions; and if asked for bounty, seas.

وفي كل عصر منهم فرد دهره

فلم تخل منهم أعصر ودهور

In every age one of them is the peerless man of his time;

no era or age has been without them.

إذا نقل الراوون أخبار فضلهم

تضوع مسك نافح وعبير

When narrators relate accounts of their merit,

fragrant musk and blended perfume waft forth.

أبا أحمد أنت المؤمل ان عدت

عوادي زمان بالكرام تجور

Abu Ahmad, you are our hope when they assail—

the ravages of Time, wronging the noble.

ونعم الربيع الطلق أنت إذ التظت

محول وهبّت شمأل ودبور

What a fine, gentle spring you are when they blaze—

the droughts—and north and west winds blow.

فظلك للضاحي عن الظل سجسج

ووردك للواري الغليل نمير

Your shade is temperate for one exposed to the sun,

and your water wholesome for one burning with thirst.

أتتك القوافي الغرّ تزهو كأنها

رياحين روض تجتنى وزهور

Radiant rhymes have come to you, proudly flourishing, as though they were

fragrant garden herbs for plucking, and flowers.

يضيء دجى الافهام ساطع نورها

وفي قول ارباب البراعة نور

Their shining light illumines the darkness of minds;

and there is light in the speech of masters of eloquence.

وكان بها مثل الشماس فرضتها

فقرّ شماس واطمأن نفور

They had a kind of unruliness, so I tamed them,

then unruliness settled and skittishness grew calm.

أنا الذهب الابريز طبعاً وفكرة

فلا بدع ان تهدى إليك شذور

I am pure gold by nature and in thought,

so it is no wonder that gold fragments are offered to you.

فصن حسنها من ان يذال فقدرها

لدى ناقدي در الكلام خطير

Guard their beauty from debasement; their worth

is great in the eyes of the appraisers of speech's pearls.

وماذا عسى ان يدرك المجد غاية

وفي كل مدح عن علاك قصور

And what limit could glory ever reach,

when every praise falls short of your heights?

بقيت بقاء الشمس في كبد السما

يرد سناك الطرف وهو حسير

May you endure as the sun endures in the heart of the sky,

your radiance turning back the weary gaze.