Poems
- أأمسي في جوار الغثي عطشىShall I spend the evening thirsty beside the rain,
- أبدى عذارك إذ تبدىYour cheek-down, when it appeared, revealed
- أبى جلد أن أحمل البين والقلىMy patient heart refused to bear estrangement and anguish
- أترحل يا ربيع ولا ربيعWill you depart, O Rabīʿ, leaving no spring
- إذا لاح برق من جنابك لامعWhen gleaming lightning flashes from your quarter,
- أظبى سيوف أم عيون العينAre these sword-edges, or the eyes of wide-eyed beauties?
- أعلمت بعدك وقفتي بالأجرعDid you know, after your departure, of my vigil at al-Ajra‘,
- أفي كل يوم فرقة ونزوحDoes every day bring parting and departure,
- ألا يا ناصر الدين المرجىAh, O Nasir al-Din, in whom hope is placed
- الذنب ذنب طرفيThe fault is my gaze's fault
- النور نور اِبتسامThe light is the light of a smile;
- أما كفاك تلافي في تلافيكماHas my ruin in saving you both not sufficed you?
- أما وجفونك المرضى الصحاحWith your sick, tired eyelids, and your drunken glances
- أمأتم هذه الأيام أم عيدAre these days a festival or Eid
- أهلاً بها وبما أتتنما تحملWelcome to her and to what she came to us bearing,
- أوجدي كذا أم هكذا كل من يهوىIs my passion like this, or is everyone who loves so,
- أيرجع عصر بالجزيرة رائقWill a serene time in al-Jazira return,
- بأبي من لسبته نحلةMay my father be ransom for the one a bee has stung!
- بكا آمناً أن صار ستراً عَلى الحبHe wept, secure that it had become a veil over love.
- تجني فتنكر ما تجني فأنكرهYou reap then deny what you have reaped so I deny it
- تحت الظلام محتجباًConcealed beneath the darkness,
- جمع المحاسن حين عذر خدهHe united every charm when his cheek grew downy,
- حفط اللسان عن القبيح أمانُGuarding the tongue from foul speech brings safety.
- دعني ولا تلحني في دمعي الهتنLeave me, and do not reproach me for my streaming tears.
- سرى عائفاً من عرفه وحليهHe journeyed by night, recoiling from his mane and ornaments.
- سقاها الله منزلة وحياMay God send rain upon that dwelling and its clan—
- سقى دمشق وأياماً مضت فيهاMay Damascus, and the days that passed there, be watered
- سيف بجفنك مغمد مسلولA sword in your eyelid, sheathed yet drawn,
- طرف المحب موكل بعذابهThe lover's eye is entrusted with his torment.
- طوى دارها طي الكتاب المنمنمHe folded her dwelling away like an illuminated book,
- ظبى المواضي وأطراف القنا الذبلThe edges of keen swords and the tips of slender spears
- عاتباه في فرط ظلمي وهجريBoth of you, reproach him for wronging and forsaking me beyond measure,
- عجباً لطيفك حين أسعف موهناHow wondrous your phantom, when it came to my aid at night—
- عيناك عقلة كل سابحYour eyes are a fetter for every swimmer,
- فلا وصلها يبدو فتبلى بلا بلىSo no union with her is in sight, and she wastes away without decay;
- قالوا سلا صدقواThey said, 'He has forgotten.' They spoke the truth—
- قطعت يد قطعت ذوائب شعرهMay the hand that cut the tresses of his hair be severed!
- كم بين أجفانك من صارمHow many sharp swords lie between your eyelids,
- كم في العذار إلى العذال من عذرHow many excuses his cheek-down offers the reproachers!
- لا يبخلون بزادهم عن سائلThey do not withhold their provisions from one who asks,
- لنا التهنئات وفرط الجذلOurs are the congratulations and overflowing joy,
- لو أن ممرضه بالهجر عايدهIf the one who sickened him with estrangement visited him
- لو حث غيثاً على اسعاده قسمIf an oath could urge rain to come to its aid,
- لولا الرقيب غداة زموا الأينقاHad it not been for the watcher that morning they bridled the she-camels,
- ما عذر عيني لا تفيض فتسكبWhat excuse has my eye for not overflowing and spilling tears?
- ما كان واشٍ عن تلددهNo talebearer would have told of his restless turning,
- ما نام بعد البين يستحلي الكرىHe never slept after parting, savoring slumber,
- من مجيري من ظالم مستطيلWho will protect me from an overbearing oppressor,
- منك ذاك لشقوتيThat comes from you, to my misery.
- مولاي سعد الدين دعوة آملMy lord Sa'd al-Din, hear a hopeful man's plea
- مولاي لا بت في ضري وفي سهريMy lord, may you never spend a night in my suffering and sleeplessness,
- نفس تؤمل بالغادين تلتحقA soul, hoping to join those departing at dawn,
- هاج لي منك هاجسA thought of you stirred within me,
- هذا هو السعي لا ما يدعي الوانيThis is true endeavor, not what the laggard claims.
- هلت بشائر تاليات بشائرGlad tidings appeared, following glad tidings,
- وأخجلها البراز فألبستهاAnd exposure made her blush, so she was clothed
- وأهيف زاد الوعك سكرة طرفهAnd a slender youth—the fever deepened his gaze’s drunkenness.
- وبالجرع رسم مثل جسمي شاحبAnd at al-Jarʿ, a trace lies pale as my body;
- وذات شجو أسال البين عبرتهاAnd a sorrowful woman, whose tears parting made flow,
- وعد الخيال بأنا جيرة العامThe vision promised that we would be neighbors this year.
- وفستقة شبهتها إذ رأيتهاAnd a pistachio, when I saw it, I likened—
- وميض ثغر يفتر بالثغرA gleam from a mouth smiling at the frontier
- وهيهات لم يعلم بسرك مشفقFar from it! No caring soul has known your secret,
- يا مالكي بعوائد البرO you who possess me through repeated kindness,
- يأبى التأسي انهاء الأسى الجلداGrief, exhausting endurance, refuses consolation,
- يحملني مالا أطيق فأحملHe burdens me with what I cannot bear, so I bear it.
- يضحي يجانبني مجانبة العدىMy friend, though words may fail, goodwill endures.
- يقول وقد عاتبته حين زارنيHe says, after I reproached him when he visited me
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