أثار الهوى سجع الحمام المغرد — Abn Razakh

أَثارَ الهَوى سَجعُ الحَمامِ المُغَرِّدِ

وَأَرَّقَني الطَيفُ الَّذي لَم أُطَرِّدِ

The cooing of the singing doves stirred love,

and the apparition I did not drive away kept me sleepless,

وَمَسرى نَسيمٍ مِن أُكَينافِ حائِلٍ

وَبَرقٍ سَقى هاميهِ بُرقَةَ ثَهمَدِ

as did a breeze's night passage from the little outskirts of Ha'il,

and lightning whose pouring rain watered Burqat Thahmad,

وَذِكرُ الَّتي في القَلبِ خَيَّمَ حُبُّها

وَأَلبَسَني قَهراً غُلالَةَ مُكمِدِ

and remembrance of her whose love encamped in my heart

and forcibly clothed me in a grief-stricken man's tunic.

فَبِتُّ أُقاسي لَيلَةً نابِغِيَّةً

تُعَرِّفُني هَمَّ السَليمِ المُسَهَّدِ

So I spent a night like al-Nabigha's, suffering,

learning the anguish of a sleepless, snake-bitten man.

طَويلَةَ أَذيالِ الدُجى دَبَّ نَجمُها

إِلى الغَربِ مَشيَ الحائِرِ المُتَرَدِّدِ

Long were its trailing skirts of darkness; its star crept

westward with the gait of a bewildered, wavering man.

وَيُزعِجُ وُرّادَ الكَرى دونَ مُقلَتي

بُعوثُ غَرامٍ مِن لَدُن أُمِّ مَعبَدِ

And sleep's visitors are repelled before they reach my eye

by detachments of love sent from Umm Ma'bad.

بِنَفسِيَ عُرقوبِيَّة الوَعدِ ما نَوَت

وَإِن حَلَفَت قَطُّ الوَفاءِ بِمَوعِدِ

My life for her, an 'Urqub in promises! She never intended,

even under oath, to keep a tryst.

تَرُدُّ إِلى دينِ الصَبابَةِ وَالصِبا

فُؤادَ الحَليمِ الراهِبِ المُتَعَبِّدِ

She brings back to the religion of yearning and youthful passion

the heart of the forbearing, worshipful monk.

وَتَقصُدُ في قَتلِ الأَحِبَّةِ قُربَةً

بِشِرعَةِ دَيّانِ الهَوى المُتَأَكِّدِ

She seeks in killing lovers a devotional offering,

according to the law of love's firmly established sovereign.

فَتاةٌ حَكاها فَرقَدُ الجَوِّ مَنظَراً

كَما ناسَبَتها نَظرَةً أُمُّ فَرقَدِ

A maiden whom the sky's Farqad star resembles in appearance,

just as a wild cow, mother of a calf, matches her gaze.

مُهَفهَةُ الكَشحَينِ لَم يَدرِ طَرفُها

مِنَ الكُحلِ الخَلقِي ما كُحلُ إِثمِدِ

Slender at both flanks, her eyes have never known,

so naturally dark-lined are they, what antimony kohl is.

إِذا ما تَثَنَّت وَاِسبَكَرَّ قَوامُها

عَلِمتَ بِأَنَّ البانَ لَم يَتَأَوَّدِ

Whenever she sways and her figure stretches upright,

you know the ban tree has never swayed.

وَخاطَبَ قاضي شِرعَةِ الشَكلِ رِدفَها

إِذا ما أَقامَ العِطفَ مِنها بِأُقعُدِ

The judge of the law of proportion addresses her hips,

when she straightens her side, with 'Sit down!'

غَضوبٌ أَرَتها نَخوَةٌ في عِظامِها

أَنِ الوَصمُ وَصلُ العاشِقِ المُتَوَدِّدِ

Quick-tempered, pride in her very bones has taught her

that union with an affectionate lover is a disgrace.

عَلى نَحوِها تَأبى الخَليل تَأَنُّقاً

وَشُحّاً بِرَشفٍ مِن لَماها المُبَرِّدِ

In her own fashion, she rejects a lover through fastidiousness,

begrudging a sip from the cooling darkness of her lips.

