طما بحر الهموم به فمادا — Abn Almqrb Alaaona

طَما بَحرُ الهُمومِ بِهِ فَمادا

وَعَوَّضَهُ مِنَ الغمضِ السُهادا

The sea of cares swelled over him and surged,

and exchanged his sleep for sleeplessness.

وَأَنساهُ الصَبابَةَ رَيبُ دَهرٍ

يُجَرِّدُ مِن مَكائِدِهِ عِنادا

The vicissitudes of an age made him forget his longing,

an age that draws obstinate malice from its stratagems.

إِذا قُلت اِرعوى أَبدى غَراماً

وَأَربى في تَخايُلِهِ وَزادا

Whenever I say it has relented, it reveals fresh torment,

and grows still greater in its swaggering pride.

شَكَوتُ الجَورَ وَالعُدوانَ مِنهُ

فَقالَ شَكَوتَ عَدلاً وَاِقتِصادا

I complained of its injustice and aggression,

but it said, 'You complain of justice and moderation.'

وَصَيَّرَني لِما أَلقاهُ أَرضى

مِن التَمرينِ أَسرَتنا وَسادا

It has made me ever more resigned to what I suffer,

a pillow for our beds through long habituation.

أَلا خِلٌّ عَلى الأَيّامِ نَدبٌ

يُشاطِرُني الصَبابَةَ وَالسُهادا

Is there no gallant friend against the days

to share my longing and sleeplessness?

أُعاهِدُهُ بِأَن لا خانَ عَهداً

وَلا جَعَلَ المحالَ لَهُ عَتادا

I would covenant with him, provided he never betrayed a pledge,

nor made deceit his provision.

وَأَنّى لي بِذاكَ وَهَل كَحُرٍّ

أَخِي ثِقَةٍ إِذا ما الأَمرُ آدا

But how could I find that? Is there anyone like a free man,

a trustworthy brother when trouble weighs heavily?

وَأُقسِمُ لَو طَمِعتُ بِهِ بِمصرٍ

لَجُبتُ لَهُ الغَوائِرَ وَالنِّجادا

I swear, if I hoped to find him in Egypt,

I would traverse the lowlands and highlands for him.

قَقَد قَضَّيتُ عُمري في أُناسٍ

يَرَونَ الغَدرَ دِيناً وَاِعتِقادا

For I have spent my life among people

who regard treachery as a religion and a creed.

كَأَنّي بَينَهُم نِضوٌ يُعاني

وَقَد أَفضى بِجَرَّتِهِ اِزدِرادا

Among them I am like a worn-out beast, suffering,

having swallowed down its cud.

أَهيمُ وَلا أَريمُ حذارَ أَمرٍ

يهيجُ بِحامِلِ الدّاءِ الغِدادا

I wander distracted, yet cannot stir, fearing something

that inflames glandular swellings in one already diseased.

أُريهِم مَنطِقاً عَيّاً وَإِنّي

لَأُفحِمُ في بلاغَتِهِ زِيادا

I show them faltering speech, although I

could leave Ziyad speechless for all his eloquence.

وَأُغضي ناظِري حَتّى كَأَنّي

حَديثُ عَمىً يُحرِّجُ أَن يُقادا

I lower my gaze until I seem

newly blind, reluctant to be led.

وَنارُ الزَندِ تُدرِكُها لِحاظي

وَإِن لَم يُورِ قادِحُهُ الزِنادا

My glances detect the fire within the fire-stick,

even when its striker has not kindled the sticks.

وَأُبدي فيهِمُ صَمَماً وَسَمعي

يُحِسُّ النَّملَ إِذ يُخفي السَوادا

I feign deafness among them, though my hearing

can sense an ant even when it hides its dark shape.

سَأُرحِلُها مُجَلَّلَةً بِعَزمٍ

إِذا يُدعى هَلا وَهَبٍ تَمادى

I shall send her forth, mantled in resolve;

when called 'Hala!' and 'Hab!', she presses onward.

وَأُقحِمُها المَهالِكَ لا أُبالي

أَغَيّاً كانَ ذَلِكَ أَم رَشادا

I shall drive her into deadly perils, caring nothing

whether that be folly or sound judgement.

فَفي عُرضِ البَسيطَةِ لي مَجالٌ

إِذا مُتأَجِّمٌ أَلِفَ الوِسادا

Across the breadth of the earth I have room to roam,

when a weary man grows attached to his pillow.

فَإِن أُدرِك مُنايَ فَكَم هُمامٍ

أَفادَ المَجدَ أَن جابَ البِلادا

If I attain my desire, how many a noble man

has gained glory by traversing the lands!

