Sol 6.1

  1. ومُدامةٍ أغنَتْ عن المصباحِ

    يلقى المساءَ إناؤُها بِصَبَاحِ

    And a wine that dispensed with the lamp,

    whose vessel meets the evening with a morning.

  2. لطفتْ مسالكها وخُصَّ مَحَلُّها

    فكأنها انْشَقَّتْ من الأرواحِ

    Its pathways grew subtle, its dwelling was set apart,

    as though it had been split off from spirits.

  3. تجلو السرور على الفتى في قلبه

    والحسنَ في الكاساتِ والأقداحِ

    It makes joy shine in the young man's heart,

    and beauty in the cups and goblets.

  4. أَعَليُّ لا أخطأْتَ قصدَ سبيلها

    ورُزِقْتَ فيها طاعة النُّصَّاحِ

    O Ali, may you never miss the straight course of its path,

    and may you be granted obedience to good advisers concerning it.

  5. أَعَليُّ لا فارقْتَ ظلَّ سعادةٍ

    أبداً ولا أخطأتَ بابَ فلاحِ

    O Ali, may you never leave the shade of happiness,

    ever, nor miss the gate of success.

  6. بَكَر الشَّبابُ على الحياة وليتَهُ

    بعْدَ البُكُور مُسَاعِفٌ برواحِ

    Youth came to life at dawn—would that it

    would oblige us, after dawn, with an evening return.

  7. هيهات إلا بالشَّمُول فإنها

    نَافي الهُمُوم وجالِبُ الأفراحِ

    Far from possible, except through wine, for it

    banishes cares and brings joys.

  8. فامزج غِنَاءَ المحْسِنَاتِ لكأْسِهَا

    بغناء عُجْم في الجنَانِ فِصَاحِ

    So mingle the skilled women's singing for its cup

    with the song of wordless yet eloquent birds in the gardens.

  9. تَهْتزُّ من طَرَبٍ إذا ما هَزَّها

    فوقَ الغُصُونِ الخُضْرِ نفْحُ رياحِ

    They quiver with delight whenever they are stirred

    above the green boughs by a breath of wind.

  10. خُذْهَا ولا تخسَرْ لذيذ مَذَاقِهَا

    ونسيمها يا طالب الأرْباحِ

    Take it, and do not lose its delicious taste

    and its fragrance, O seeker of profits.

  11. بِكْراً تَردُّ على الكبير شبَابَه

    فتراه بين صَبَابَةٍ ومرَاحِ

    A virgin wine that restores an old man's youth,

    so you see him between ardent longing and merriment.

  12. حسناءَ تكْسو من محاسنها الفتى

    فتراه أحْمَرَ أزْهَرَ المِصْبَاحِ

    A beauty that clothes the young man in its charms,

    so you see him ruddy, his face a radiant lamp.

  13. مِنْ كَرْمَةٍ تَهَبُ المكارمَ للفتى

    فتراهُ بين شجاعةٍ وسَمَاحِ

    From a grapevine that bestows noble qualities on the young man,

    so you see him between courage and generosity.

  14. وتُعِيرُ نَكْهَتَهَا نَدِيمَ أَحِبَّةٍ

    فَيُقَبِّلُ التُّفَّاحَ بالتُّفَّاحِ

    It lends its fragrant breath to a companion of loved ones,

    and he kisses apples with apples.

  15. تاللَّهِ ما أدري لأيَّة عِلَّة

    يدعونها في الرَّاحِ باسْم الرَّاحِ

    By God, I do not know for what reason

    they call it, in the palm, by the name of rah.

  16. ألريحِها ولروحها تَحْتَ الحشى

    أم لارْتِيَاحِ نديمها المرتاحِ

    Is it for its fragrance and its refreshment beneath the ribs,

    or for the delight of its delighted drinking companion?

  17. شاهدتُ منها مشْهَداً فرأيتُه

    حسناً مليحاً بين سِرْبِ مِلاَحِ

    I witnessed a scene of it, and found it

    beautiful and lovely among a flock of beauties.

