طغت الدماء وفاضت الأرواح — Ahmad Muharram

طَغَتِ الدِماءُ وَفاضَتِ الأَرواحُ

وَطَمَت سُهولٌ بِالرَدى وَبِطاحُ

Blood overflowed, and souls poured forth,

and plains and broad valleys flooded with death.

أَينَ الشَرائِعُ مِن شَريعَةِ ظالِمٍ

يُفني النُفوسَ وَما عَلَيهِ جُناحُ

Where are the laws beside the law of a tyrant

who annihilates souls, yet bears no blame?

مَشَتِ الجُنودُ إِلى الجُنودِ وَإِنَّما

مَشَتِ المَنونُ حَواصِداً تَجتاحُ

The armies marched against the armies—but in truth

Death marched, reaping and sweeping all away.

مُهَجٌ تَطيرُ بِها الحُتوفُ فَتَرتَمي

عَن أَنفُسٍ يودى بِها وَيُطاحُ

Life-blood that deadly fates send flying, then fling away

from souls brought to ruin and overthrown.

رَثَتِ المَذابِحُ لِلدِماءَ مُراقَةً

مِلءَ البِطاحِ وَما رَثى الذَبّاحُ

The slaughtergrounds pitied the blood poured out,

filling the broad valleys; the slaughterer felt no pity.

يَنهَلُّ صَيِّبُها فَيثني عَطفَهُ

مَرَحاً وَيَزخرُ سَيلُها فَيُراحُ

Its downpour streams; he turns his body away

in glee; its torrent swells, and he is soothed.

فاضَت حَوالَيهِ فَضُرِّجَ عَرشُهُ

مِنها وَخُضِّبَ تاجُهُ الوَضّاحُ

It overflowed around him, staining his throne

with it, and dyeing his radiant crown.

مَلِكٌ وَلا غَيرَ الجَماجِمِ حَولَهُ

سُورٌ وَلا غَيرَ الرِقابِ سِلاحُ

A king, with nothing but skulls around him

for a wall, and nothing but necks for weapons.

عَصفَ الجِلادُ بِها فَظَلَّ يُطيرُها

بيدٍ تَطيرُ بِها ظُبىً وَرِماحُ

Combat ravaged them; he kept sending them flying

with a hand that sends sword-edges and spears flying.

بَغَتِ المُلوكُ عَلى الشُعوبِ وَغَرَّها

مِمَّن تَسوسُ تَجاوُزٌ وَسَماحُ

Kings tyrannized over peoples, beguiled

by the forgiveness and forbearance of those they ruled.

جَنَبوا الخَلائِقَ طَيِّعينَ وَرُبَّما

جَمَحَ الجَنيبُ فَطالَ مِنهُ جِماحُ

They led the people along, submissive; yet sometimes

the led mount bolted, and its rebellion endured.

الظُلمُ مَفسَدَةُ النُفوسِ وَما لَها

غَيرُ التَرَفُّقِ في الأُمورِ صَلاحُ

Oppression corrupts souls, and they have

no remedy but gentleness in affairs.

تَشتَدُّ ما اِشتَدَّ العِصابُ فَإِن يَلِن

لانَ الأَبِيُّ وَأَقصَرُ الطَمّاحُ

They harden as the binding tightens; if it loosens,

the defiant yields, and the headstrong desists.

إِن يسجنِ الظُلمُ النُفوسَ فَعِندَهُ

بابُ الفِكاكِ وَعِندَها المِفتاحُ

If oppression imprisons souls, it holds

the door to release, while they hold the key.

فيمَ التَناحُرُ وَالخَلائِقُ أُخوَةٌ

وَالعَيشُ حَقٌّ لِلجَميعِ مُباحُ

Why mutual slaughter, when humankind are brothers

and living is a right freely granted to all?

وَالدَهرُ سَمحٌ وَالحَياةُ خَصيبَةٌ

وَالرِزقُ جَمٌّ وَالبِلادُ فِساحُ

Time is generous, and life is fertile,

sustenance is abundant, and the lands are spacious.

إِنّا وَإِن قَدُمَ المَدى لَبَنو أَبٍ

يُغدى بنا في شَأنِهِ وَيُراحُ

Indeed, though ages have passed, we are one father's sons,

taken out at dawn and brought back at dusk about his affairs.

