خليلي دمعي فوق خدي قد مشى — Ahmed Albahloul

خَلِيلَيَّ دَمْعِي فَوْقَ خَدِّي قَدْ مَشى

بِحُبِّ غَزَالٍ فِي رُبَا الْقَلْبِ قَدْ نَشَا

My two friends, my tears have made their way over my cheek,

For love of a gazelle that has grown among the heart's hills.

أَقُولُ لأهْلِ الْحُبِّ وَالْقَوْلُ قَدْ فَشَا

خُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ فَالْحُبُّ فِي رُقْعَةِ الْحَشَا

I say to the people of love—and the saying has spread—

Take your precautions, for love, on the heart's chessboard,

يَجُولُ بِهَا فِي الطُّولِ وَالْعَرْضِ كَالرُّخِّ

أُرَجِّي شِقَائِي مِنْ حَبِيبٍ عَلَّني

Roams over it, lengthwise and crosswise, like a rook.

I hope for my misery from a beloved who has made me ill,

وَقَدْ ضَاقَ ذَرْعاً مِنْ شِفَائِي وَمَلَّني

أَيَا عَاذِلي كُفَّ المَلامَ فَإنَّنِي

And he has lost patience with my healing and grown weary of me.

O my reproacher, cease your blame, for I

خَلَعْتُ عِذَارِي فِي هَوى مَنْ أَذَلَّنِي

وَأَوْقَعَنِي كَالطَّيْرِ فِي حِلَقِ الْفَخِّ

Have cast off my bridle in love for one who abased me

And cast me, like a bird, into the loops of a snare.

بَعَثْتُ نِيَاقَ الشَّوْقِ تَسْرِي مُجِدَّةً

وَأَبْحُرُ دَمْعِي لِلْعُيُونِ مُمِدَّةً

I sent longing's she-camels hastening through the night,

And the seas of my tears replenish the eyes,

وَحَبْلُ اشْتِيَاقي لِلْحَبِيبِ مُعَدَّةً

هَؤُنٌ لِعَهْدِي لاَ يُرَاعِي مَوَدَّةً

And the cord of my longing stands ready for the beloved.

[Unclear word] toward my pledge; he shows no regard for affection.

تَجَنى فَأَفْنَيْتُ الْمَدَامِعً بِالنَّضْجِ

عَذُولي لَحَاني فِي الْحَبِيبِ الْمَهَاجِرِ

He made false accusations, so I exhausted my tear ducts through 'ripening'.

My reproacher blamed me for the beloved who forsakes me.

وَمَا ضَرَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ فِي الْحُبِّ عَاذِرِي

أَقُولُ وَدَمْعِي كَالبِحَارِ الزَّوَاجِرِ

And what harm would it have done him to excuse me in love?

I say, while my tears are like rebuking seas:

خَلاَ مِنْهُ طَرْفي لاَ خَلاَ منْهُ خَاطِري

فَأَمْلَيتُ وَجْداً لًيْسَ يُحْصَرُ بِالنَّسْجِ

He is absent from my gaze, not absent from my mind.

So I dictated a passion that no weaving can contain.

أُعَلِّلُ قَلْبي بِالَّذِي لاَ يُفِيدُني

وَأَطْمَعُ فِي وَصْلِ الَّذِي لاَ يُريدُني

I soothe my heart with what brings me no benefit,

And I crave union with one who does not want me.

إلَيْهِ غَرَامِي لاَ يَزَالُ يَقُودُني

خَلِيلي جَفَا لَوْلاَ خَيَالٌ يَزْورَني

My passion keeps leading me toward him.

My beloved has forsaken me, but for a phantom that visits me;

فَلَوْ زَارَ شَخْصٌ كَانَ بَخَّاً عَلى بَجِّ

يَلُومُنَنِي فِي حُبِّ بَدْرٍ تَحَجَّبَا

Were he to visit in person, it would be bravo upon [unclear exclamation]!

He blames me for loving a full moon that has veiled itself.

إذَا رُمْتُ مِنْهُ الْقُرْبَ زَادَ تَعَتُّبَا

مَلُولٌ لِوَصْلي لَمْ يَزَلْ مُتَجَنِّبَا

When I seek closeness from him, he grows more reproachful.

Weary of union with me, he has never ceased to keep away.

خَسِرْتُ شَبَابِي مَا أَفَادَني الصِّبَا

بِعَيْشٍ تَقَضى وَالشَّبِيبَةُ فِي شَرْخِ

I lost my youth; adolescence did me no good,

In a life that passed away while youth was in its prime.

عَدِمْتُ سُرُورِي حِينَ شَدُّوا الْحَدَائِجَا

وَقَدْ فَرَّقُوا يَوْم الرِّحِيلِ الْهَوَادِجِا

I lost my joy when they fastened the camel-litters,

And on departure day they scattered the howdahs.

وَلَمْ أَلْقَ لي مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْبَيْنِ فَارِجَا

خَيَالِي وَشَوْقي صَارَ مَا بِيَ لاَعِجَا

And I found no one to relieve me of separation's severity.