  18. حَسَدَتْ قياناً كالظِّباءِ ونرجساً

    غَضّاً على صُوَرٍ هناك صِبَاحِ

    It envied singing girls like gazelles, and narcissus

    fresh upon lovely faces there.

  19. فتَغَلَّلَتْ من تِبْرها بِغُلالةٍ

    وتوشَّحت مِنْ دُرِّهَا بوشاح

    So it donned a fine tunic of its gold,

    and draped itself in a sash of its pearls.

  20. فإذا بها محْسودةٌ معْبودَةٌ

    بين الضرائر جمّة المُدّاحِ

    And suddenly it was envied and adored

    among rival wives, with admirers in abundance.

  21. عَدَلَ المحَلِّلُ والمحرِّمُ شُرْبَهَا

    ولِذِي المقالِ مَذَاهِبٌ في الرَّاحِ

    Both he who permits its drinking and he who forbids it are just;

    the disputant has many approaches to wine.

  22. إن حُرِّمَتْ فَبِحقِّهَا من حُرَّةٍ

    ما كانَ مثْلُ حريمها بمباحِ

    If it is forbidden, rightly so, as a freeborn lady:

    such a sanctuary as hers was never freely accessible.

  23. أو حُلِّلَتْ فَبِحقِّهَا من نُشْرَة

    تَنْفِي سَقَامَ قلوبنا بِصحاحِ

    Or if permitted, rightly so, as a healing charm

    that banishes our hearts' sickness with health.

  24. أَوَ لاَ يحرِّمُها الحليمُ لأنَّها

    تدعُ القباح لديه غير قباحِ

    And does not the prudent man forbid it because it

    makes ugly things, in his eyes, no longer ugly?

  25. أَوَ لاَ يحلِّلها الكريمُ لأنَّها

    تَحْذِي الهِدَانَ سجيِّةَ المرتاحِ

    And does not the generous man permit it because it

    endows the timid with an open-hearted disposition?

  26. دعْ ذا وقلْ في آل شيْخٍ إنَّهم

    أقصى مَطامح هِمَّةِ الطمَّاحِ

    Leave that, and say of the house of Shaykh that they

    are the loftiest goals of an aspirant's ambition.

  27. لا تَعْدِلَنَّ بآل شيخٍ معشراً

    فهمُ الشفاءُ لغُلّةِ الملتاحِ

    Never set any people equal to the house of Shaykh:

    they are the remedy for the parched man's burning thirst.

  28. أعْدِدْهُمُ للنائبات فإنَّهُمْ

    حَسْبُ المُعِدِّ غداة كلِّ شِيَاحِ

    Keep them ready for misfortunes, for they

    suffice the prepared man on the morning of every fierce contest.

  29. وافتح مغاليق الأمور بأَيْدِهِمْ

    أو كيْدِهم فكفاك من مفتاحِ

    Unlock the locks of affairs with their hands,

    or their stratagems—what a sufficient key!

  30. قوم يَرَوْن النُّصحَ في أموالهم

    غِشَّاً فقد سَخِطُوا على النُّصَّاحِ

    A people who regard good counsel about their wealth

    as treachery, and so are angered at advisers.

  31. زُرْهم على ثقةٍ مَزَارَ مُحَصِّلٍ

    مالاً فلستَ كَضَارِبٍ بِقداحِ

    Visit them confidently, as one assured of gaining

    wealth; you are not one casting gambling arrows.

  32. واعلم بأن سَنِيحَهُمْ لك سانحٌ

    أبداً وليس بريحُهُم بِمُتاحِ

    Know that their auspicious omen is favorable to you

    always, and their ill omen is never forthcoming.

  33. فمتى أطرتَ لهم بريح عداوةٍ

    فَلَك البَريحُ وأبرحُ الأبراحِ

    Whenever you set an ill-omened bird of hostility flying against them,

    yours is the ill omen and the direst of afflictions.