إِذا ما تَرَضّاها تَسامَت بِأَنفِها

صُدوداً وَسامَتني تَجَرُّعَ جُلمُدِ

Whenever he seeks her favor, she lifts her nose

in aversion, and makes me swallow solid rock.

وَأَحرَقَ صَدري ما زَها فَوقَ نَحرِها

وَأَشرَقَ مِن جَمرِ الغَضى المُتَوَقِّدِ

What shone above her throat scorched my chest,

more brilliant than the blazing embers of ghada wood.

سَبَتني فَقَبَّلتُ الثَرى مُتَخَلِّصاً

أَمامَ اِمتِداحِ اِبنِ الشَريفِ مُحَمَّدِ

She took me captive, so I kissed the dust, seeking release,

before praising Muhammad, the sharif's son.

هوَ الوارِثُ الفَضلَ النَبيئِيِّ خالِصاً

مِنَ العِلمِ وَالعُليا وَمِن طيبِ مَحتِدِ

He inherits prophetic excellence in its purity,

in knowledge, lofty rank, and nobility of lineage.

ثِمالُ اليَتامى وَالأَيامى مُوَكَّلٌ

بِتَفريجِ غَمّاءِ الشَجي المُتَنَكِّدِ

A refuge for orphans and those without spouses, entrusted

with lifting the anguish of the sorrowful and distressed.

غَيورٌ إِذا ما الحَقُّ غُيِّرَ مولَعٌ

بِقَطعِ لِسانِ الباطِلِيِّ اليَلندَدِ

Zealous whenever truth is distorted, devoted

to cutting off the tongue of the obstinate champion of falsehood.

أَديبٌ أَريبٌ لَيِّنُ الجَنبِ هَيِّنٌ

وَلَكِن مَتى عادى فَأَيُّ مُشَدِّدِ

Cultured, discerning, gentle in manner, easygoing,

but when he makes an enemy, how formidable he is!

إِذا كَشَفَت عَن ساقِها الحَربُ وَالتَظَت

وَساوَت صَدوقَ المُلتَقى بِالمُفَنَّدِ

When war bares its shin and blazes,

and equates the steadfast in combat with the discredited,

سَقى الرُمحَ مِن نَحرِ العَدُوِّ فَدَيتُهُ

وَقامَ بِحَقِّ المَشرَفِيِّ المُهَنَّدِ

he waters his spear from his enemy's throat—may I be his ransom!—

and does justice to the Mashrafi sword of Indian steel.

أَغَرُّ المُحَيّا ظاهِرُ البِشرِ طاهِرُ الس

سجايا كَريمُ اليَومَ وَالأَمسِ وَالغَدِ

Radiant of face, openly cheerful, pure in his

traits, generous today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

جَزيلُ النَّدى ما أَفَّ في وَجهِ حاجَةٍ

وَلا كَفَّ حاشى جودِهِ مُجتَدِ

Abundant in bounty, he never uttered 'Ugh!' in the face of a need,

nor has a petitioner held back—far be it from his bounty!

كِلا الدّينِ وَالدُّنيا بِهِ اِزدانَ وَاِزدَهى

وَآمَنَ شَرَّ المُبطِلِ المُتَمَرِّدِ

Both religion and the world are adorned by him and shine,

and are safe from the evil of the rebellious champion of falsehood.

فَريدُ العُلى يَقوى لِرِقَّةِ طَبعِهِ

عَنِ الجَمعِ بَينَ الماءِ وَالنارِ في يَدِ

Peerless in loftiness, his refined nature draws strength

from joining water and fire in one hand.

حَميدُ المَعالي سارَ في رُتَبِ العُلى

مِنَ المَجدِ سَيرَ الفائِقِ المُتَفَرِّدِ

Praised for his lofty merits, he advanced through the ranks of greatness

in glory, as an unrivaled, surpassing man advances.

تُساعِدُهُ في ذاكَ نَفسٌ نَفيسَةٌ

تَعُدُّ الثُرَيّا لِلفَتى غَيرَ مَصعَدِ

A precious soul aids him in this,

deeming the Pleiades no ascent for a young man.