My imagination and my longing—what ails me became a burning ache,

حَكى الْجَمرَ فِي وَقْدٍ إذَا هِيجَ بِالنَّفْخِ

سَرى حُبُّهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ لَحْمِي وَأعْظُمِي

Resembling embers blazing when stirred by a breath.

Love for them coursed through the space between my flesh and bones,

فَنِتُّ مِنَ الْبَلْوى بِقَلْبِ مُتَيَّمَ

تَرى نَلْتَقِي بَيْنَ الْمَقَامِ وَزَمْزَمِ

So I [unclear verb], from affliction, with a love-enslaved heart.

I wonder, shall we meet between the Maqam and Zamzam?

خُطُوبُ اللَّيَالي قَدْ رَمَتْنِي بِأَسْهُمَ

أَصَابَتْ فُؤَادِي كَالرَّمِيَّةِ عَنْ بَدْخِ

The calamities of the nights have shot arrows at me;

They struck my heart as quarry is struck by a crossbow.

أَلَمَّتْ بِنَا يَوْمَ الْفِرَاقِ نَدَامَةٌ

وَدَامَتْ عَلَيْنَا بِالصُّدُودِ مُدَامَةٌ

Regret came upon us on the day of parting,

And a wine of rejection kept lingering over us.

رَأَيْنَا وَقَدْ لاَحَ الْكَثِيبُ وَرَامَةٌ

خَمِيلَةَ طَلْحٍ قَدْ رَقَتْهَا حَمَامةٌ

We saw, as the dune and Rama appeared,

A thicket of acacias that a dove had climbed,

تَنُوحُ عَلىَ إِلْفٍ وَتَبْكِي عَلى فَرْخِ

وَمُوْجَعَة الأَحْشَاءِ تَبْكِي تَجَلُّدَا

Lamenting a mate and weeping over a chick.

And, aching in her entrails, she weeps with fortitude;

وَنُخْفِي غَرَاماً فِي الفُؤَادِ مُؤَبَّدَا

جَعَلْتُ لَهَا سَجْعِي عَلى النَّوْحِ مُسْعِدَا

And we conceal an everlasting passion in the heart.

I made my rhymed speech her companion in lamentation.

خَطَبْتُ فَأَصْغَتْ إذْ مَدَحْتُ مُحَمَّدَا

وَتَاهَتْ بِهِ مِمَّا اعْتَرَاهَا مِنَ الْبَذْخِ

I spoke, and she listened when I praised Muhammad,

And she exulted in him from the pride that had overtaken her.

حِمَاهُ مَنِيعٌ كُلُّنَا تَحْتَ ظِلِّهِ

جَوَادٌ إذَا مَنَّ السَّحَابُ بِوَبْلِهِ

His sanctuary is impregnable; we are all beneath his shade.

He is generous when the clouds bestow their downpour.

وَلَمْ يَكُ فِي الْكَوْنَيْنِ خَلْقاً كَمِثْلِهِ

خَصَائِلُهُ عَبَّرْنَ عَنْ كُنْهِ فضْلِهِ

And in the two worlds there was no creature like him.

His qualities expressed the essence of his excellence,

بِآيَاتِ صِدْقٍ لاَ تُبَدَّلُ بِالنَّسْخِ

نَذِيرٌ بِآيَاتٍ بَشِيرٌ بِرَحْمَةٍ

Through signs of truth that are not altered by abrogation.

A warner with signs, a bearer of glad tidings of mercy.

وَقَدْ خَصَّهُ البَارِي بِعِزٍ وَنِعْمَةٍ

وَطَهَّرَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ ونِقْمَةٍ

And the Creator has singled him out for honor and blessing,

And purified him of every flaw and affliction.

خَصَائِصُهُ فَازَاتْ بِهَا كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ

فَمِنْهَا سَرِيٌّ والْجُنيدُ مَعَ الكَرْجِي

Every community attained success through his special qualities.

Thus among them are Sari and al-Junayd, together with al-Karji.

نُبُوَّتُهُ قَدْ أَطْلَعَ اللهُ فَخْرَهَا

وَأُمَّتُهُ قَدْ ضَاعَف اللهُ أَجْرَهَ

God has brought the glory of his prophethood to light.

And God has multiplied his community's reward,

وَخفَّفَ عَنْهَا فِي الْقِيَامَةِ وِزْرَهَا

خَلاَئِقُهُ قَدْ عَظَّمَ اللهُ قَدْرَهَا

And lightened its burden on the Day of Resurrection.

God has magnified the worth of his character traits,

بِعَقْدِ نِظَامٍ لَيْسَ يُنْقَضُ بِالْفَسْخِ

لَهُ طَلْعَةٌ كَالشَّمْسِ تَخْلُو إذَا بَدَتْ

With a knot of order that dissolution cannot undo.