أَنَظَلُّ في الدُنيا يُفَرِّقُ بَينَنا

بغضٌ وَيَجمَعُنا وَغىً وَكِفاحُ

Shall we remain in this world, divided

by hatred, and united by war and strife?

ما بالُنا نَشقى لِتَنعَمَ عُصبَةً

مَلَكتَ فَلا رِفقٌ وَلا إِسجاحُ

Why must we suffer so a clique may live in comfort,

having gained power, with neither gentleness nor leniency?

تَقسو وَتَزعُمُ أَنَّما هِيَ رَحمَةٌ

تُحيي النُفوسَ وَنِعمَةٌ تُمتاحُ

It is cruel, yet claims this is nothing but mercy,

reviving souls, a blessing to be drawn upon.

طَلَبَت مَوَدّاتِ القُلوبِ وَمِلؤُها

حُرَقٌ تَهيجُ حُقودُها وَجِراحُ

It sought the hearts' affection, though they were filled

with burning grief that stirs their rancor, and with wounds.

عِندَ الشُعوبِ مَآتِمٌ ما تَنقَضي

طولَ الحَياةِ وَعِندَها أَفراحُ

The peoples have mourning rites that never end

all life long, while the clique has celebrations.

أَينَ المُلوكُ المَرتَجونَ لِغَمرَةٍ

تُجلى وَخَطبٍ يُعتَلى فَيُزاحُ

Where are the kings looked to when a peril

must be cleared, a calamity overcome and swept aside?

ذَهَبَ الرُعاةُ الصالِحونَ وَغالَهُم

قَدَرٌ لِإِفناءِ الشُعوبِ مُتاحُ

The righteous shepherds departed, carried off

by a fate let loose to annihilate the peoples.

كانوا مَصابيحَ الرَشادِ إِذا دَجَت

ظُلَمُ الحَياةِ وَأَعوَزَ المِصباحُ

They were lamps of guidance when darkness gathered,

life's darkness, and no lamp could be found.

كانوا الغِياثَ إِذا تَنوبُ عَظيمَةٌ

وَتَهولُ بارِزَةُ النُيوبِ وَقاحُ

They were succor whenever a great calamity befell,

terrifying, fangs bared, brazen.

كانوا الأُساةَ إِذا تَحَطَّمَ مَنكِبٌ

وَاِنهاضَ مِن وَقعِ الخُطوبِ جَناحُ

They were healers when a shoulder shattered,

and a wing broke beneath calamities' blows.

يَجِدونَ ما يَجِدُ اللَهيفُ مِنَ الأَسى

وَلِرَبِّنا ناحَ الحَزينُ فَناحوا

They felt the sorrow that the anguished felt;

the grieving wailed to our Lord, and they wailed too.

ذهَبَوا فَما حَيّا المَمالِكَ بَعدَهُم

عَدلٌ وَلا أَحيا الشُعوبَ فَلاحُ

They departed; no longer were the kingdoms greeted after them

by justice, nor did prosperity revive the peoples.

خَلَتِ القُرونُ وَنورُهُم مُتَبَلِّجٌ

وَمَضى الزَمانُ وَفِكرُهُم فَيّاحُ

The centuries passed, yet their light shines bright;

time went by, yet their thought still wafts its fragrance.

الحَربُ هادِمَةُ الشُعوبِ وَإِنَّها

لِلشَرِّ بَينَ العالَمينَ لِقاحُ

War is the destroyer of peoples, and it is

the seed of evil among the peoples of the world.

تَخبو وَتَقتَدحُ الحُقودُ رَمادَها

كَالنارِ هاجَ كَمينَها المِقداحُ

It dies down, but rancors strike sparks from its ashes,

like fire whose hidden embers a fire-striker rouses.

صَدعٌ وَإِن طالَ المَدى مُتَفاقِمٌ

وَدَمٌ وَإن جَفَّ الثَرى نَضّاحُ

A rift that, however long time passes, keeps widening,

and blood that, even when the earth dries, keeps gushing.

أَرَأَيتَ مَن ذَهَبَ الرَدى بِعَتادِها

فَإِذا العَتادُ تَفَجُّعٌ وَنُواحُ

Have you seen her whose resources death swept away,

till her resources were anguish and lamentation?

