عني إليك حوادث الأيام — Abn Almqrb Alaaona

عَنّي إِلَيكِ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ

ما كُلُّ يَومٍ يُستَطاعُ خِصامي

Away from me, vicissitudes of time!

You cannot contend with me every day.

لا تَحسَبي الصَحبَ الَّذينَ عَهِدتِهِم

صَحبي وَلا تِلكَ الخِيامَ خِيامي

Do not think the companions whom you knew

are my companions, or those tents my tents.

أَنا مَن عَرَفتِ فَأَوقِدي نارَ الوَغى

ما بَينَنا وَتَعَرَّفي إِقدامي

I am the one you knew: kindle the fire of war

between us, and learn my daring.

إِن كانَ قَد أَدمى حُسامُكِ مَفرقي

ظُلماً لَسَوفَ تَرَينَ وَقعَ حُسامي

If your sword has bloodied the crown of my head

unjustly, you shall surely see my sword's stroke.

لا يُطمِعَنَّكِ فِيَّ هُلكُ مُقَدَّمٍ

فَالقَوسُ قَوسي وَالسِهامُ سِهامي

Do not let Muqaddam's death embolden you against me:

for the bow is my bow, and the arrows my arrows.

وَمُقَدَّمٌ لا شَكَّ طَودٌ باذِخٌ

يَعلُو عَلى الهَضَباتِ وَالآكامِ

And Muqaddam was, beyond doubt, a towering mountain,

rising above the plateaus and hills.

وَلَقَد فَقَدنا مِنهُ أَروَعَ ماجِداً

سَهلَ الجَنابِ مُؤَدَّبَ الخُدّامِ

Indeed, in him we lost a splendid, noble man,

easy of approach, with well-mannered servants.

كَم مُقلَةٍ ذَرَفَت عَلَيهِ وَكَم حَشىً

لِمَماتِهِ حُشِيَت بِنارِ غَرامِ

How many an eye wept over him, and how many a heart

was filled, at his death, with a fire of anguish!

يا طِيبَ دَولتِهِ الَّتي أَيّامُها

شِيَةُ الزَمانِ وَغُرَّةُ الأَيّامِ

How sweet his reign, whose days

were time's beauty-mark and the white blaze of days!

لَو كانَ يَفدِيهِ الرَدى لَفَدَيتُهُ

بِأَكارمِ الأَخوالِ وَالأَعمامِ

If death would let him be ransomed, I would redeem him

with the noblest of maternal and paternal uncles.

يا شامِتاً جَهلاً بِيَومِ وَفاتِهِ

صَبراً فَما الدُنيا بِدارِ مُقامِ

O you who gloat in ignorance over the day he died,

just wait: this world is no abiding home.

إِن كانَ ذَاكَ العَرشُ ثُلَّ فَقَد رَسى

في إِثرِهِ عَلمٌ مِنَ الأَعلامِ

If that throne was toppled, there stands firm

in its wake a mountain among mountains.

أَو كانَ ذاكَ السَيفُ فُلَّ فَقَد أَتى

سَيفٌ إِذا ما سُلَّ غَيرُ كَهامِ

Or if that sword was blunted, there has come

a sword that, once unsheathed, is never dull.

في أَيِّ يَومٍ لَم نُصَب بِمُتَوَّجٍ

ضَخمِ الدَسيعَةِ صادِقِ الإِقدامِ

On what day have we not been stricken by losing a crowned ruler,

lavish in bounty, unfailing in attack?

لَكِنَّ فينا عِندَ كُلِّ مُصيبَةٍ

تَستَوكِفُ العَبَراتِ صَبرُ كِرامِ

Yet within us, at each calamity

that draws tears, is the patience of noble men.

وَإِذا مَضى مِنّا هُمامٌ ماجِدٌ

لَم يَمضِ إِلّا عَن طَريقِ هُمامِ

And when a noble, valiant man departs from us,

he goes only to make way for another valiant man.

هَل شَدَّ عَقدَ التاجِ بَعدَ مُقَدَّمٍ

إِلّا فَتى قَومي وَسِلكُ نِظامي

Who bound the crown's knot after Muqaddam

but my people's champion, the thread of my necklace?

مَن في المُلوكِ إِذا تُعَدُّ كَفاضِلٍ

لِعَطا الرَغائِبِ أَو لِضَربِ الهامِ

Who among kings, when counted, is like Fadil

in granting coveted gifts or striking heads?

مَلِكٌ إِذا قابَلتَ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ

مُستَجدِياً قابَلتَ بَدرَ تَمامِ

A king: when you face the brightness of his face,

seeking a gift, you face a moon at its full.

وَإِذا نَظَرتَ إِلى اِنهِلالِ يَمينِهِ

يَومَ النَوالِ رَأَيتَ فَيضَ غَمامِ

And when you look upon the outpouring of his right hand

on a day of bounty, you see a cloud's downpour.

