لا تعذلاه فما ذو الحب معذول — Abu Hayyan Al Andalusi

لا تَعذلاه فَما ذو الحبِّ مَعذولُ

العَقلُ مُختَبِلٌ وَالقَلبُ مَتبولُ

Do not reproach him; a lover cannot be blamed.

His reason is disordered, and his heart is love-stricken.

هَزَّت لَهُ أَسمراً مِن خُوط قامَتِها

فَما اِنثَنى الصَبُّ إِلا وَهوَ مَقتولُ

She brandished before him a slender, brown branch of her figure;

The lover never turned away without feeling slain.

جَميلةٌ فُصِّلَ الحسنُ البَديعُ لَها

فَكَم لَها جُمَلٌ مِنهُ وَتَفصيلُ

She is beautiful; wondrous beauty was fashioned for her.

How many forms of that beauty, both broad and finely detailed, are hers!

فَالنَحرُ مَرمرةٌ وَالنَشرُ عَنبَرةٌ

وَالثَغرُ جَوهَرةٌ وَالريقُ مَعسولُ

Her throat is marble, and her fragrance is amber;

Her smile is a jewel, and her saliva is honeyed.

وَالطَرفُ ذو غَنَجٍ وَالعَرفُ ذو أَرَجٍ

وَالخَصرُ مختَطفٌ وَالمتنُ مَجدولُ

Her glance is coy, and her scent is fragrant;

Her waist is slender, and her back is shapely.

هَيفاء يَنبس في الخَصر الوِشاح لَها

دَرماء تخرسُ في الساق الخَلاخيلُ

So slim that the sash about her waist seems to speak;

So full of limb that the anklets on her legs fall silent.

مِن اللواتي غذاهُنَّ النَعيمُ فَما

يَشقَينَ آباؤُها الصِيد البهاليلُ

She is among women reared in luxury, who never

Suffer hardship; their fathers are proud and noble.

نَزرُ الكَلامِ عيّياتُ الجَوابِ إِذا

يَسألنَ رقد الضُحى حَصر مَكاسيلُ

They speak little and falter in reply when

Questioned, drowsy from sleeping late, shy and languid.

مِن حَلِّها وَسَناها مُؤنسٌ وَهدى

فَلَيسَ يَلحَقُها ذُعرٌ وَتَضليلُ

Her presence and radiance bring comfort and guidance;

Neither fear nor bewilderment reaches her.

حَلَّت بِمنعقدِ الزوراءِ زائِرة

شُوساً غيارى فَعقد الصَبرِ مَحلولُ

She came visiting among the crowded tents of al-Zawrāʾ,

Among fierce, jealous people; the bond of patience came undone.

حي لقاح إِذا ما يَلحقون وغى

حيت وَنادم مَهزوزٌ وَمَسلولُ

A strong, unvanquished tribe when they enter battle,

And a companion both stirred and drawn.

لبانة لك من لبناك ما قضيت

وَمَوعد لَكَ منها الدَّهرَ مَمطولُ

You have not fulfilled your longing for Lubnā;

Her promise to you is postponed forever.

فَعَدِّ عَن ذِكرِ لُبنى إِنَّ ذِكرَكها

عَلى التَنائي لتعذيبٌ وَتَعليلُ

So turn away from remembering Lubnā: your remembrance of her

Across the distance is torment and illness.

إِيّاكَ منكَ نَذير ما نَذرت بِهِ

وَبادر التوبَ إِنَّ التَوبَ مَقبولُ

Beware of yourself; take warning from what you have vowed.

Hasten to repent, for repentance is accepted.

وَأَمِّل العَفوَ وَاسلُك مَهمَهاً قَذفاً

إِلى رضى الرَبِّ إِنَّ العَفو مَأمولُ

Hope for pardon and cross a vast, forbidding wilderness

Toward the Lord’s pleasure; pardon may be hoped for.