وَإِن أَهلَك فَقَد أَبلَيتُ عُذراً

أَقومُ بِهِ وَلَم آلُ اِجتِهادا

And if I perish, I have made my justification complete,

one I can stand by, having spared no effort.

وَما طَلَبي سِوى لِقيانِ مَلكٍ

يَلوحُ ضِياءُ غُرَّتِهِ اِتِّقادا

My quest is only to meet a king

whose radiant brow shines like fire,

لِأَقضِي بَعضَ واجِبِهِ وَأَحظى

بِلَفظٍ مِنهُ كَالدُرِّ اِنتِقادا

to discharge some duty owed him and obtain

a word from him, as select as a pearl.

يُؤَيِّدُ خاطِري وَيُجيدُ فِكري

وَأَجعَلُهُ لِما أَبني عِمادا

It strengthens my inspiration and improves my thought,

and I make it a pillar for what I build.

وَمَن ينزِل بِشَمسِ الدينِ يَصحَب

عَلى العِلّاتِ بَسّاماً جَوادا

Whoever alights with Shams al-Din finds a companion

who, through every adversity, is smiling and generous.

يُجالِسُ مِنهُ قَعقاعَ بنَ شَورٍ

وَكَعباً مُلبِسَ النَعما إِيادا

In him he sits with Qa'qa' ibn Shawr,

and Ka'b, who clothed Iyad in bounty.

مَليكٌ إِن يَقُل يَفعَل وَإِن يَس

تَزِد مِن نَيلِهِ العافونَ زادا

A sovereign: if he speaks, he acts; and if petitioners seek

more of his bounty, he gives still more.

يُشبِّهُ كَفَّهُ بِالغَيثِ قَومٌ

وَما من رامَ تَشبيهاً أَجادا

Some people compare his palm to rain,

but no one attempting that comparison has done it well.

لَوَ اِنَّ الغَيثَ يُشبِهُ راحَتَيهِ

نَدىً لَم تَحمِلِ الإِبلُ المَزادا

Were the rain to resemble his two palms

in bounty, camels would carry no water-skins.

فَأَبلِغ ساكِنَ الزَوراءِ عَنّي

رِسالَةَ مُخلِصٍ لَهُمُ الوِدادا

Deliver to the dweller in al-Zawra, from me,

a message from one whose affection for them is sincere.

فَإِنّي لَم أَحُطَّ قُيودَ رَحلِي

بِإمَّعَةٍ يُذعلِبُ إِذ يُنادى

For I did not set down the straps of my saddle

with a spineless follower who scurries when called.

وَلَم أَنزِل بِزِعنِفَةٍ لَئيمٍ

يَصُرُّ لِوَفدِهِ النُكدَ الجِلادا

Nor did I alight with a base, insignificant fellow

who binds his scant-milking, sturdy camels' udders against his guests.

وَلَكنّي نَزَلتُ نُزولَ حُرٍّ

بِأَسراها وَأَوراها زِنادا

Rather, I alighted as a free man

with the noblest of them, whose fire-sticks kindle best,

وَأبسطها يَداً وَأَمَدّ باعاً

إِلى العَليا وَأَطوَلِها نِجادا

the most open-handed, with the longest reach

toward eminence, and the longest sword-belt,

وَأَسرَعِها إِلى الغاياتِ سَعياً

عَلى قَدَمٍ وَأَرساها عِمادا

the swiftest in striving toward the goals

on foot, and the firmest in his supporting pillars,

وَأَكرَمِها إِذا ما العامُ أَبدى

لِأَكلِ المالِ أَنياباً حِدادا

the most generous when the year bares

sharp fangs to devour wealth.

وَأَبيَضُ كَالمُهنَّدِ أَيهَمِيٌّ

جَوادٌ ما بَدا إِلّا أَعادا

A bright, lion-hearted man, like an Indian blade,

generous: whenever he begins giving, he gives again.

هُمامٌ سادَ قَبلَ تَمامِ عَشرٍ

وَمَن ذا قَبلَهُ لِلعَشرِ سادا

A noble man who attained lordship before completing ten years—

and who before him attained lordship by ten?

وَقَبلَ الإِحتِلامِ سَقى المَواضي

دَمَ الأَعداءِ ريّاً وَالصِعادا

Before puberty he watered the keen blades

and the lances with their fill of enemies' blood.

