نهضت من كل أوب تلتقي — Ahmad Muharram

نهضتْ من كلِّ أوبٍ تلتقي

فاحذروها يا بَنِي المصطلقِ

It rose from every quarter, converging;

so beware of it, O Banu al-Mustaliq.

إحذروها غارةً ملمومةً

يَتّقِي أهوالَها مَن يتقي

Beware of it—a massed assault,

whose terrors the wary guard against.

لا تظنّوا جمعَكم كُفؤاً لها

حينَ تَمضِي في العجاجِ المُطبقِ

Do not suppose your host a match for it

as it advances through the enveloping dust.

سرِّحوا الجيشَ وكُفُّوا إنّها

مَصرعُ الجيش وحَتفُ الفيلقِ

Disband the army and desist: it is

the army's downfall and the legion's doom.

نعق الحارثُ يدعوكم إلى

أن تبيدوا ليته لم يَنعَقِ

Al-Harith croaked, calling you to

perish—would that he had never croaked!

لا يغرَّنْكم رَسُولٌ جاءكم

مُبغض القلب محب المنطقِ

Let no envoy who has come to you deceive you,

hateful at heart, loving in speech.

يا رسول الصدق ماذا جمعوا

لذوي البأسِ وأهلِ المصدقِ

O Messenger of truth, what have they gathered

for men of valor and true resolve—

الأُلَى تَتَّسِعُ السُّبلُ بهم

للمنايا في المجالِ الضيّقِ

those through whom paths widen

for death within the narrow field?

يخفق النصرُ على أعلامِهِم

إن تَرَدَّى كلُّ جيشٍ مُخفقِ

Victory flutters over their banners,

even if every failing army falls.

ما يبالون المنايا النُّكر في

مُرعدٍ من هولها أو مُبْرِق

They heed no monstrous deaths, amid

the thunder or lightning of their terror.

لأبي بكرٍ وسعدٍ نظرةٌ

بعد أخرى كالشُّواظِ المُحرقِ

Abu Bakr and Sa'd cast one glance

after another, like a scorching flame.

في اللّوائَيْنِ ضياءٌ منهما

واضحُ المطلعِ طَلقُ المَشرِقِ

Upon the two banners shines a light from them both,

clear in its rising, radiant in its dawning.

وعلى الفاروقِ من إيمانه

ما على صَمصامِهِ من رونقِ

And upon al-Faruq, from his faith, lies

the luster that gleams upon his keen sword.

وعليٌّ وابن عمّارٍ هما

عُدَّةُ الحربِ لهولِ المأزق

And Ali and the son of Ammar are

war's strength against the terror of dire straits.

يترامى القائدُ الأعلى بهم

في عُبابٍ للمنايا مُغرِق

The supreme commander plunges with them

into a drowning tide of death.

جاش فيه كلُّ زخَّارِ القُوى

يرتقِي من لُجّهِ ما يَرتَقي

There seethes every man brimming with strength;

from its depths rises whatever rises.

خيرُ خلقِ اللَّهِ في شِكَّتهِ

يمتطي خيرَ العِتاقِ السُبَّقِ

The best of God's creation, in his battle gear,

mounts the finest of the fleet thoroughbreds.

سُحِرَ القومُ ومن آياتِهِ

رُقيةُ السِّحْرِ وَطِبُّ الأولق

The people were spellbound; among his signs are

a charm against sorcery and a cure for madness.

نزل الذكرُ عليه فانطوى

مُصحفُ الحِبْرِ وسِفْرُ البطرقِ

The Revelation descended upon him; then were folded away

the rabbi's scripture and the patriarch's book.

وَسِعَ الكُتْبَ جميعاً وَوَعَى

مِن سَناها كلَّ معنىً مونِقِ

It encompassed all the books and preserved

from their radiance every delightful meaning.

علّم الدنيا الهدى فيما مضى

وهو خيرٌ هادياً فيما بقي

It taught the world guidance in times gone by,

and is the finest guide in times to come.

عربيٌّ فتحت آياتُهُ

كلَّ بابٍ للمعاني مُغلَقِ

Arabic in tongue, its verses opened

every closed door to meanings,

في أَسالِيبَ حِسَانٍ غَضَّةٍ

وفُنُونٍ حُرّةٍ لم تُطْرَقِ

in lovely, fresh modes of expression,

and unfettered forms never yet explored.

نَفَحاتُ الحقِّ في أبهى الحلى

من رياحين البيانِ المورِقِ

Breaths of truth in the loveliest adornment,

from the fragrant blooms of eloquence in leaf.

