Poems
- أتنشط للصبوح أبا عليAre you eager for the morning draught, Abu Ali,
- أتى القدر المتاح فلا اصطبارThe allotted fate has come; no patient endurance
- أحن إلى لقاء أبي عليI yearn to meet Abu Ali,
- اذا زرته لم تلق من دون بابهWhen you visit him, you will not find before his door
- إذا فاجأته الخيل لم ينتظر بهاWhen the cavalry took him by surprise, he did not wait with them for
- أرسلت أشكو إليكم غداة ظمئيI sent word to you, complaining on the morning of my thirst,
- اشرب على الشعب واحلل روضه انفاDrink beside the ravine, and alight in its virgin meadow;
- اشربا واسقيا فتى يصحب الأيامDrink, you two, and give drink to a youth who keeps company with the days,
- أظن اليوم يهطل بالمدامI think it will rain wine today,
- أفارق بغداد لا عن قلىI leave Baghdad, not out of hatred,
- أفلا أجاز ولي ثلاثة أشهرShall I not be rewarded? For three months now
- أقبل علي وقل ضيفي ومتبعيTurn toward me and say: ‘My guest and my follower,
- أقنطرة النوبندجان وديرهاO bridge of al-Nubandajan and its monastery,
- أكحيلة الاجفان بالسحر الذيO you whose eyelids are kohl-darkened with that sorcery
- ألبستهم نسج داود فنلت بهمYou clad them in David’s woven mail, and through them gained
- الحب كالدهر يعطينا ويرتجعLove is like time: it gives to us and takes back.
- ألست ترى الأوضاح في دهمة الدجىDo you not see the gleams in the blackness of night,
- إليك بعثناها شوارد ضمنتTo you we sent her—wandering verses containing
- إليك طوى عرض البسيطة جاعلA sovereign traversed the earth’s vast breadth, making
- اليوم طبق افق الدولة النورToday light has filled the horizon of the realm.
- أما طلاب المعالي فاستهين بهAs for the pursuit of high honors, it was scorned,
- أما والذي ناجى من الطور عبدهNow, by Him who spoke privately with His servant from the Mount,
- إن كان بالكرم الخلود فما أرىIf immortality comes through generosity, then I see
- أنا المشوق فما للخيل والابلI am the lover—so what is it with the horses and camels?
- أنا في حجرة تجل عن الوصفI am in a chamber that defies description,
- أنسيم هل للصلح عندك موضعO Nasīm, has reconciliation any place to pitch its tent with you,
- أنوار وأين دار نوارO Nawār! And where is Nawār’s home?
- تبسمت والخيل العتاق عوابسYou smiled while the thoroughbred steeds scowled.
- تعلقته بدوي اللسانI fell in love with him, Bedouin in tongue,
- جملة أمري أني ركبت الىIn short, I ventured to
- حسناء صافية بيضاء ضافيةA beauty, pure, white, and flowing.
- رأيته والمرآة في يدهI saw him with the mirror in his hand,
- رسولي إذا لم يغشهن رسولMy messenger, when no messenger visits them, is
- رقى العذال أم خدع الرقيبWere these the reproachers’ spells, or the watchman’s deceits,
- ركوب الهول اركبك المذاكيRiding into peril has set you astride full-grown steeds.
- زرت حتى حجبت وانتقب الناسI visited until I was shut out, and the peo—
- سما التلعفري إلى وصاليAl-Tala‘fari aspired to my company,
- شغفت بداية لي اشتهيهاI am enamored of a wet nurse of mine whom I desire,
- ظبي إذا لاح في عشيرتهA gazelle who, when he appears among his kin,
- عبر الجواد بي الفرات ودجلةThe steed carried me across the Euphrates and Tigris,
- عدل الحبيب فمن يجورThe beloved has dealt justly—who, then, can wrong us?
- عذارك جادت عليه الرياضYour cheek-down—the gardens have showered it
- علقت مفترس الصراغم فارساI fell in love with a devourer of lions, a horseman,
- على نهر سل في دجى الليل من رأىOn the River Sall, in the darkness of night, whoever beheld
- فاض ماء الجمال في الأقطارBeauty’s water has overflowed throughout the lands;
- فالروض عقفت الصبا اصداغهSo the east wind has curled the garden's sidelocks,
- فدى لك بعد رزئك من ينامMay whoever sleeps after your loss be your ransom,
- فسمونا والفجر يضحك في الشرSo we rose, with dawn laughing in the east
- فما عثرت لكم تهم الاعاديSo your enemies' accusations have not found in you
- في أي منزل صبوة لم أنزلIn what abode of youthful passion have I not alighted?
- قال يوما لنا أبو دلف أبOne day Abu Dulaf said to us—the coldest
- قد قلت حين افاض أحمد سيبهI said, when Ahmad poured forth his bounty:
- قطيعتكم برغم المجد شهراA month's separation from you, to glory's chagrin,
- كرمت وسدت فالجدوى انتهابYou have shown nobility and risen to mastery; your bounty is there for the taking.