وَإِذا الحَياةُ سَفينَةٌ لَعِبَت بِها

هوجُ الرِياحِ وَخانَها المَلّاحُ

And life is a ship tossed about

by raging winds, betrayed by its sailor,

في جَوفِ مُصطَخِبٍ كَأَنَّ عُبابَهُ

صُوَرٌ لِعادي المَوتِ أَو أَشباحُ

in the belly of a roaring sea, whose surging waves seem

shapes of Death the assailant, or specters.

وَكَأَنَّما دُعِيَت نَزالِ فَأَجفَلَت

لِلحَربِ رابِيَةُ العَديدِ رِداحُ

As though 'To battle!' had been cried, and surged forth

to war a swelling, ponderous multitude.

أَشقى النَعيمُ حَياتها وَأَباحَها

خِدرٌ أَعَزُّ وَذائِدٌ جَحجاحُ

Luxury made her life wretched, and she was left exposed

by an inviolable bower and a mighty defender.

عَرَبِيَّةٌ أَوفى بِعِزَّةِ قَومِها

نَسَبٌ لَهُم في الكابِرينَ صُراحُ

An Arab woman, her people's honor upheld

by a lineage pure among their great forebears.

البَأسُ مُلتَهِبٌ إِذا ما حورِبوا

وَإِذا اِستُنيلوا فَالنَدى دَلّاحُ

Their valor blazes whenever they are attacked,

and when their bounty is sought, it pours like heavy rain.

وَإِذا يُهابُ بِهِم إِلى أُكرومَةٍ

نَفَروا وَإِن سيموا الهَوانَ أَشاحوا

When they are summoned to a noble deed,

they rush forth; if subjected to humiliation, they spurn it.

مَفجوعَةٌ وَلِعَت بِها أَحزانُها

وَمَحَت غَضارَةَ عَيشِها الأَتراحُ

Bereaved, her sorrows fastened upon her,

and grief effaced the freshness of her life.

كانَت إِذا دَرَجَ النَسيمُ بِسوحِها

دَرَجَت إِلَيه أَسِنَّةٌ وَصِفاحُ

Once, whenever the breeze moved through her courtyards,

spearpoints and sword-blades moved to meet it;

وَتَصاهَلَت جُردٌ تَطيرُ إِلى الوَغى

وَكَأَنَّما طارَت بِهِنَّ رِياحُ

sleek steeds neighed together and flew toward battle,

as though winds had carried them aloft.

باتَت يُؤَرِّقُها تَضَوُّرُ صِبيَةٍ

أَخَذ الطَوى مِنهُم فَهُم أَطلاحُ

She passed the night, kept awake by children's groans;

hunger had ravaged them, and they were wasted.

وَلَهَت أَتَطلُبُ أَم تَموتُ كَريمَةً

ما عابَها طَلَبٌ وَلا اِستِمناحُ

Distraught—should she beg, or die with her honor?

Neither asking nor seeking a gift would disgrace her.

ضَنّت بِصِبيَتِها وَرَونَقِ وَجهِها

فَتَحَدَّرَت عَبَراتُها تَنساحُ

She cherished her children and the radiance of her face,

and her tears streamed down freely.

حَتّى إِذا أَخفى النُجومَ مَغارُها

وَمَحا الظَلامَ صَديعُهُ المُنصاحُ

Until, when their setting had hidden the stars,

and dawn's widening cleft had wiped away the darkness,

بَكَرَت تَمُرُّ عَلى الخِيامِ حَيّيةً

عَجلى فَلا رَيثٌ وَلا إِلحاحُ

she went out early, passing shyly among the tents,

in haste, neither lingering nor insisting.

زالَ النَهارُ وَلَم تَنَل يَدَها يَدٌ

فَأَمَضَّ مُنقَلَبٌ وَساءَ رَواحُ

The day waned, and no hand reached hers;

so her return was bitter, her homeward journey grievous.

عادَت إِلى أَفراخِها فَإِذا بِهِم

صَرعى فَصاحَت تَستَجيرُ وَصاحوا

She returned to her chicks, and there they lay,

prostrate; she cried for help, and they cried too.