نهض الفاروقُ يدعوهم إلى

مِلّةِ الخيرِ دُعاءَ المُشفِقِ

Al-Faruq arose, calling them to

the creed of goodness with a compassionate appeal.

فأبى القومُ وقالوا دينُنا

إنْ نَدَعْهُ لِسواهُ نَفْسُق

But the people refused and said, “Our religion—

if we abandon it for another, we transgress.”

ومشى جاسوسُهم يبغِي الأذى

فمشى عِزريلُه في المفرق

And their spy went forth seeking harm;

then his Azrael strode through the parting of his hair.

قيل أسلِمْ قال لا فاحتقبتْ

نَفسُه إثمَ الغويِّ الأحمق

He was told, “Accept Islam.” He said, “No”; so burdened was

his soul with the sin of a foolish, erring man.

يا أبا بَرَّةَ ليس البرُّ أن

تتولّى فاتّئدْ واستوثِقِ

O Abu Barrah, goodness is not to

turn away; take your time and make certain.

أفَمن يعتِقُ من رِقِّ الهوى

أنفُسَ النّاسِ كمن لم يُعتَق

Is, then, one who frees from passion's slavery

the souls of people like one who has not been freed?

يا أبا برَّةَ لا تَأْبَ الهدى

وبمن حولكَ فارأفْ وارفق

O Abu Barrah, do not reject guidance;

and toward those around you, be merciful and gentle.

قلتُم الحربُ وقتلاها وما

هِي بالأمرِ الأحبِّ الأخلق

You said, “War and its slain!” Yet

it is not the dearest or most fitting course.

وتوالى النَّبلُ يَهمِي صَوْبُهُ

فَوَقَ صوبٍ من نجيعٍ مُهرَق

Arrows followed in succession, their shower pouring

above a downpour of spilled lifeblood,

إذ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ في عليائِهِ

لرسولِ اللَّهِ سَدِّدْ وارشُقِ

as God says in His heights

to the Messenger of God: “Aim true and shoot.”

قادةٌ ما صادفوا أكفاءَهم

وجنودٌ مِثلُها لم يُخلَقِ

Leaders who have never met their equals,

and soldiers whose like was never created.

ذُعِرَ الجمعُ فلو أنّ القطا

طار في آثارِهِ لم يَلحقِ

The host was terrified; even if sandgrouse

flew in its tracks, they could not catch it.

صَدَّ عن ظمأى العوالِي ولَوى

كلَّ صَبٍّ في المواضِي شَيِّق

It shunned the thirsty lances and thwarted

every yearning lover among the keen blades.

فُجِعُوا في النَّهبِ والسَّبْيِ معاً

وسُقُوا أَسْوَأَ شِرْبِ المُسْتَقِي

They were stricken by plunder and captivity together,

and were given the worst draught a water-seeker could drink.

نَعِمَتْ بَرَّةُ ماذا تشتكِي

من أسىً بَرْحٍ وهمٍّ مُقلِقِ

Barrah is blessed; what does she lament

of bitter sorrow and disquieting care?

يا ابنَةَ الحارِثِ طِيبي وانعمي

أيُّ رزقٍ صالحٍ لم تُرزَقي

O daughter of al-Harith, be happy and blessed;

what good provision has not been granted you?

ذاك جوُّ المجدِ وضّاحُ السَّنا

حَلِّقي ما شئتِ فيهِ حَلِّقي

That is glory's sky, radiant with light;

soar in it as you wish—soar!

اصطفاكِ اللَّهُ فيمن يَصطَفي

وانتقَى بَيتَكِ فيما ينتقي

God chose you among those He chooses,

and selected your house among what He selects.

واحتوى التَّاجُ المحلَّى دُرَّةً

منكِ مَن يلمحْ سناها يُطرِق

The adorned crown embraced a pearl

from you; whoever glimpses its radiance bows his head.

فارقي أسرَ ابن قيسٍ واشكري

يا ابنةَ الحارثِ فضلَ المُطلِقِ

Leave the captivity of Ibn Qays, and give thanks,

O daughter of al-Harith, for the liberator's grace:

اللُّبابِ المحضِ من رُسلِ الهدى

منذ كانوا والصَّميمِ المُعرقِ

the pure essence of the messengers of guidance

since they first were, and their heart of ancient stock.

حَطَّ عنكِ الإصْرَ بَرَّاً ورثى

لك من ضُرٍّ شديدٍ مُرهقِ

In kindness he lifted your burden and pitied

you for your severe, exhausting affliction.

وَرَعى حقَّكِ لا يبغِي سوى

أن تكوني بالمحلِّ الأليق

And he upheld your right, desiring only

that you should be in the most fitting station.