إِن الجِهادَ وَحجَ البَيتِ مَختتماً

بذمة المُصطفى للعفوِ تَأميلُ

Striving and pilgrimage to the House, crowned

By the Chosen One’s protection, offer hope of pardon.

فَشُقَّ حَيزومَ هَذا اللَيل مُمتطياً

أَخا حزامٍ بِهِ قَد تُبلَغُ السُولُ

So cleave the breast of this night, riding

A strong, firm-girt horse by which desires may be reached.

أَقَبّ أَقوَد يَعزى للوجيه لَهُ

وَجهٌ أَغَر وَفي الرجلين تَحجيلُ

Lean-flanked and high-headed, descended from al-Wajīh;

He has a bright-blazed face and white markings on his legs.

جَفرٌ حَوافِرُه مُعرٌ قَوائِمُه

ضُمرٌ أَياطله وَالذَيلُ عَثكولُ

His hooves are broad, his legs are free of hair,

His flanks are lean, and his tail is a thick cluster.

إِذا توجَّسَ أَصغى وَهوَ مُلتهبٌ

أَساعراً عُتقاً فيهن تَأليلُ

When he senses something, he pricks his ears, aflame,

With keen, noble ears held alert.

وَإِن تُعارِض بِهِ هَوجاءُ هاج لَهُ

جَريٌ يُرى البَرق فيها وَهوَ مَخذولُ

And if a fierce wind confronts him, there surges within him

A speed that leaves even lightning behind.

تَحمي بِهِ حَوزَةَ الإِسلامِ مُلتقباً

لبابياً غَصَّ مِنها العَرض وَالطولُ

With him you defend the bounds of Islam, equipped

To face foes so numerous they crowd breadth and length.

لبايباً قَد عَموا عَن كُلِّ واضِحَةٍ

مِن الكِتابِ وَغَرَّتهم أَباطيلُ

Foes blind to every clear sign

In the Book, beguiled by falsehoods.

في مَأقطٍ ضرب المَوت الزؤام بِهِ

سرادِقاً فعلتهم مِنهُ بحليلُ

In a battlefield where deadly death has pitched

Its pavilion, a terrible fate falls upon them.

هَيجاء يُشرق فيها المشرفيُّ عَلى

هامِ العدا وَلسُحبِ النَقع تظليلُ

A battle where the polished sword flashes above

The enemies’ heads while clouds of dust cast shade.

تديرُ كَأسَ شَعُوبٍ مِن شُعوبهم

فكلهم مَنهَلٌ بِالمَوتِ مَعلولُ

It pours the cup of death upon their ranks,

And every one of them drinks deep of death.

فَبَينهم هَوَّمت عُرجٌ مَغَرَّثةٌ

وَفَوقَهُم دوَّمت فتخ شَماليلُ

Among them, lame and ravenous beasts linger,

While above them broad-winged birds circle.

تَخطو قشام عَلى أَشلائهم وَلَها

تَبَسُّمٌ وَلوَجهِ السيدِ تَهليلُ

Vultures step over their remains, seeming to smile,

While the master’s face shines with joy.

وَإِذ قَضَيت غزاةً فَأتَنِف عَمَلاً

للحَج فَالحَج للإسلامِ تَكميلُ

When you have finished a campaign, begin a new undertaking

For the pilgrimage, which completes the duties of Islam.

واصِل سُراك بسيرٍ يا ابنَ أندلسٍ

وَالطَرف أَدهمُ بِالأَشطان مَغلولُ

Continue your night journey, son of al-Andalus;

The dark horse is held by its ropes.

يُلاطم الريحَ مِنهُ أَبيضٌ يَقِقٌ

لَهُ مِن السُحبِ المربَدِّ إِكليلُ

A dazzling white vessel beats against the wind,

Crowned by darkening clouds.

تَعلو خضارة مِنهُ شامخٌ جللٌ

سامٍ طفا وَهوَ بِالنَكباء مَحمولُ

Above its green surface rises a towering mass,

High afloat and borne along by the crosswind.

