Poems
- إذا غدت سعد على شبيبهاWhen Saʿd sets out in the morning to its Shabīb,
- أصبحت لا يملك بعضي بعضاNow no part of me can control another.
- أظل أرعى وترا هزيناI keep tending a stout shaft,
- اكثر خلق الله من لا يدريMost of God's creatures are those of whom none can tell,
- اكثر والله أبان ميريBy God, Aban has increased my provisions;
- الآن مس المنبر القراراNow the pulpit has found firm footing,
- الحمد لله ولي الأمرPraise be to God, Guardian of all affairs.
- امسلم اني يابن خير خليفةO Muslim, indeed I—O son of the best caliph,
- إن الكلابي اللئيم الاثرماIndeed, the vile, broken-toothed al-Kilabi
- أنا ابن سعد وتوسطت العجمO son of Sa'd, I have associated with foreigners,
- انعت مهرا سبط الفراتI describe a colt, a grandson of al-Furāt,
- إني وجدت الكذنا ذنوكاIndeed, I found al-Kadhan to be dhanawwak [the designation and epithet are uncertain].
- بارك ربي فيك من خبازMay my Lord bless you—what a baker!
- برية لم تأكل المرفقاA desert-bred woman who has not eaten the elbow joint,
- تكحل عينيك عند العشيYou line your eyes with kohl in the evening,
- خليفة اللَه وانت ذاكاCaliph of God—and such you are—
- دونك عبدالله اهل ذاكاTake it, Abdullah—you are worthy of it:
- شاهد مالا رب مال فساسهA man of wealth beheld an estate and tended it
- صادتك يوم الرملتين شعفرShaʿfar ensnared you that day at al-Ramlatayn.
- عادت ولو قد فعلت لم توددShe returned; yet, had she done so, she would not have been loved.
- فانصاع يسعى بالصعيد الهايلThen he darted off, running across the fearsome plain,
- فقد رضينا بالغلام الأمردSo we are indeed content with the beardless youth.
- قاظت من الخرم بقيظ خرمShe spent the summer at al-Khurm in scorching heat.
- قد علم المظل والمبيتThose sheltering at noon and lodging by night know
- قد قال صبياني وهم تسعةMy boys have said—nine of them,
- قيدها الجهد ولم تقيدUntethered by toil, she flows
- كسوتنيها فهي كالتجفافYou clothed me in it; it is like padded armor,
- كنا أناسا نرهب الاملاكاWe were a people who feared kings,
- لعمري لئن ركب الجنيد تحملواBy my life, if al-Junayd’s riders have set out
- لم أر غيري حسناI have seen no one handsome but myself
- لما نزلنا منزلا ممقوتاWhen we stopped at a loathsome place,
- لولا أبان هلكت نميرWere it not for Aban, Numayr would have perished.
- لولا ابو الفضل ولولا فضلهWere it not for Abu al-Fadl and his grace,
- ما زال عنا قصعات اربعHomes still have four bowls
- مازال عودي في ثرى ثريMy stem remained in moist soil,
- مسلم يا مسلحة الحروبMaslam, O bastion of war,
- نحن ضربنا الازد بالعراقWe struck the Azd in Iraq
- هاجك من اروى بمنهاص الفككFrom Arwa at Minhas al-Fakak there stirred in you
- هم وسط يرضى الإله بحكمهمThey are just; God is pleased with their judgment
- وإن بقوم سودوك لفاقةAnd a people who made you their chief are surely in need
- ولولا خلة سبقت اليهWere it not for an earlier friendship with him,
- ولولا شهوتي شفتى عليWere it not for my desire for Ali’s lips,
- ويعتدى ويعتدى ويعتدىAnd he transgresses, and transgresses, and transgresses,
- يا بنت من لم يك يهوى بنتاO daughter of one who had no love for daughters,
- يا دار ام مالك الا اسلميO dwelling of Umm Malik, may you be safe,
- يا قوم لا تسودوا شبيباO my people, do not make Shabib your chief—
- يا ماعز القمل وبيت الذلO Maʿiz of lice, and house of humiliation!
- يا ماعز الكرات قد خزيتاO he-goat of the leeks, you have been disgraced!
No poems found.