Sol 6.1

  1. قالوا يد المنجكيِّ ذو الرُّتَبِ

    آلمها النار قلت من عَجَبِ

    They said, “The hand of al-Manjakī, the man of high rank,

    was hurt by fire.” I said in wonder:

  2. يمينه ديمةٌ ونائلها

    بحرٌ فكيف اختشت من اللَّهبِ

    His right hand is steady rain, and its bounty

    an ocean—how, then, did it fear the flame?

  3. تضرُّه النار وهو مطفئها

    والنار ليست تضرُّ بالسُّحبِ

    Fire harms him, though he quenches it,

    yet fire does not harm clouds.

  4. وإنَّما قام وهو محتفلٌ

    كعادةٍ منه تنتمي لأبِ

    Rather, he rose, making careful preparations,

    as was his custom, inherited from his father.

  5. تبغي قِرى الضَّيف في إثارتها

    وذاك دأب الكرام في العربِ

    You seek to feed the guest by kindling it,

    and that is the way of the noble among the Arabs.

  6. فقبَّلتْ كفَّه لما له نظرتْ

    من هِمَّةٍ للقِرى مع النَّصبِ

    So it kissed his palm for what it saw in him:

    zeal for hospitality amid toil.

  7. أو قد رأت مكرمات راحته

    عمَّت جميع الأنام بالنَّشَبِ

    Or it had seen the generous deeds of his palm

    encompass all humankind with wealth.

  8. فبادَرَتْه لتجتدي نشباً

    منه فساءت مواطن الطَّلبِ

    So it rushed to him to beg for wealth

    from him—but its places of petition were ill-chosen.

  9. وضرَّ أقدامها ولو عقلتْ

    لقَبَّلَتْها بغاية الأدبِ

    And its feet did harm; had it understood,

    it would have kissed it with the utmost courtesy.

  10. لكن بحمد الإله ما شُغلت

    عن مسِّها لليراع والقُضُبِ

    But, thanks be to God, his hand was not diverted

    from touching the reed pen and swords.

  11. انظر إلى وجوده وقد طلبتْ

    من كفِّه قبلةً فلم تخبِ

    Look at his presence, as it sought

    a kiss from his palm, and was not disappointed.

  12. جُودٌ يروح الجمادُ يطلبه

    ما شِيمَ كلاَّ في سالف الحقبِ

    A generosity that lifeless things go seeking—

    never—no!—was such seen in ages past.