- لبست العدم حتى صار ذيليI wore poverty until my hem began
- لبيك لبيك داعي اللهو من كثبAt your service, at your service, caller to pleasure from nearby,
- لله در الخالديGod bless al-Khalidi,
- لم يدر حي وقد جاء البشير بهNo living soul knew, though the herald had brought news of him,
- لما أصيب الخد منك بعارضWhen this cheek of mine was afflicted with side-whiskers,
- لما التحى أصبحت عمامتهWhen he grew a beard, his turban—
- له من عيون الوحش عين مريضةHe has a languid eye like those of wild creatures,
- لولا اشتياق الماء كفك لم يكنBut for the water’s longing for your palm, never would
- لي فيك التي ترى البحتريFor you, I have a poem in which you see al-Buhtur—
- ليس الوزارة إلا عندكم ولكمThe vizierate is found only with you, and yours alone;
- ما الذل إلا تحمل المننHumiliation is nothing but bearing the burden of others’ favors.
- ما تسرع الألحاظ تخطف وردهGlances never hasten to snatch his rose
- ما تنشدون وقلبي في رحالكمWhat are you seeking, when my heart is in your saddlebags?
- ما زلت أشتاق نارا أوقدت لهماI have never ceased longing for a fire kindled for those two,
- ما ضن عنك بموجود ولا بخلاHe withheld nothing he possessed from you, nor was he miserly.
- مازال بي مهر الشبيبة جامحاThe colt of youth kept running wild in me
- محاسن غضت ناظري من تعتباGraces that lowered my gaze and kept it from reproach,
- مددت طرته كيما ألاعبهI stretched out his forelock to play with him;
- مرموقة الجنبات بالبدع التيIts sides are admired for marvels that
- ملل التي يحسبها اهلهاMalal, whom her people consider
- منيت بمن إذا منيت أفضتI was afflicted with one; whenever I was given hope,
- نسب الرياض إلى الغمام شريفThe gardens' lineage from the clouds is noble;
- نفرغ اكياسنا في الكؤوسWe empty our purses into the goblets
- هو بحر من مائه ذائب التبرHe is a sea whose waters are molten gold,
- وإذا هنيء الملوك فصبحتAnd when kings are congratulated, may you be greeted at dawn
- وأزور دارك وهي آنس جنةAnd I visit your home, the most welcoming of gardens;
- واشتاق طلعتك الخليفة مظهراAnd the caliph longed for your countenance, openly displaying
- وأعرضت إذا رأت في عارضي درراAnd she turned away when she saw pearls in my whiskers,
- وأعطيت طبع البحتري وشعرهI was endowed with al-Buhturi’s natural gift and verse—
- والحمد لله قد فطناAnd praise be to God—we have understood.
- وصل الخيال ومنك رمت وصالاThe phantom came, but it was union with you I sought.
- وظبية من بنات الأنس في يدهاA gazelle-maiden, one of the daughters of delight—in her hand
- وفيهن سكرى اللحظ سكرى من الصباAnd among them is one drunk in her gaze, drunk with youth;
- وقافية منك أوضاحهاAnd a rhyme whose shining ornaments come from you,
- وقثاءة مثل هلال السماءAnd a cucumber like the crescent in the sky,
- وقد خالط الفجر الظلام كما التقىAnd dawn had mingled with darkness, as there met
- وقد زعمت رواة الشعر أنيAnd the reciters of poetry have claimed that I
- وكباسه حلي الشباب لعوبةAnd a playful girl, plundering youth of its adornments,
- ولم نر بحرا جرى بالعقارAnd we had never seen a sea flowing with wine,
- ولما وقفت أمام الإمامAnd when you stood before the Imam,
- ومختصر الخصر من بعدهAnd after him came one slender of waist.
- ومدح غيرك ذنب لا يقال وماAnd praising anyone but you is a sin that cannot be pardoned, and what
- ومضمومة تحت حضن الدجىAnd enfolded beneath the bosom of night,
- وميدان تجول به خيولAnd a field where horses roam—
- ونارنج تميل به غصونAnd bitter oranges—branches bend beneath their weight;
- وهنيته وحيا من الشعر لم يلقAnd I congratulated him with a revelation of verse; no one has recited
- ويغريني بذكر الربع غيدAnd graceful women entice me to speak of the dwelling;
- يا ابن عباد بن عباسO son of ʿAbbād, son of ʿAbbā—
- يا أهل لست بمشتاق إلى وطنيO people, I do not long for my homeland
- يا حبذا سنبلةAh, how lovely is an ear of grain!
- يا رب سابغة حبتني نعمةOh, many a full-length coat of mail has bestowed a kindness on me;
- يا رب غانية بيضاء تصحبنيOh, many a fair-skinned beauty keeps me company
- يا سيف دين الله ما رضي العدىO sword of God’s faith, never would the foe be content
- يا شاعرا بسقوطه لم يشعرO poet unaware of his own downfall,
- يا مرهفا في لحاظه مرهفO delicate one, whose glances hold a keen blade,
- يزور نائلك العافي وصارمكYour bounty is visited by the suppliant, and your sword by the
- يشبهه المداح في البأس والندىThe panegyrist likens him, in valor and generosity,
- يغض الغزال في وجنتيهThe gazelle’s cheeks grow tender.
- يوما لبست به الخلاعة حلةOne day I donned a robe of revelry,
No poems found.