وَإِذا فَتاةٌ كَالرَبيعِ خَصيبَةٌ

وَفَتىً كَرَيعانِ الصِبى مِسماحُ

Then a young woman, flourishing like spring,

and a youth, generous as the prime of boyhood,

رَأياً هَموداً ما يُحِيرُ جَوابَها

إِلّا العُيونُ مُشيرَةً وَالراحُ

saw deathlike stillness: nothing answered her

but signaling eyes and hands.

بَصَرا بِأَربَعَةٍ وَلَوَّحَ خامِسٌ

فَتَأَمَّلا فَبَدا الجَميعُ وَلاحوا

They saw four, and a fifth signaled;

they looked closely, and all came into view.

فَزِعا إِلى الحَيَّينِ ثَمَّتَ أَقبَلا

فَإِذا جُزورٌ جَمَّةٌ وَلِقاحُ

They hurried to the two encampments, then returned,

and behold, many camels for slaughter and milch-camels.

وَإذا إِماءٌ جِئنَ بَعدَ هُنَيهَةٍ

فَإِذا العِلابُ تَفيضُ وَالأَقداحُ

Bondwomen came after a little while,

and the milk-bowls and cups brimmed over.

شَرِبوا الحَياةَ تَدُبُّ في أَجسامِهِم

فَمَشى دَمٌ فيها وَدَبّ مِراحُ

They drank life, which crept through their bodies;

blood flowed within them, and glad vigor stirred.

لَو ذاقَ أَهوالَ الحُروبِ جُناتُها

كَفَّ العَسوفُ وَأَمسَكَ السَفّاحُ

If wars' perpetrators tasted their horrors,

the tyrant would desist, and the bloodshedder hold back.

عالَجتُ أَدواءَ الشُعوبِ وَسُستُها

فإذا الدواء تودُّدٌ وصَفاحُ

I treated the peoples' ailments and governed them,

and found the cure was affection and forgiveness.

وبلوتُ أسباب الحياة وقستُها

فَإِذا التَعاوُنُ قُوَّةٌ وَنَجاحُ

I tested life's means and weighed them,

and found cooperation to be strength and success.

مَن لِلممالِكِ وَالشُعوبِ بِمَوئِلٍ

تَأوي النُفوسُ إِلَيهِ وَالأَرواحُ

Who will give kingdoms and peoples a refuge

where souls and spirits may seek shelter?

وَمَتى يَرُدُّ الحائِرينَ إِلى الهُدى

نَهجٌ أَسَدُّ وَكَوكَبٌ لَمّاحُ

When will the bewildered be led back to guidance

by a surer path and a flashing star?

دَجَتِ العُصورُ فَما يَبينُ لِأَهلِها

نورُ الحَياةِ وَما يَحينُ صَباحُ

The ages have grown dark; their people cannot see

the light of life, and no morning comes.

نَستَفدِحُ الأَنفاسَ تَحمِلُنا وَما

مِنّا لِعِبءِ شُرورِنا اِستِفداحُ

We find the breaths that bear us burdensome, yet

never find the burden of our own evils heavy.

أَخلاقُنا جَرَبٌ وَنَحنُ صِحاحُ

وَقُلوبُنا خُرسٌ وَنَحنُ فِصاحُ

Our morals have scabies, though we are healthy;

our hearts are mute, though we are eloquent.

لَو عايَنَت صُوَرَ النُفوسِ عُيونُنا

لَم يَعدُها أَنَفٌ وَلا اِستِقباحُ

If our eyes could behold the forms of our souls,

revulsion and disgust would never pass them by.

سَنَّ المُلوكُ لَنا طَرائِقَ ما بِها

لِلخَيرِ مُضطَرَبٌ وَلا مُنداحُ

Kings laid down for us paths where there is

no room for goodness to stir or spread.

وَإِذا المُلوكُ تَنَكَّبَت سُبُلَ الهُدى

غَوَتِ الهُداةُ وَضَلَّتِ النُصّاحُ

When kings shun the paths of guidance,

the guides go astray, and the counselors lose their way.

وَلَقَد تَبَيَّنتُ الأُمورَ مُجَرِّباً

فَإِذا الحَياةُ دُعابَةٌ وَمِزاحُ

Indeed, I have discerned affairs through experience,

and behold, life is playfulness and jest.