أقبلَ الحارثُ يحدو إبْلَهُ

وبهِ من طولِ هَمٍّ ما بِهِ

Al-Harith came, driving his camels with song,

burdened as he was by long anxiety.

سيّدُ القومِ يُريد ابنتَه

ويَرومُ الذَّبَّ عن أحسابِه

The people's chief seeks his daughter

and aims to defend his ancestral honor.

قال ويحي كيف تُسْبَى بَرَّةٌ

وأبو بَرَّةَ في أثوابِهِ

He said, “Woe is me! How can Barrah be taken captive

while Abu Barrah is still in his robes?

حُرَّةٌ من حُرَّةٍ أنجبها

ونماها نابِهٌ من نابِهِ

Freeborn, of a freeborn woman who bore her,

and reared by a noble man born of a noble man.

إِبِلي سِيري وأُمِّي يثرباً

واطلبي ليثَ الوغَى في غابِهِ

My camels, go on and make for Yathrib;

and seek the lion of battle in his thicket.

شَرَفي آبَى عليه وابنتي

أفتدي منه ومن أصحابِهِ

My honor I will not yield to him, and my daughter

I shall ransom from him and his companions.”

ساقَهَا إلا بَعِيْرَيْنِ هما

من صفايا المالِ أو صُيَّابِهِ

He drove them on, except for two camels,

the choicest of his wealth, or its very finest.

غُودِرَا في جانبِ الوادي وما

يَجلِبُ الأمرَ سوى أسبابهِ

The two were left beside the valley, and nothing

brings a matter about except its causes.

قال دعها يا رعاكَ اللهُ لي

وَاشْفِ هذا القلبَ من أوصابِهِ

He said, “Let me have her—may God protect you—

and heal this heart of its afflictions.

إنّها بنتي التي ربَّيتُها

في حِمَى العزِّ وفي محْرَابِهِ

She is my daughter, whom I brought up

in honor's sanctuary and in its shrine.

أعطنيها وتَقبَّلْ ما معي

من فداءٍ جَلَّ عن أضرابِهِ

Give her to me, and accept what I have with me

as ransom, far surpassing its peers.”

قال بل أحدثتَ أمراً لم تَخَفْ

سُوءَ ما يَغشَى الفتى من عابِهِ

He said, “Rather, you have done a deed, not fearing

the harm that befalls a man through his own fault.

غَابَ عن ذَوْدِكَ ما استبقيتَهُ

لك في الوادي وفي أعشابِهِ

Missing from your herd is what you kept back

for yourself in the valley and its grasses.

يا أبا بَرَّةَ إنّي لأرى

مَوضِعَ العَوْدَيْنِ في أنقابِهِ

O Abu Barrah, indeed I see

the place of the two old camels in its passes.”

قال أسلمتُ وما أدنى الهدى

يا رسولَ اللَّهِ من طُلابِهِ

He said, “I have embraced Islam! How near is guidance,

O Messenger of God, to those who seek it!

وَضَحَ الحقُّ فما من حُجَّةٍ

لغبيِّ القلبِ أو مُرتابِهِ

Truth is clear; there is no excuse

for the dull of heart or one who doubts it.

إنّهُ للّهِ فضلٌ ما له

غَيْرُ من يُؤْثِرُ من أحبابِهِ

Indeed, it is God's bounty, possessed by none

but those He favors among His beloved.

نكص الشِّركَ على أعقابِهِ

وَهَوَى القائِمُ من أنصابِهِ

Idolatry turned back on its heels,

and the upright among its idols fell.

يا رسولَ اللّهِ لا كان امرؤٌ

لم يَكُنْ دِينُكَ من آدابِهِ

O Messenger of God, may no man exist

whose way of life does not include your religion.

شرفُ الأخلاقِ من أحكامِهِ

والتُّقَى والبِرُّ من آدابِهِ

Nobility of character is among its rulings,

and piety and righteousness among its moral teachings.

أنت نِعْمَ الصِّهرُ مجداً وَسناً

إن طلبنا المجدَ في أقطابِهِ

You are an excellent son-in-law in glory and radiance,

if we seek glory among its pillars.

جِئتَ بالخيرِ بشيراً لم تَزَلْ

تصدعُ الأغلاقَ عن أبوابِهِ

You came bearing glad tidings of goodness, and have never ceased

shattering the locks off its doors.

تلك بنتي دخلت فيهِ معي

ما خشينا المنعَ من حُجّابِهِ

That daughter of mine has entered it with me;

we feared no denial from its gatekeepers.”