  34. من معشرٍ قُرِنَ الثَّناءُ لديهُمُ

    بالجودِ والملكاتُ بالأسجاحِ

    From a people among whom praise is coupled

    with generosity, and dominion with gentleness.

  35. لم يمنعوا الشاكين ريْبَ زمانهم

    أُذُناً ولا سمعوا ملامةَ لاحي

    They never denied those complaining of their time's vicissitudes

    an ear, nor listened to a censurer's reproach.

  36. يا ليت شعري حين يُمدَح مثلُهُم

    ماذا تَرَاه يُراد بالتَمْداحِ

    Would that I knew, when men like them are praised,

    what, do you think, is intended by such praise?

  37. لكنهم كالمسك طاب لعينه

    ويزيد حين يُخَاضُ بالمِجْدَاحِ

    But they are like musk, sweet in itself,

    and sweeter when mixed with a stirring rod.

  38. يُعطُون عفواً كلما أعفيتَهم

    ويُلِحُّ نائلهم على الإلحاحِ

    They give freely whenever you spare them asking,

    and their bounty persists when you persist.

  39. وعطاؤُهم فوق العطاء لأنهم

    يُعطون كسْب مَناصِلٍ ورماحِ

    Their giving surpasses other giving, because they

    give the earnings of blades and spears.

  40. وكأن من أعطاك كسْبَ سلاحه

    أعطاك مهجته بغير سلاحِ

    It is as though whoever gives you his weapon's earnings

    has given you his lifeblood, without a weapon.

  41. جاءته في تعبٍ وعُسْرة مطلب

    وأتتك في دعةٍ به وسراحِ

    It came to him through toil and a difficult quest,

    and came to you, through him, in ease and freedom.

  42. ولمَا حباك بحظه لجهالةٍ

    لكن لفضل مُمَنَّحِ منَّاح

    He did not bestow his share on you through ignorance,

    but through the nobility of one richly endowed and lavish in giving.

  43. فمتى يُرَوْن من الشِّحاحِ على اللُّهَا

    وهُمُ على الأرواح غيرُ شِحَاح

    How could they be deemed miserly with gifts,

    when they are not miserly even with their lives?

  44. من بأْسهم يقع الردى وبحلمهم

    تتماسك الأرواح في الأشباحِ

    From their might comes death, and through their forbearance

    souls hold together within bodies.

  45. كالهُنْدوانِيات حدّ مضاربٍ

    عند اخْتِبارِهِمُ ولين صِفاحِ

    Like Indian swords: keen striking edges

    when tested, and smooth, gentle flats.

  46. أضحى الورى قَيْضا هُمُ أمْحَاحُه

    شتَّانَ بينْ القيْض والأمحاحِ

    Mankind has become eggshells; they are its yolks:

    how far apart are shells and yolks!

  47. وبِسَيِّد الأُمراء أُنْجِحَ سعْيُهُمْ

    فيما ابتغوا من ذاك أيَّ نجاحِ

    Through the lord of princes their efforts were crowned with success

    in what they sought therein—what success!

  48. للّه أحمدٌ بنُ شَيخٍ إنه

    مأوَى الطريدِ وموردُ المُمْتَاحِ

    God be praised for Ahmad ibn Shaykh! He is

    the fugitive's refuge and the water-drawer's water source.

  49. الدهْرُ يُفْسِدُ ما استطاع وأحمدٌ

    يتَتَبَّعُ الإفسادَ بالإصلاحِ

    Time ruins whatever it can, while Ahmad

    follows ruin with restoration.

  50. ما زال يقدَح في الدُجى بِزِناده

    حتى رأى الإِمساءَ كالإصباحِ

    He never ceased striking sparks in darkness with his firesteel

    until he saw evening become like morning.

  51. أما النَّدى فَنَدَى غَرِير ناشيءٍ

    والرأيُ رأي مُحَنَّكٍ جَحْجَاحِ

    As for generosity, his is a guileless youth's generosity;

    his judgment is a seasoned, mighty chief's judgment.