دَأَبَت عَلى السَيرِ المُبَرّحِ وَالسُرى

أَجوبُ الفَيافي فَدفَداً بَعدَ فَدفَدِ

I persevered in punishing travel and night journeys,

crossing the wastelands, barren plain after barren plain.

مَهامِه لِلسارينَ فيها تَوَقُّعٌ

لِأَهوالِ أَغوالٍ طَواغيتَ مُرَّدِ

Deserts where night travelers expect

the horrors of ghouls, tyrannical, rebellious fiends.

يَطيرُ لِما يُبدينَهُ مِن تَلَوُّنٍ

شَعاعاً فُؤادُ الضابِطِ المُتَجَلِّدِ

At the changing forms they display, there flies

in scattered fragments the heart of the self-controlled, steadfast man.

إِلى حَضرَةٍ سُنِّيَّةٍ حَسَنِيَّةٍ

مُنيرَةِ آلاءِ الهُدى المُتَصَعِّدِ

Toward a Sunni, Hasanid court,

radiant with the blessings of ascending guidance.

حَوَت شَرَفَ العِلمِ الرَفيعِ عِمادُهُ

إِلى شَرَفِ البَيتِ الكَريمِ المُصَمَّدِ

It holds the honor of knowledge, whose pillar is lofty,

together with the honor of the noble, sought-after house.

فَما تَمَّ إِلّا ثَمَّ فَضلٌ وَلا اِستَوَى

سِوى ما تَحَلَّت مِن كَمالٍ وَسُؤددِ

No excellence was perfected save there, and none stood complete

except the perfection and lordship with which it adorned itself.

وَبَحرِ نَدىً ما لِلفُراتِ اِنسِجامُهُ

وَلا دَجلَةٌ تَحكيهِ فُسحَةَ مَورِدِ

And a sea of bounty whose outpouring the Euphrates cannot match,

nor can the Tigris rival the breadth of its watering place.

فَأَعتادُ مِنهُ ما تَعَوَّدتُ مِن يَدَي

أَبيهِ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ المُؤَيَّدِ

So from him I receive again what I was accustomed to from the hands

of his father, the aided Commander of the Faithful.

هُما والِدٌ ما تُؤِّجَ المُلكَ مِثلُهُ

وَمَولودُ صِدقٍ بِالمَكارِمِ مُرتَدِ

They are a father whose like has never been crowned with kingship,

and a worthy son clothed in noble virtues.

عَظميانِ مَعنِيّانِ بِالدينِ وَحدَهُ

فَأَعطَتهُما الدُّنيا سُلالَةَ مِقوَدِ

Two mighty men concerned with religion alone,

so the world handed them the end of its rein.

فَلا بَرِحا بَدرَينِ عَمَّ سَناهُما

وَبَحرَينِ لا يَعدوهُما قَصدُ مُجتَدِ

May they ever remain two full moons whose radiance spreads everywhere,

and two seas that no petitioner's quest goes beyond.

أُمَكِّنُهُ مِن بكرِ شِعرٍ خَريدَةٍ

نَتيجَةِ فِكرٍ سَلسَلِ الطَبعِ جَيِّدِ

I give him possession of a virgin maiden of verse,

the fruit of excellent thought, smooth in its natural flow.

عَروبٍ عَروسِ الزِيِّ أَندَلُسِيَّةٍ

مِنَ الأَدَبِ الغَضِّ الَّذي رَوضهُ نَدي

Affectionate, bride-attired, Andalusian,

from fresh literature whose garden is dew-moist.

مِنَ اللّاءِ يَستَصيبَنَّ مينَحنَ عَنوَةً

وَيَعهَدنَ في الحَرّاقِ أَطيَبَ مَعهَدِ

Among those who captivate—[wording uncertain]—by force,

and know in al-Harraq the sweetest abode,

وَيَسلُبنَ مَعقولَ اِبنِ زَيدونَ غِبطَةً

بِأُسلوبِ ما يَسقينَ مِن خَمرِ صَرخَدِ

and rob Ibn Zaydun of his reason through admiring envy,

by the way they serve wine from Sarkhad.