وَيَومٌ تَشخَصُ الأَبصارُ فيهِ

وَيُشبِهُ فَحمُهُ اللَيلَ اِسوِدادا

And a day when eyes stared fixedly,

whose charcoal matched the night in blackness:

تَخالُ بِهِ الأَسِنَّةَ لامِعاتٍ

نُجومَ القَذفِ تَطَّرِدُ اِطِّرادا

you would think the shining spearheads there

were shooting stars, streaming one after another.

وَتَحكي الهُندُوانِيّاتِ فيهِ

شَقائِقُ تُمتَرى حَتّى تُصادا

And the Indian blades there resemble

flashes of lightning, coaxed forth until caught.

وَفيهِ تُشبِهُ الراياتُ طَيراً

يُباري النَحلَ تَحسبُهُ جَرادا

There the banners seem like birds

racing the bees—you would think them locusts.

تَلقّاهُ بِعَزمٍ لَو ثَبيرٌ

وَثَهلانٌ بِهِ رُديا لَمادا

He met it with a resolve that, had Thabir

and Thahlan been struck by it, would have made them sway.

وَعامٍ تُلحَدُ الأَحياءُ فيهِ

وَيُنسيها المَآثِرَ وَالمَعادا

And in a year when the living were laid in graves,

and it made them forget noble deeds and the hereafter,

يَظَلُّ بِهِ اللِوى يَنصاعُ حَتّى

كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَلَيسَ بِهِ عدادا

hunger pains kept twisting within a man,

as though venom's recurring pangs were in him, though they were not.

أَقامَ إِلى نَداهُ بِهِ سَبيلاً

يَرى لِلمُعتَفينَ بِهِ اِرتِيادا

He opened in that year a road to his bounty,

where he sees petitioners coming in search of sustenance.

وَعودٌ في البَلاغَةِ ذو فُنونٍ

يُريكَ بِذِهنِهِ إِرمَاً وَعادا

And many a veteran of eloquence, skilled in many arts,

whose mind can show you Iram and 'Ad,

تَوَهَّمَهُ وَلَم يَلفِظ بِحَرفٍ

فَما أَبدى لَدَيهِ وَلا أَعادا

has merely thought of him, yet uttered not one letter,

neither beginning nor repeating a word before him.

وَأَحمَقَ مارِقٍ ناوى عُلاهُ

لِيُدرِكَها فَعادَ وَما أَفادا

And many a foolish rebel sought to rival his heights,

to reach them, but returned having gained nothing.

إِذا أَعداؤُهُ ذكرَتهُ باتَت

كَأَنَّ عَلى مَضاجِعِها القَتادا

When his enemies mention him, they pass the night

as though thorn branches lay upon their beds.

تُقلِّبُ رَأيَها بَطناً وَظَهراً

فَلا خَطاً رَأَتهُ وَلا سَدادا

They turn their counsel over, inside and out,

discerning neither error in it nor sound judgement,

حذارَ مُعاوِدِ الهَيجا لَجوجٍ

يَعُدُّ لَجاجَةَ السَرَفِ اِقتِصادا

in fear of one who returns stubbornly to battle,

reckoning extravagant persistence mere moderation.

جَرِيءٌ لَم يَصُل إِلّا أَرَتهُ

أُسودَ الغابِ صَولَتُهُ نِقادا

A daring man: whenever he charges, he is shown

the forest's lions as lambs by his own onslaught.

بَنى بِالبَصرَةِ الفَيحاءِ سُوراً

يُضاهي السَدَّ سَبكاً وَاِنعِقادا

He built a wall in spacious Basra

that rivals the barrier in casting and cohesion.

وَأَيَّدَهُ بِمِثلِ اللَهبِ تَأبى

عَلى الأَيّامِ صُفَّتُهُ اِنهِدادا

He strengthened it with the like of flame; its structure

defies collapse throughout the ages.

وَزَيَّنَها بِأَسواقٍ أَرانا

بِها كُلَّ البِلادِ لَها سَوادا

He adorned it with markets, showing us

through them all other lands as its hinterland.

وَأَروى أَهلَها عَذباً فُراتاً

وَلَم يَنفَح لَها عَذبٌ فُؤادا

He quenched its people's thirst with sweet, fresh water,

where no sweet water had refreshed a heart.

وَكَم مِن مَشهَدٍ وَرِباطِ عَدٍّ

وَمَدرَسَةٍ بَنى وَهُدىً أَفادا

How many a shrine and enduring lodge,

and school he built, and how much guidance he bestowed!