وَإِذا اِنتَضى العضبَ المُهَنَّدَ وَاِعِتَزى

أَيقَنت أَنَّ اليَومَ يَومُ صِدامِ

And when he draws the keen Indian-forged sword and proclaims his lineage,

you know for certain that the day is a day of combat.

لَو لَم يَقُم في المُلكِ ضاعَ وَلَم يَعُد

عُمرَ السِنينِ وَمُدَّةَ الأَعوامِ

Had he not taken up kingship, it would have been lost, never to return

through the lifetime of years and the whole span of ages.

يَوماهُ يَومُ نَدىً وَيَومُ وَغىً فَما

دامَت صَوارِمُهُ فَهُنَّ دَوامِ

His days are two: a day of bounty and a day of war; as long

as his keen swords endure, they drip with blood.

وَالكَرُّ بَعدَ الفَرِّ عادَتُهُ إِذا

ضاقَ المَكَرُّ وَقيلَ بِالإِحجامِ

Charging back after retreat is his habit when

the space for charging narrows and men call for retreat.

كَم وَقعَةٍ تَرَكَ العِدى وَجِباهُها

لِلسَيفِ ساجِدَةٌ عَلى الأَقدامِ

In how many a battle has he left his enemies, their foreheads

prostrate to the sword at their feet!

وَلَطالَما خَلّى الرُؤوسَ كَأَنَّها

لِلبُعدِ ساخِطَةٌ عَلى الأَجسامِ

And how often he has left heads as though,

in their separation, they resented their bodies!

طَودٌ إِذا ما الحِلمُ كانَ نَباهَةً

وَإِذا يُهاجُ فَأَيُّ لَيثِ زِحامِ

A mountain when forbearance is distinction;

but when provoked, what a lion in the press of battle!

أَمضى عَلى الأَهوالِ مِن ذي رَونَقٍ

صافي الحَديدَةِ مِخذَمٍ صَمصامِ

Keener amid terrors than a gleaming blade

of pure steel, cleaving and unbending.

مُتَوَقِّدُ العَزَماتِ تَأبى نَفسُهُ

لَغوَ الحَديثِ وَمَجلِسَ الآثامِ

His resolves are aflame; his soul rejects

idle talk and gatherings of sin.

لَو أَنَّ لِلعَضبِ المُهَنَّدِ عَزمَهُ

لَأَراكَ كَالشَمّامِ صَخرَ شَمامِ

Had the keen Indian-forged sword his resolve,

it would show you Shamam's rock as though it were melon.

لَو أَنَّ لِلضِرغامِ بَعضَ إِبائِهِ

لَاِستَبدَلَ الآكامَ بِالآجامِ

Had the lion a little of his proud defiance,

it would forsake the thickets for the hills.

لَو أَنَّ لِلبَحرِ الخِضَمِّ سَماحَهُ

لَغَدا مَقِيلَ العِينِ وَالآرامِ

Had the vast sea his generosity,

it would become a noonday resting-place for wild cattle and gazelles.

ما حاتِمٌ في الجُودِ يَعدِلُهُ وَلا

كَعبٌ وَلا قَيسٌ أَبُو بِسطامِ

Hatim does not equal him in generosity, nor

Ka'b, nor Qays Abu Bistam.

إِقدامُ جَسّاسٍ وَعِزَّةُ هانِئٍ

وَعَفافُ بِسطامٍ وَنَفسُ عِصامِ

His are the daring of Jassas and the proud dignity of Hani',

the chastity of Bistam and the spirit of Isam.

مِن مَعشَرٍ بِيضِ الوُجُوهِ أَعِزَّةٍ

سُمحٍ عَلى العِلّاتِ غَيرِ لِئامِ

He comes from a people bright of face and mighty,

generous despite adversity, never base,

وَقِرى النُفوسِ إِذا تَحَطَّمَتِ القَنا

في الدارِعينَ وَفَرَّ كُلُّ مُحامِ

and lavish with their lives when lances shatter

against armored men and every defender flees.

لا يَفزَعُونَ إِذا الصَريخُ دَهاهُمُ

إِلّا إِلى الإِسراجِ وَالإِلجامِ

They seek no recourse, when a cry for help assails them,

except in saddling and bridling.

وَإِذا الرِجالُ تَحَلَّلَت آراؤُها

كانُوا وُلاةَ النَقضِ وَالإِبرامِ

And when men's counsels fall apart,

they hold the power to unbind and bind.

وَإِذا السُنونُ تتَابَعَت أَلفَيتَهُم

كَنزَ العُفاةِ وَكافِلي الأَيتامِ

And when years of famine follow one another, you find them

a treasure for petitioners and guardians of orphans.

مَلَكُوا الأَقاليمَ العِظامَ وَأَهلَها

بِالمُرهَفاتِ البيضِ لا الأَقلامِ

They conquered great regions and their people

with keen white blades, not pens.