مُهَذَّبَةٌ يَستَملِحُ الذِهنُ سِرِّها

وَيَستَعذِبُ اِستِرسالَها ذَوقُ مُنشِدِ

Refined, her secret charms the mind,

and her flowing ease tastes sweet to the reciter.

تَرَقَّت لِما فاقَت وراقَت تَبَرُّحاً

عَلى مُعتَلي بُرجِ البَديعِ المُشَيَّدِ

She rose, excelling and delighting, with passionate intensity,

above one who scales rhetoric's lofty tower.

وَجانَستُها لَفظاً وَمَعنى كَما اِكتَسَت

نَقى السيراءِ البَضَّةُ المُتَجَرِّدِ

I harmonized her words and meanings, just as she clothed herself

in the finest striped silk—the beauty soft in her bare form.

وَقَيَّدتُ فيها غَزلَةً لا يَنالُها

سَوابِقُ فِكرِ السابِقِ المُتَصَيِّدِ

I captured within her a gazelle unreachable

by the fleet thoughts of the foremost hunter.

وَأَودَعتُها مِمّا اِبتَدَعت خُلاصَةً

يُبادِرُها بِالمَدحِ أَلسُنُ حُسَّدِ

And I entrusted her with the essence of what I devised,

which envious tongues hasten to praise.

تَمَنّى العَذارى لَو تَقَلَّدن سِمطَها

مَكانَ عُقودِ الزِبَرجِ المُزبَرجَدِ

Maidens wish they could wear her necklace

instead of necklaces of ornament set with chrysolite.

وَزَخرَفتُها في مَعرِضِ المدحِ رَوضَةً

لِتُسقى بِوَبلٍ مِن نَداهُ مُسَرمَدِ

I embellished her, in the display of praise, as a garden,

to be watered by an everlasting downpour of his bounty.

رَوى أُنُفاً زانَ النَّدى صَفَحاتِها

وَقَلَّدَها أَسلاكَ دُرٍّ مُنَضَّدِ

He watered her, still untouched; dew adorned her expanses,

and strung her with strands of neatly ordered pearls.

أَرَت مِن رَياحينِ الثَناءِ أَنيقَها

وَمِن زَهرِ الأَدابِ ما لَم يُخضَّدِ

She displayed the loveliest fragrant herbs of praise,

and blossoms of literature that had never been broken.

هَدِيَّةٌ مِن كِسرى وَقَيصَرَ عِندَهُ

مِنَ النَزرِ في ذاكَ المَقامِ المُحَمَّدي

A gift from Kisra and Caesar is, in his eyes,

a trifling thing at that station of Muhammad.

تَخادَع وَإِن كُنتَ اللَبيبَ لِبَهرَجِي

وَلا تَنتَقِد يا سَيِّدي وَابنَ سَيِّدي

Pretend to be deceived, though discerning, by my counterfeit wares,

and do not assay them, my lord and son of my lord.

يَميناً بِما أَولاكَ مَولاكَ مِن عُلاً

وَعِز حُلاً فاتَت بَنانَ المُعَدِّدِ

I swear by the lofty rank your Lord has bestowed upon you,

and glory—adornments beyond the fingers of anyone counting—

لَطابَعتَ وَسمَ الفاطِمي وَسمتَهُ

فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالإِمامِ المُجَدِّدِ

you have surely matched the Fatimi's mark and bearing.

Welcome, then, to the renewing imam!

تَهَنَّأَ عَلى رَغمِ الحَسودِ وَذُلِّهِ

لِذاكَ الكَمالِ الصِرفِ وَاِسعَد وَأَسعِدِ

Take delight, to the chagrin and humiliation of the envious,

in that unalloyed perfection; be happy and make others happy.

وَأَبجِح وَأَهلِك وَاِملِكِ الأَرضَ كُلَّها

فَأَنتَ وَلِيُّ العَهدِ وَاِغوِر وَأَنجِدِ

Exult, destroy, and rule the whole earth,

for you are the heir apparent; enter the lowlands and uplands.

وَشَرِّق وَغَرِّب فَالبِلادُ مَشوقَةٌ

بِما سَوفَ تُجبي وَاِشكُرِ اللَهِ وَاِحمَدِ

Go east and west, for the lands are longing

for what you will collect; thank God and praise Him.