وَجامِعُها المُعَظَّمُ إِذ تَداعى

وَقالَ القائِلونَ عَفا وَبادا

When its revered congregational mosque fell into ruin,

and people said it had vanished and perished,

أَقامَ لَهُ إِلى الأَهوازِ عِيراً

صِلاداً تَحمِلُ الصُمَّ الصِلادا

he dispatched for it a caravan to Ahwaz,

sturdy beasts carrying solid, hard stones.

وَلِلشِيزى إِلى شيرازَ نُجباً

كَمِثلِ الهُضبِ أَجساداً وَآدا

And for shiza timber he sent choice camels to Shiraz,

like rocky hills in body and strength.

وَبَثَّ بِكُلِّ بَحرٍ مُنشآتٍ

تَفوتُ بِطَيِّها الجُردَ الجِيادا

He sent ships across every sea,

outstripping sleek, swift steeds as they folded up distance.

فَحينَ بَكى المُزاود لَيسَ فيها

تَرى أَمتاً يَشينُ وَلا اِتِّئادا

So when the rival giver wept, you could find in it

no disfiguring unevenness, nor any delay.

وَما مِن جَوهَرٍ إِلّا وَأَجرى

بِهِ مِن صَفوِ جَوهَرِهِ مِدادا

There was no precious substance but he set flowing

through it ink from the purity of his own substance.

فِعالُ مُجاهِدٍ في اللَهِ بَدلٍ

مِنَ الأَبدالِ قَولاً وَاِعتِقادا

These are the acts of one who strives for God, a saint

among the Abdal, in word and conviction.

فَها هُوَ لَو خَوارِزمٌ رَآهُ

لَأَصغَرَ قَصرَهُ اللَّذ كانَ شادا

Here it stands: if Khwarazm saw it,

he would think little of the palace he had raised.

فَتيهي أَيُّها الرَعناءُ عُجباً

بِهِ وَتَناوَلي السَبعَ الشِدادا

So exult in pride, O al-Ra'na,

because of him, and reach for the seven mighty heavens.

فَقَد صارَت شُهورُكِ مُذ تَوَلّى

رَبيعاً لا تُمرُّ بهِ جُمادى

Your months, since he took charge, have become

one spring through which no Jumada passes.

فِدىً لَكَ باتَكينُ نُفوسُ قَومٍ

أَجابُوا اللُؤمَ طَوعاً وَاِنقِيادا

May the souls of those people be your ransom, Batakin,

who answered baseness willingly and submissively.

إِنِ اِستَمرَيتَ أَسمَحَهُم فَباباً

تُعَوَّرُ إِذ تَسُدّ بِهِ الوِدادا

If you try to milk their most generous, it is a door

you breach, while with it you shut out affection.

وَإِن يَوماً دَعَوتَهُمُ لِحَربٍ

أَثَرتَ لِيَومِ عاصِفَةٍ رَمادا

And if one day you summon them to war,

you stir up ashes for a day of tempest.

فَدونَكَ عَذبَةَ الأَلفاظِ جاءَت

بِنورٍ ساطِعٍ يَغشى البِلادا

Take this poem of sweet words: it has come

with a radiant light that covers the lands.

تُريكَ سُطورُها وَاللَيلُ داجٍ

فَريدَ الدُرِّ مَثنىً أَو فُرادى

Its lines show you, while the night is dark,

choice pearls, in pairs or singly.

لَوِ اِجتازَت بِسامِعَتَي جَريرٍ

لَقامَ لَها جَلالاً وَاِستَعادا

If it passed through Jarir's two ears,

he would rise in reverence and ask to hear it again.

وَلَستُ بِحالِبٍ لِسِواكَ شِعراً

فَأَخشى مِن تَعَرُّضِهِ الكَسادا

I am not one to milk poetry for anyone but you,

and so have cause to fear it would go unsold when offered.

أَبَت لِي ذاكَ آباءٌ كِرامٌ

إِذا وُلِدَ اِمرُؤٌ مِنهُم أَفادا

Noble forefathers forbade me that,

among whom every man born brought benefit.

وَنَفسٌ لا تُريعُ لوِردِ سُوءٍ

تُعابُ بِهِ وَلَو ماتَت جَوادا

And a soul that will not turn to a foul watering-place

to be shamed thereby, even if it dies of thirst.

بَقيتَ بَقاءَ ذِكرِكَ في المَعالي

فَلَيسَ أَرى عَلَيهِ مُستَزادا

May you endure as long as your memory among noble deeds,

for I see nothing beyond it to ask for.

وَعاشَ عَدُوُّ مَجدِكَ لا يُنادي

عَلى طُولِ الحَياةِ وَلا يُنادى

And may the enemy of your glory live, calling no one

throughout his long life, and called by none.