وَتَفَيَّحُوا كُلَّ البِلادِ وَسُيِّرَت

أَخبارُهُم في مَغرِبٍ وَشَآمِ

They spread throughout all lands, and abroad were borne

their tidings, in the west and Sham.

إِن فُوخِرُوا جاؤُوا بِفَضلٍ ذي النَدى

وَبِجَعفَرٍ وَشَبِيبٍ القَمقامِ

If challenged in boasting, they bring forth Fadl, the bountiful,

and Ja'far, and Shabib the mighty chief,

وَأَبى سِنانٍ وَاِبنِهِ وَمُحمَّدٍ

مُدني اليَسارِ وَمُبعِدِ الإِعدامِ

and Abu Sinan, his son, and Muhammad,

who brings wealth near and banishes destitution.

يا اِبنَ المُلوكِ النازِلينَ مِنَ العُلى

في كُلِّ ذِروَةِ غارِبٍ وَسَنامِ

O son of kings who dwell, among the heights,

on every crest of withers and hump,

يَفديكَ لِلعَلياءِ كُلُّ مُضَلَّلٍ

أَعمى عَنِ المَعرُوفِ أَو مُتَعامِ

may every misguided man be your ransom for glory,

blind to goodness or feigning blindness.

وَليَهنِكَ المُلكُ الَّذي أَسَّستَهُ

بِالكُرهِ مِن شانيكَ وَالإِرغامِ

May the kingship you founded bring you joy,

against your hater's will and to his humiliation.

وَاِرفَع وَضَع وَاِقطَع وَصِل وَاِمنَع وَهَب

وَاِنفَع وَضُرَّ وَقُم وَسامِ وَرامِ

Exalt and abase, sever and join, withhold and give;

help and harm, stand firm, vie for glory, and trade arrows.

وَاِخفِض جَناحَكَ لِلعَشيرَةِ وَاِرعَها

بِرِعايَةِ الإِجلالِ وَالإِعظامِ

Lower your wing to the clan, and tend it

with care that honors and reveres.

وَاِشدُد يَداً بِأَبي قِناعٍ إِنَّهُ

نِعمَ المُحامي دُونَها وَالحامي

Strengthen your hand with Abu Qina', for he

is a fine defender on its behalf, and its protector.

وَاِشكُر لَهُ السَعيَ الَّذي اِنقادَت بِهِ

لَكَ وُلد سامٍ حَيثُ شِئتَ وَحامِ

Thank him for the striving through which there submitted

to you, wherever you wished, the children of Shem and Ham.

وَاِرضَ الَّذي يَرضى وَقَدِّم أَمرَهُ

وَأَطِعهُ طاعَةَ مُقتَدٍ لِإِمامِ

Approve what he approves, and give his command precedence;

obey him as a follower obeys an imam.

وَأَبُو قِناعٍ غَيرُ نِكسٍ إِن عَرى

خَطبٌ شَديدُ الأَخذِ بِالأَكظامِ

Abu Qina' is no weakling when there strikes

a calamity that grips fiercely at the throats.

الطاعِنُ الفُرسانَ كُلَّ مُرِشَّةٍ

تَنثاعُ مِن خَلفٍ وَمِن قُدّامِ

He pierces horsemen with wounds that all spurt blood,

gushing from behind and from before;

وَالمُطعِمُ الضِيفانَ مِن قَمَعِ الذُرى

عَبطاً إِذا ما ضُنَّ بِالجُلّامِ

and feeds his guests on camels with drooping humps,

slaughtered sound, when even young goats are grudged.

أَحيا جُرَيّاً في السَماحَةِ وَاِبتَني

شَرَفاً أَنافَ عُلىً عَلى بَهرامِ

He revived Jurayy in generosity, and built himself

an honor that towered high above Bahram.

لَم يَبقَ في حَيّي نِزارٍ مِثلُهُ

لِسَدادِ ثَغرٍ أَو لِعَقدِ ذِمامِ

No equal of his remains among Nizar's two tribes

to close a frontier breach or bind a pact of protection.

يُنمى إِلى الشُمِّ الغَطارِفِ وَالذُرى

مِن حارِثٍ وَالسادَةِ الحُكّامِ

His descent is traced to the proud, noble chiefs and summits

of Harith, and to the lordly rulers.

وَلِحارِثٍ عُرِفَت رِئاسَةُ عامِرٍ

في جاهِلِيَّتِها وَفي الإِسلامِ

Harith's leadership over Amir was acknowledged

in its pre-Islamic days and in Islam.

لَيسُوا كَقَومٍ كُلُّ ما عُرِفُوا بِهِ

ثِقلُ النُفوسِ وَخِفَّةُ الأَحلامِ

They are not like a people whose only known traits

are heavy souls and lightweight minds.

لا زلتَ مَحرُوسَ الجَنابِ مُؤَيَّداً

بِالنَصرِ مَحبُوّاً بِكُلِّ مَرامِ

May you ever be guarded on all sides, supported

by victory, endowed with all you seek.