كَأنَّما هُوَ في طخياء لجَّتِه

أَيم يفري أَديم الماء شمليلُ

In the dark depths of the sea it seems

A swift serpent cutting through the water’s skin.

مازالَت المَوج تُعليه وَتخفضه

حَتّى بَدا مِن مَنارِ الثَغرِ قنديلُ

The waves keep lifting and lowering it

Until a lamp appears from the harbor’s beacon.

فَكَبَّرَ الناسُ إِعظاماً لربهم

وَكُلُّهم طرفه بِالسُهدِ مَكحولُ

The people proclaim God’s greatness in reverence;

Sleeplessness rims every eye.

وَصافَحوا البيدَ بَعد اليَمِّ وَاِبتَدَأوا

سُبلاً لَها لجنابِ اللَهِ تَوصيلُ

They meet the desert after the sea and set out

On paths that lead to God’s sacred precinct.

عَلى نَجائب تَتلوها جَنائبها

جيداً بِها الخَيرُ مَعقودٌ وَمَعقولُ

They ride choice camels, followed by spare mounts;

Goodness is bound securely to their necks.

في مَوكبٍ تَزحفُ الأَرضُ الفَضاءُ بِهِ

أَضحَت وَمُوحِشُها بالناسِ مَأهولُ

In a procession so vast that the open land seems to move,

Its lonely stretches now filled with people.

تُطاردُ الوَحشَ مِنهُ فَيلَقٌ لجبٌ

حَتى لَقَد ذعرت في بيدها الغولُ

A clamorous host drives the wild creatures away,

Until even the ghoul is startled in its desert.

يَسُوقهم طربٌ نَحوَ الحِجازِ فَهُم

ذوو اِرتياحٍ عَلى أَكوارِها مِيلُ

Joy drives them toward the Hijaz, and they

Sway with delight upon their saddles.

شُعثٌ رُؤوسُهم يُبسٌ شِفاهُهُم

حُوصٌ عُيونُهُم غُرثٌ مَهازيلُ

Their hair is disheveled, their lips are dry,

Their eyes are sunken; they are hungry and gaunt.

حَتّى إِذا لاحَ مِن بَيت الإِله لَهُم

نور إِذا هُم عَلى الغَبرا أَراحيلُ

Then, when a light from the House of God appears to them,

They dismount upon the dusty ground.

يعفرون وَجوهاً طالَما سَهَمت

حَتّى كَأنَّ أَديم الأَرض مَبلولُ

They press their faces, long marked by hardship, into the dust,

Until the surface of the earth seems wet.

حفوا بِكَعبةِ مَولاهم فَكعبُهم

عالٍ بِها فَلَهُم طوفٌ وَتَقبيلُ

They gather around their Lord’s Kaaba, their standing

Raised by it, circling and kissing it.

وَبِالصَفا وَقتهم صافٍ بِسَعيهم

وَفي مُنى لِمناهم كانَ تَنويلُ

At Safa their time is pure through their striving,

And at Mina their wishes are granted.

تَعرفوا عَرفاتٍ واقفين بِها

لَهُم إِلى اللَهِ تَكبيرٌ وَتَهليلُ

At Arafat they stand in recognition,

Calling to God with magnification and praise.

لَما قَضَينا مِن الغَرّاء منسكنا

ثرنا وَكُلّ بِنار الشَوقِ مَشمولُ

When we had completed our rites at the radiant sanctuary,

We rose, each of us wrapped in the fire of longing.

ثرنا إلى الشَدقميات الَّتي سَهِكَت

أَبدانهن وَأَعياهُنَّ تَنعيلُ

We hastened to the hardy camels whose bodies were worn

And whom repeated shoeing had exhausted.

إِلى الرَسولِ نُزَجّي كُلَّ يعملة

أَجل مِن نَحوه تُزجى المَراسيلُ

Toward the Messenger we urge every tireless camel;

Indeed, toward him messengers are sent.