  52. فكأنَّه للأرْيحيَّة شاربٌ

    وكأنه للألْمعِيَّةِ صاحي

    It is as though, in open-handedness, he were drunk,

    and as though, in keen intelligence, he were sober.

  53. ملك له قبل السؤال وبعده

    بدء الجوادِ وعودة المِسماحِ

    A king who has, before a request and after it,

    a generous man's first gift and a lavish giver's repeated gift.

  54. ومن الملوك ذوي المواهب من له

    بدءُ الجوادِ وَعَوْدَة المِدْلاحِ

    Among kings endowed with bounty are those who have

    a generous man's first gift and a sluggish giver's repeated gift.

  55. لا تَعْرِضَنَّ لغمرَةٍ من سْيبِه

    إن لَمْ تكن بطلاً من السُّبّاحِ

    Do not venture into a torrent of his bounty

    unless you are a champion swimmer.

  56. فالْبَرُّ يَهْلِكُ في مضيقِ فنائه

    والبحرُ يغرَقُ منه في الضَّحْضَاحِ

    For the land perishes in the narrow confines of his courtyard,

    and the sea drowns in its shallowest waters.

  57. أنذرْتُ بل بشَّرْتُ أنَّ مقالتي

    ميعادُ جِدٍّ في وعيد مُزَاحِ

    I have warned—rather, brought good tidings—that my words

    are a serious promise within a jesting threat.

  58. ضَمِنٌ إذا حصل الوفاءُ بما وَأَى

    عنْه الرجاءُ ثَنَاهُ بالإِرْجَاحِ

    Ill at ease when fulfillment is achieved of what was promised

    on his behalf by hope, he doubles it with surplus bounty.

  59. ما إنْ يزال مُساجِلاً لسحائب

    بعطائه ومُبَارياً لرِياح

    He never ceases vying with clouds

    in his giving, and racing against winds.

  60. غَرَسَ الرجالَ بسيفه واجْتَاحَهُمْ

    لا فُلَّ سيفُ الغارِس المجْتاحِ

    He planted men with his sword and uprooted them;

    may the planter and uprooter's sword never be blunted.

  61. سيف مليءٌ عُرْفُهُ وَنَكِيرُهُ

    بإقامة المُدَّاح والأَنواحِ

    A sword whose beneficence and wrath are both fully able

    to raise up panegyrists and lamentations.

  62. يُحْيِي ويُهْلِك في يَدَيْ ذِي قُدْرةٍ

    وَسَمَتْهُ بالسَّفَّاح والنَّفَّاحِ

    It gives life and destroys in the hands of one endowed with power

    that has branded him the blood-shedder and the lavish giver.

  63. مُدَّاحُ مُعْمِل مَضْرِبَيْه بمُنْشِدٍ

    حَفِلٍ وأنْواحُ العِدَا بِمَنَاحِ

    The praisers of him who wields its two edges are at a recital,

    well-attended, and the foes' lamentations at a mourning-place.

  64. فمتى اسْتَكَنُّوا مِنْ نَدَاهُ وبَأسِهِ

    فالمسْتَكِنُّ هُنَاكَ في قِرْواحِ

    Whenever they shelter themselves from his bounty and might,

    the one sheltering there is on a bare plain.

  65. طُوفَانُ معْروفٍ ونُكْرٍ ما نجا

    أحدٌ تَعَوَّذَ منهما بِوَجَاحِ

    A deluge of kindness and severity: none has escaped

    who sought refuge from them behind a screen.

  66. فإذا تَبسَّلَ للعِدا في مَأقِطٍ

    أبصرت سطْوَةَ قابض الأرواحِ

    When he grows grim toward his foes on a battlefield,

    you behold the onslaught of the taker of souls.

  67. وإذا أراك نَدَاهُ يوْماً زُهْدَهُ

    أبصرتَ زُهْدَ مُحالِفِ الأمْساحِ

    When his bounty one day shows you his renunciation,

    you behold the renunciation of one wedded to haircloth.

