سلت صوارمها من الأجفان — Abn Nbath

سلّت صوارِمها من الأجفان

فسطت على الآساد والغزلان

She drew her keen swords from her eyelids,

then assailed lions and gazelles.

وتبسَّمت عن لؤلؤٍ متمنع

حتَّى بكيت عليه بالعقيان

And she smiled, revealing unattainable pearls,

until I wept tears of pure gold over them.

غيداء أستجلي البدور لوجهها

إذ ليس حظِّي منه غير عيان

A supple beauty: I seek the full moons to glimpse her face,

since my only share of it is the sight.

تركية للقان ينسب خدُّها

واصبوتي منه بأحمر قاني

A Turkish beauty, whose cheek is ascribed to Qan,

alas for my infatuation with its deep crimson!

خدٌّ يريك تنعماً وتلهباً

يا من رأى الجنات في النيران

A cheek that shows you luxuriance and flame—

O you who have seen gardens amid fires!

ومحاسن تزهو وتخلف عهدها

وكذا يكون الروض ذا ألوان

And charms that flourish proudly and break their pledge:

such, too, is a garden of many hues.

كالجنة الزهراء إلا أنَّ لي

من أدمعي فيها حميماً آن

Like radiant Paradise, except that I have

within it, from my tears, water boiling hot.

يحمي نعيم خدودها أن يحتنى

أو ما سمعت شقائق النعمان

The delight of her cheeks is guarded against being plucked—

or have you not heard of al-Nu‘man's anemones?

ترنو لواحظها إلى عشَّاقها

فتصول بالأسياف في الأجفان

Her sidelong glances turn toward her lovers,

then charge with swords within the eyelids.

ويهزُّ حلو قوامها مرج الصبا

هزَّ الكماة عواليَ المرَّان

The play of the east wind sways her lovely figure,

as warriors shake the tips of ash-wood spears.

إن صدَّها عني المشيب فطالما

عطفت شمائِلها بما أرضاني

If gray hair has turned her from me, how often

her gracious ways bent toward me with what pleased me!

وبلغت ما لا سوّلته شبيبتي

وفعلت ما لا ظنَّه شيطاني

And I attained what my youth had never even suggested,

and did what my devil had never imagined.

وجنيتُ من ثمر الذنوب تعمداً

لما رأيت العفو حظّ الجاني

And I deliberately gathered some of the fruit of sins,

when I saw that pardon was the offender's lot.

وحلبت هذا الدهر أشطر عيشه

فوجدت زبدتها متاعاً فاني

And I milked this age for all the portions of its life,

and found their cream to be a fleeting pleasure.

وسبرت أخلاق الكرام فلم أجد

في الفضل للملك المؤيد ثاني

And I probed the character of the noble, but found

no equal in excellence to King al-Mu’ayyad.

ملكٌ ترنَّحت المنابر باسمه

حتى ادَّكرنَ معاهد الأغصان

A king whose name set the pulpits swaying,

until they recalled their old haunts as branches.

بادي الوقار إذا احتبى وحبا الندى

أبصرت سير السيل من نهلان

Manifest in dignity when he sits with knees clasped; when he bestows bounty,

you see a torrent rushing from Nahlan.

قامت بسؤدده مآثر بيته

وعلى العماد إقامة البنيان

The glories of his house stand upon his nobility,

and upon the pillar rests the raising of the building.

قسماً بمن أعلى وأعلن مجده

وأفاض أنعمه بكلِّ مكان

I swear by Him who exalted and proclaimed his glory,

and poured His blessings forth everywhere:

ما حاد عني الفقر حتى صحت في

مدحي أنا بالله والسلطان

poverty did not turn from me until I cried out in

my praise: 'I rely on God and the sultan!'

فوجدت للنعماء ملء مآربي

ووجدت للأوصاف ملء لساني

And I found blessings enough to fulfill all my wishes,

and qualities enough to fill my tongue.

ومدحت من نشرت مدائح مجده

ذكري فلو لم يعطني لكفاني

And I praised one whose glorious panegyrics spread

my renown; had he given me nothing, that would have sufficed.

ملكاً أبرّ على الأولى متأخراً

عنهم كبسم الله في العنوان

A king who surpassed his predecessors, though he came later

than they, like 'In God's name' in a heading.

تعب الأنامل لا يغبّ نواله

إنَّ العلى والمجد للتعبان

His fingers are weary; his bounty never pauses:

truly, eminence and glory belong to the weary.

أعطى وقد منع الغمام وأرشدت

آراؤه والنجم كالحيران

He gave while the clouds withheld, and guidance came from

his counsels, while the star seemed bewildered.

واعتادت الهيجاء منه غضنفراً

سار من اليزنيَّ في خفَّان

And battle grew accustomed to finding in him a lion,

roaming a Khaffan made of Yazani spears.

تتألف العقبان فوق رماحِه

إلفَ الحمام على غصون البان

Eagles flock together above his spears,

as doves are at home on the branches of ban trees.

ويصحّ علم الكيمياء وسيفه

فترى اللجين يعود كالعقيان

And alchemy's science proves true with his sword,

so you see silver become like pure gold.

ويقول فيض فعاله ومقاله

مرج النهى بحرين يلتقيان

And the outpouring of his deeds and speech proclaims:

'Reason has released two seas that meet.'

يا مشتري سلع الثناء بماله

هنئت مرتبة على كيوان

O buyer of the wares of praise with his wealth,

may you be blessed in your rank above Kaywan!

صانت يداك عن الأنام وسائلي

وثني حماك عن البلاد عناني

Your two hands spared my petitions from other people,

and your sanctuary turned my reins from other lands.

فمحوت إلاَّ من ثناك خواطري

ونفضت إلاَّ من نداك بناني

So I erased all thoughts except those of your praise,

and shook my fingertips clear of all but your bounty.

وتركت مدح العالمين وذمّهم

وشغلت عن هذا الندى في شاني

And I abandoned praising all people and blaming them,

and this bounty kept me from that, occupied with my own affairs.

وأقمت متصل الرجاء بواحدٍ

لم يختلف في الفضل منه اثنان

And I remained, my hope joined to one alone,

whose excellence no two people have disputed.

متسلسل الكلمات في أوصافه

متقيداً بصنائع الإحسان

My words flow in succession in describing him,

while I am bound by acts of kindness.

لا يعدم الدهر الأخير بدائعاً

تنهال بين سماحةٍ وبيان

The later age does not lack marvels,

pouring down between generosity and eloquence.

أكتال بالمكيال فضل هباته

وأبيحه الأمداح بالأوزان

I take his abundant gifts by the measure,

and freely offer him panegyrics by the meter.