مَن أُنزِلَت فيهِ آياتٌ مُطهرة

وَأوريت فيهِ تَوراةٌ وَإنجيلُ

For him pure verses were revealed,

And in him the Torah and Gospel were foretold.

وَسُطِّرَت في علاه كُلُّ خالِدةٍ

لَها مِن الذكر تَجويدٌ وَتَرتيلُ

Every enduring praise was inscribed for his exalted rank,

Recited and chanted in remembrance.

وَعطرت مِن شَذاه كُل ناحيةٍ

كَأنَّما المسكُ في الأَرجاءِ مَحلولُ

Every quarter was scented by his fragrance,

As though musk had dissolved throughout the regions.

سِرٌّ مِن العالم العُلويِّ ضمِّنَه

جسمٌ مِن الجَوهر الأَرضيِّ مَجبولُ

A secret from the higher world was placed within him,

In a body formed of earthly substance.

نورٌ تَمَثَّلَ في أَبصارِنا بَشَراً

عَلى المَلائكِ مِن مسماه تَمثيلُ

A light appeared to our eyes as a human being,

Whose very name evokes an image above the angels.

لَقَد تَسامى وَجبريل مَصاحبُه

إِلى مَقامٍ تَراخى عَنهُ جبريلُ

He ascended, with Gabriel as his companion,

To a station beyond which Gabriel remained.

أَوحى إِلَيهِ الَّذي أَوحاه مِن كُتبٍ

فَالقَلبُ واعٍ بسرِّ اللَهِ مَشغولُ

The One who revealed the scriptures revealed to him;

His heart, receptive, is occupied with God’s secret.

يَتلو كِتاباً مِن الرَحمن جاءَ بِهِ

مطهراً ظاهِرٌ مِنهُ وَتَأويلُ

He recites a book brought from the Merciful,

Pure in its outward meaning and interpretation.

جارٍ عَلى مَنهجِ الأَعرابِ أَعجزهم

باقٍ مَدى الدَهر لا يَأتيه تَبديلُ

It follows the Arabs’ manner of speech yet defeats them;

It remains through time, untouched by change.

بَلاغة عِندَها كعَّ البَليغ فَلم

يَنطِق وَفي هَديهِ طاحَت أَضاليلُ

Its eloquence leaves the eloquent speechless;

They cannot speak, and falsehoods fall before its guidance.

وَطُولبوا أَن يَجيئوا حينَ رابهم

بِسورةٍ مثلهِ فاستعجز القيلُ

When they doubted, they were challenged to produce

A sura like it, but speech failed them.

لاذوا بذبَّل خَطّيٍ وَبُتر ظبىً

يَوم الوَغى واعتراهم مِنهُ تَنكيلُ

They took refuge in slender spears and sharp blades

On the day of battle, and punishment overtook them.

فموثق في جبال الوهد مُنجَدلٌ

وموثق في جبالِ القَدِّ مَكبولُ

One, bound, lies fallen in the low ground;

Another, bound, is shackled with leather thongs.

مازالَ كَالعضب هَتّاكاً سَوابغَهم

حَتّى انثنى العضب مِنهم وَهوَ مَفلولُ

He kept tearing through their coats of mail like a sharp sword,

Until their own blade turned back, blunted.

وَقَد تخطَّم في نحر العدا قَصداً

صم الوشيح وخانتها العَواميلُ

The hard spear shafts broke as they struck

Straight at the enemies’ throats, and the lances failed.

مَن لا يُعدِّلُهُ القُرآن كانَ لَهُ

مِن الصعاد وَبيض البتر تعديلُ

Whoever is not set right by the Quran will find

Correction from spears and bright, cutting swords.

وَكَم لَهُ معجزاً غَير القُرآن أَتى

فيهِ تَظافَر مَنقولٌ وَمَعقولُ

How many miracles besides the Quran came through him,

Supported by transmitted report and reason.

