خرجت وقد لاح الصباح هرول — Abu Bakr Al Tunisi

خَرَجتُ وَقَد لاحَ الصباح هرول

إِلى نسمات الروض وَالطل نازِل

I went out as dawn appeared, hurrying,

toward the garden's breezes, while the dew was falling.

فَيا له من روض بَديع تكللت

محاسنه بالدر وَالدر يجمل

Oh, what a wondrous garden! Crowned

were its beauties with pearls, and pearls lend beauty.

وَزَقزقة الاطيار وَالديك صادح

يرددها فالكل في الزهر رافل

And the birds chirp, and the rooster calls out,

echoing their song; all luxuriate amid the blossoms.

واغصان دوح كلما حط طائِر

تلقته بالتَصفيق اذ تَتَمايل

And the branches of spreading trees, whenever a bird alights,

greet it with applause as they sway.

وَفي جيدها قطر كان بجيدها

عقودا كَما تَدري بها تتجمل

On their necks are droplets, as though around their necks

were necklaces with which, as you know, they adorn themselves.

تَساقط مشغوفا بها فَتزاحَمَت

إِلى نيله الازهار وَالكل نائِل

It fell, enamored of them; crowding together

to obtain it were the flowers, and all received it.

طَبيعة ما أَبهى مناظرك الَّتي

بها لِبَقائي في الشَقا اتعلل

Nature, how splendid are your sights,

in which I find solace to live on in misery!

طَبيعة ما وَيلي فَما أَنا سامِع

ومن أَين هَذا الصوت للسمع واصل

Nature—woe is me! What am I hearing?

And from where does this sound reach my ears?

بكاء افي هَذي الحَديقة هَكَذا

حَياتي عناء كلها وَمَشاكل

Weeping? In this garden, like this?

My whole life is hardship and troubles.

نأيت عَلى عيش البِلاد ومن درى

بأني عَلى ما كنت أَخشاه نازِل

I had withdrawn from life in the towns; who knew

that I would come upon what I had feared?

فَقَد شاهدت عَيناي بنتا جَميلة

وَدمعتها من عينها تَتَنازَل

For my eyes had seen a beautiful girl,

with a tear falling from her eye.

عليها عَلامات الكآبة وَالشَقا

وَفيها عَلى ضيق الفؤاد دَلائل

She bore the marks of gloom and misery,

and in her were signs of an anguished heart.

تلطخ منها الوجه وَالقطر تحتها

وَفيه الثَرى من تحتها يتحلل

Her face was stained, with droplets beneath her,

and in them the soil beneath her dissolved.

وَكلتا يديها في اِنبساط مذلة

وَمقلتها في الافق لا تتحول

Both her hands were outstretched in abasement,

and her gaze did not turn from the horizon.

على انني ما كنت أَعرف ما الهَوى

فاصبحت عَن محبوبتي اتساءَل

Although I had never known what love was,

I began wondering about my beloved:

حَبيبة قَلبي ما اِعتَراك اهكَذا

تَنوين صَبرا انما الصبر اجمل

Beloved of my heart, what has befallen you? Is this how

you mean to endure? Surely patience is fairer.

هنا رمقتني وَهيَ في عبراتها

تريني بأن الويل فيها مسجل

Here she looked at me through her tears,

showing me that woe was written in them.

وَقالَت وَقَد زادَت بها زَفراتها

بصوت به أَبداء غيظ تحاول

And she said, as her sighs grew more intense,

in a voice with which she sought to express rage:

أَراكَ شفوقا ان اخذت بِناصِري

وَكنت لسعدي أَيُّها المَرء تعمل

I would see you as compassionate if you took my side

and worked for my happiness, O man.

فالقاك مقداما والقاك باسِلا

وَلَيسَ اذا ما عدتني انت باسل

Then I would find you bold, and find you brave;

but you are not brave merely for visiting me.

تنح ابتعد عني ودعني كَئيبة

وقل ان اردت السب ما أَنتَ قائِل

Stand aside, stay away from me, and leave me sorrowful;

and say what you will, if you wish to insult me.

أَتَدعو بان ابدي اليك ابتسامة

وَمنك شقائي ايُّها المُتَجاهِل

Do you ask me to show you a smile,

when you cause my misery, O you who feign ignorance?

وَتدفع عني في النزال معاندا

وَأَنتَ الَّذي نازَلتَني وَتنازل

And would you repel a stubborn foe for me in battle,

yet you yourself have fought me, and fight me still?

أَتَدعو فؤادي للحنان وانني

رايت فؤادي من سهامك ينبل

Do you call my heart to tenderness, when I

have seen my heart pierced by your arrows?

كفى أَنتَ من صخر وَقَلبك جندل

تَرى ثغرك البسام من يتجندل

Enough! You are made of rock, and your heart is stone.

You watch those who fall slain, your mouth ever smiling.

فخل فخل البؤس ينهك قوتي

وخل لهيبا في الحشا يَتشاعل

So leave—leave misery to sap my strength,

and leave a flame blazing in my breast.

ورح في سَلام ان جامك طافح

وَذقها صبوحا لا على المعول

And go in peace; your cup is overflowing,

and savor it as a morning draught, not to the mourner's cries.

عَجيبا أَتَبكي بعد أن كنت ضاحِكا

وَتسكب ذاكَ الدمع هَذا المؤمل

How strange! Are you weeping after having laughed,

and shedding those tears? This is what was hoped for.

لعلك ابصرت الصواب مجسما

فحول قَلبا كاد لا يتحول

Perhaps you have seen what is right embodied,

and it changed a heart that could scarcely change.

وانك تَبغي الان ان تعرف الَّتي

اهاجتك فاعلم انني اتَساهَل

And you now wish to know the one

who stirred you—know that I am being lenient.

انا الزَهرة التَعساءَ فاح اريجها

واوراقها من حزنها تَتَذابل

I am the ill-fated flower whose fragrance wafted,

and its petals wither from its sorrow.

رآها رَسول المَوت تَخشى خَياله

فاصبح بالمرصاد لا يتنقل

Death's messenger saw it fearing his shadow,

and lay in wait, never moving away.

أَنا الغصن في زهر الشَباب يقصه

بقادومه الحطاب وَهو مولول

I am the branch in youth's bloom, cut

by the woodcutter with his adze, as he wails.

أَنا تونس الخَضراء ويك إِلى مَتى

عَلى السير في نهج العلا تَتَغافَل

I am Tunisia the Green. Woe to you! How long

will you neglect to tread the path of greatness?

كانك لا تلقى المعرة إِذ تَرى

بلادك في خطب وَلا تتقلقل

As though you suffer no disgrace when you see

your country in calamity, yet feel no disquiet;

كانك تزري بالحَياة وَتَرتَضي

حَياتك كالمملوك بل وَتؤمل

as though you scorn life, and willingly accept

a life like a slave's—nay, even hope for it!

اليست لك النفس الكَبيرة هَل تَرى

أَمانيك لا تأتيك أَو تَتَخيل

Is yours not a noble soul? Do you think

your wishes will not come to you—or are you imagining that?

بعزم بحزم باتحاد بألفة

رَجاؤُكَ سهل وَالسَعادَة أَسهَل

With resolve, with firmness, with unity, with harmony,

your hope is easy to fulfill, and happiness easier still.