  68. وإذا أشارَ أو ارْتأَى في خُطَّةٍ

    أبصرتَ حِكْمَةَ صاحِبِ الأَلواحِ

    When he advises or deliberates upon a course,

    you behold the wisdom of the bearer of the tablets.

  69. وإذا أراك مزاحه من جدِّه

    أجناك صفوَ ودائع الأجباحِ

    When he shows you jesting from his earnestness,

    he lets you harvest the purest stores of the beehives.

  70. لِيَقُلْ عُفَاتُكَ لا جُنَاح عليهمُ

    رَفِعَ الجُنَاحُ فلاتَ حينَ جُنَاحِ

    Let your petitioners speak; no blame lies upon them.

    Blame has been lifted; this is no time for blame.

  71. أنتَ امرؤٌ للصدقِ فيه مذاهب

    سقط الجُنَاح بها عن المُداحِ

    You are a man in whom truth has many avenues,

    through which blame falls away from panegyrists.

  72. ما زالَ مَنْ يُطْرِي سواكَ مُلاَحياً

    لَكِنَّ من يُطْرِيكَ غيرُ ملاحي

    Whoever extols another has always been a disputant,

    but whoever extols you is no disputant.

  73. في مدح غيرك للخطيئَةِ مُثْبِتٌ

    لَكِنَّ مَدْحَكَ للخطيئة ماحي

    In praising another, one establishes sin,

    but praising you erases sin.

  74. فالباكرون على ثَنائِك إنَّما

    بَكَرُوا وما شَعَرُوا على مِسْبَاحِ

    Those who come early to praise you have only

    come, unknowingly, to a cleansing bath.

  75. كمْ عَارِضٍ رَجُلاً عليَّ مُشَبِّهاً

    لأَمِيلَ عنْكَ إليه بالأمْدَاحِ

    How many a man has offered me another, likening him to you,

    that I might turn my praises away from you to him!

  76. رُدَّتْ نصِيحَتُهُ عَلَيْهِ فَكَافَحَتْ

    أسْرَارَ جبْهَتِهِ أشدَّ كِفَاحِ

    His counsel was returned against him, and struck

    the furrows of his forehead with the fiercest assault.

  77. وَقَصَبْتُ صَاحبَهُ إليه كأنَّما

    قَاوَمْتُهُ فيه مَقَامَ فِضَاحِ

    And I reviled his companion to him, as though

    I had confronted him about that man as one intent on exposing shame.

  78. ما قِسْتُ بَيْنَكمَا هنَاكَ ولم أكن

    لأقِيسَ بين مُحمَّدٍ وسَجَاحِ

    I made no comparison between you two there, nor would I

    compare Muhammad with Sajah.

  79. النَّاسُ أدْهَمُ أنْتَ فيه غُرَّةٌ

    مرفوعة عن سائر الأوضاح

    People are a black horse; you are its forehead blaze,

    exalted above all the other white markings.

  80. لا جَفَّ واديكَ المُحَلَّلُ إنه

    لَمُنَاخُ أطْلاحٍ على أطلاحِ

    May your hospitable valley never dry up: it is

    a resting place for weary men on weary mounts.

  81. إنَّ الذي يُضْحِي وأنت جَناحُهُ

    في النَّائباتِ لنَاهِضٌ بِجَنَاحِ

    Indeed, whoever greets the day with you as his wing

    surely rises with a wing amid misfortunes.

  82. شَامَ ابْتسَامَكَ مُرْتَجُوكَ فإنَّمَا

    شَامُوا مَضاحِكَ مُبْرقٍ لَمَّاح

    Those who hope in you watch your smile; they have only

    watched the smiles of a brightly flashing lightning-cloud.

  83. ومَرَى نَوَالَكَ مُعْتَفُوكَ فإنما

    حَلُّوا عَزَالي مُغدقٍ نَضَّاحِ

    Your petitioners have milked your bounty; they have only

    unbound the spouts of a rain-rich, gushing cloud.