فَللرَسولِ اِنشقاق البدر نَشهده

كَما لموسى اِنفلاق البحر مَنقولُ

We attest the moon’s splitting for the Messenger,

As the sea’s parting is related for Moses.

وَنَبع ماء فراتٍ مِن أَنامله

كَالعينِ ثَرَّت فَما التهتان ما النيلُ

Fresh water sprang from his fingers,

Gushing like a spring; what are rainstorms or the Nile beside it?

أَروى الخَميس وَهُم زهاءَ سَبعِماءٍ

مِن الركابِ فَمشروب وَمَحمولُ

It quenched an army of about seven hundred

Riders, with water both drunk and carried away.

وَرد عَيناً بِكفٍ جاءَ يَحملها

قتالة وَلَهُ شَكوى وَتَعليلُ

A man came holding an eye in his palm,

Bringing his complaint and his ailment.

وَكانَت أَحسَنَ عَينيه وَلا عَجَبٌ

مَسَّت أَنامل فيها اليُمنُ مَجعولُ

It became the better of his two eyes, unsurprisingly:

Fingers endowed with blessing had touched it.

وَالجدع حَنَّ إِلَيهِ حينَ فارقه

حَنين وَلَهى لَها للروم مَثكولُ

A tree trunk yearned for him when he left it,

With the longing of a bereaved mother.

وَأَشبع الكُثرَ من قُلّ الطَعام وَلَم

يَكن لِيعروَه بِالكبر تَقليلُ

He fed multitudes from scant food, yet

It did not diminish despite their great number.

وَفي جرابِ أَبي هرٍ عَجائب كَم

يَمتار مِنهُ فَمأكولٌ وَمَبذولُ

In Abu Hurayra’s pouch were many wonders:

How often food was taken from it, eaten, and shared.

وَفي اِرتوائي إِلى ذر بزمزم ما

يلفى لبدن مِنهُ وَهوَ مَهزولُ

And in the account of drinking Zamzam to the full,

A frail body found nourishment from it.

وَالعَنكبوت بِباب الغارِ قَد نسجت

حَتّى كَأنَّ رِداءً مِنهُ مَسدولُ

A spider spun at the cave’s entrance

Until its web seemed a hanging cloak.

وَفَرَّخت في رَجاه الوِرقُ ساجِعة

تَبكي وَما دَمعها في الخَد مَطلولُ

And cooing doves nested along its edge,

As if weeping, though no tears fell on their cheeks.

هَذا وَكَم مُعجِزاتٍ للرَسولِ أَتَت

لَها مِن اللَهِ إِمدادٌ وَتَأصيلُ

These are only some of the Messenger’s many miracles,

Sustained and established by God.

غَدَت مِن الكُثر أَعداد النُجوم فَما

يُحصي لَها عَدداً كُتبٌ وَلا قيلُ

They grew as numerous as the stars, so that

Neither books nor words can count them.

قَد اِنقضَت مُعجزاتُ الرُسلِ مُنذُ قَضوا

نَحباً وَأفحم مِنها ذَلِكَ الجيلُ

The earlier messengers’ miracles passed when they died,

And the people of their age were left confounded by them.

وَمُعجزاتُ رَسولِ اللَهِ باقيةٌ

مَحفوظَةٌ ما لَها في الدَهرِ تَحويلُ

But the Messenger of God’s miracles remain,

Preserved through time without alteration.

تَكفل اللَهُ هَذا الذكر يَحفظه

وَهَل يَضيع الَّذي بِاللَه مَكفولُ

God undertook to preserve this Reminder;

How could what God protects be lost?

هَذي المَفاخر لا تَحظى المُلوكُ بِها

الملكُ مُنقَطِعٌ وَالوَحيُ مَوصولُ

These are glories no kings can attain:

Kingship ends, while revelation continues.