He has a countenance like the sun, standing alone when it appears,

كَمِشْكاةِ نُورٍ بِالْبَهَاءِ تَوَقَّدَتْ

وَكُلُّ الأَعَادِي مِنْهُ خَوْفاً تَشَرَّدَتْ

Like a niche of light set ablaze with splendor.

And all enemies scattered for fear of him.

خَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَالَفَتْ وَتَمَرَّدَتْ

فَباَؤُا مِنَ الْجَبَّارِ بِالْخَسْفِ وَالْمَسْخِ

A community passed away that had disobeyed and rebelled,

So they incurred sinking into the earth and transformation from the Almighty.

سَمَا مَجْدُهُ بَيْنَ الأَنَامِ وَفَخْرُهُ

وَقَدْ جَلَّ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْبَرِيَّةِ قَدْرُهُ

His glory and distinction rose high among humankind,

And his worth was exalted among creation.

لَهُ الْمَنْصِبُ الأَعْلى لَقَدْ تَمَّ نَصْرُهُ

خِتَامٌ وَإنْ كَانَ الْمُقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُهُ

His is the highest station; his victory is complete.

The seal, though his mention came first,

أَخِيرٌ وَإنْ كَانَ الْمُبَدَّأ فِي النَّسْخِ

تَبَاهى بِهِ بَيْنَ الأَنَامِ عَشِيرُهُ

Last, though placed first in the transcription.

His kin took pride in him among humankind.

وَكَانَ عَلى مَتْنِ الْبُرَاقِ مَسِيرُهُ

إلَى الْمَلإِ الأَعْلى وَتَمَّ سُرُورُهُ

And his journey was upon the back of al-Buraq,

To the highest assembly, and his joy was complete.

خَبَتْ نَارُ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ إذْ لاَحَ نُورُهُ

وَإيوَانُ كِسْرى انْقَصَّ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الرَّسْخِ

The fire of the idolaters died down when his light shone,

And Khosrow's palace hall cracked from the intensity of its rooted firmness.

مَتى يَسْتَرِيحُ الْقَلْبُ وَالشَّوْقُ هَزَّهُ

إلى مَنْ بِهِ الإْسْلاَمُ قَدْ نَالَ عِزَّهُ

When will the heart rest, when longing has shaken it

Toward the one through whom Islam has attained its honor?

هُوَ الْكَنْزُ يَا طُوبى لِمَنْ كَانَ كَنْزَهُ

خَصِيمٌ بِإعْجَازٍ لِمَنْ ظَنَّ عَجْزَهُ

He is the treasure; how blessed is one whose treasure he is!

An adversary with miraculous power to anyone who supposed him powerless.

وَلَيْسَ بِسَقْطٍ فِي الجِدَالِ وَلاَ شَمْخِ

مَتى نَلْتَقِي بِاَلْهاشِميِّ وَصَحْبِهِ

And he is neither base nor haughty in disputation.

When shall we meet the Hashimite and his companions,

وَنَبْلُغُ مَا نَرْجُوهُ مِنْ رِفْدِ قُرْبِهِ

فَإنْ شِئْتَ أنْ تُعْطى الأَمَانَ فَلُذْ بِهِ

And attain what we hope for from the bounty of closeness to him?

So if you wish to be granted safety, seek refuge in him.

خَبِيرٌ يُرَاعِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِقَلْبِهِ

وَقَلْبُ الَّذِي يَنْسَاهَ فِي النَّارِ فِي الطَّبْخِ

Perceptive, he watches over the believers with his heart,

And the heart of one who forgets him is in the Fire, being cooked.

رَضِيٌّ وَكَانَ الْمُرْتَضى مِنْ حُمَاتِهِ

وَقَدْ كَانَتِ الزَّهْراءُ خَيْرَ بَنَاتِهِ

Well-pleasing, and al-Murtada was among his protectors.

And al-Zahra was the best of his daughters.

بِهِ يُدْرِكُ الْعاصِي طَريقَ نَجَاتهِ

خَطِيرٌ جَلِيلُ الْقَدْرِ هَامُ عِدَاتِهِ

Through him the sinner reaches the path of his salvation.

Eminent, majestic in rank; the heads of his enemies

مُهَيَّأَةٌ لِلْحَرْبِ لِلْقَطْعِ وَالشَّدْخِ

حَبِيبٌ عَلى قُرْبِ الْمَزَارِ وَبُعْدِهِ

Are readied for war, for severing and crushing.

Beloved, whether the place of visitation is near or far.

كَرِيمُ السَّجَايَا لا كَريمُ بِرِفْدِهِ

مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمن مِنْ بَعْضِ جُنْدِهِ

Noble in character; no generous one rivals his bounty.

The angels of the Merciful form part of his army.

خُلاَصَةُ تِبْرِ الْكَوْنِ جَوْهَرُ عِقْدِهِ

سَمَا فَهْوَ فِي رَأْسِ الرِّيَاسَةِ كَالْمُخِّ

The pure essence of the universe's raw gold, the jewel of its necklace.

He rose high; at the head of leadership, he is like the brain.