Poems
- أبا دلف السماحة لم تزلO Abu Dulaf, generosity had always remained
- أبو دلف إن تلقه تلق ماجداAbu Dulaf—if you meet him, you meet a noble man,
- أبو دلف كالطبل يذهب صوتهAbu Dulaf is like a drum whose sound fades
- أبيت فما تسعفYou refuse—and grant no favor;
- إذا اتسعت لم يلحق الذر شأوهاWhen she strides out, tiny ants cannot match her pace,
- إذا ما تردى لأمة الحرب أرعدتWhen he dons the armor of war, there tremble
- أعطيتني يا ولي الحق مبتدئاYou gave me, O guardian of truth, unbidden,
- أغر توالد الشهوات منهA radiant one, from whom desires are born;
- أقاموا الديدبان على يفاعThey stationed the lookout on high ground,
- ألا رب هم يمنع النوم دونهAlas! For every care that keeps off sleep,
- ألا قاتل الله الألى كفروا بهLo, may God curse those who rejected him,
- ألا يا ربع بالهضبAh, O dwelling-site at al-Hadb,
- أللدهر تبكي أم على الدهر تجزعDo you weep for Time or despair over fate?
- أليأس عز والذلة الطمعGiving up hope is honor, and greed is humiliation.
- إن أبا غانم حميداIndeed, Abu Ghanim, Humayd,
- إن توطني العجز فحزمى عنديIf you make helplessness your home, my resolve remains with me.
- إنما الدنيا حميدThe world is nothing but Humayd
- إني ليقنعني تعدد شكلةIndeed, repeated mention of Shaklah is enough for me,
- بأبي مالك عنيMy father be your ransom—why turn away from me,
- بأبي من زارني مكتتماMay my father be a ransom for the one who visited me in secret,
- بطاعة الله طلت الناس كلهمThrough obedience to God you have surpassed all people,
- تحدر ماء الجود من صلب آدمThe water of generosity flowed down from Adam’s loins;
- ترى فوقها نمشا للمزاجYou see upon it speckles from the mixing,
- تسىء ولا تستنكر السوء إنهاShe does me wrong, yet finds no wrong in wrongdoing—for she
- تكفل ساكني الدنيا حميدHumayd has undertaken the care of the world's inhabitants;
- جعل الله مدخل الصوم فوزاMay God make the onset of fasting a triumph
- جفا طرب الفتيان وهو طروبHe forsook the young men's mirth, though he is fond of mirth.
- جلال مشيب نزلThe dignity of gray hair has descended;
- حجابك ضيق ونداك نزرAccess to you is restricted, and your bounty is scant.
- حيدى حياد فإن غزوة جيشهTurn aside, turn aside! For his army’s raid
- خلفتني نضو أحزان أعالجهاYou left me wasted by sorrows I struggle with,
- دجلة تسقى وأبو غانمThe Tigris gives drink, and Abu Ghanim
- دع الدنيا فللدنيا أناسLeave the world, for the world has its people.
- دمن الدار دثورThe dwelling's traces are effaced;
- ذاد ورد الغي عن صدرهHe drove folly's throng away from his breast,
- راعه الشيب إذ نزلGray hair alarmed him when it came,
- رجل أبر على شجاعة عامرA man who surpassed ʿĀmir’s bravery
- ريعت لمنشور على مفرقهShe was startled by what spread across his parting,
- عجبت لحراقة ابن الحسينI marveled at Ibn al-Husayn’s barge,
- عسى فرج يكون عسىPerhaps relief will come—perhaps.
- عللاني بصفو ما في الدنانSoothe me, you two, with the clear wine in the jars,
- غدا بأمير المؤمنين ويمنهAt dawn, with the Commander of the Faithful and his good fortune, went forth
- كأن أرماحه تعطى إذا عملتAs though his spears, when at work, are given
- لا تتركني بباب الدار مطرحاDo not leave me cast aside at the house's door.
- للعيد يوم من الأيام منتظرThe festival has its awaited day among the days;
- للهيثم بن عدي نسبة جمعتAl-Haytham ibn ʿAdī has a lineage that gathered
- لو أن لي صبرها أو عندها جزعىIf I had her patience, or she my anguish,
- لو لمس الناس راحتيهIf people but touched his two palms,
- لولا حميد لم يكنWere it not for Humayd, there would be no
- ما قال لا قط من جود أبو دلفOut of generosity, Abu Dulaf never once said 'no',
- مالي ومالك قد كلفتني شططاWhat have I to do with you? You have burdened me beyond reason:
- من ملك الموت إلى قاسمFrom the King of Death to Qasim:
- نبهت عن سنة عينيك فاصطبرYou have roused your eyes from a doze; so be patient.
- هجرتك لما أهجرك من كفر نعمةI have forsaken you—not out of ingratitude for a favor.
- هل بالطلول لسائل ردDo the deserted dwellings have an answer for one who asks?
- وأبيض عجلي رأيت غمامهAnd a fair nobleman of ʿIjl—I saw his rain-cloud,
- وأرى الليالي ما طوت من قوتيAnd I see that what the nights have taken from my strength
- والجود في كف غيره خشنAnd generosity in another's palm is rough;
- وخافت على التطواف فوتى وإنماAnd amid her roaming, she feared I would escape; yet only
- وشمول أرقها الدهر حتىAnd wine that time has made so fine
- وغيث تألفه نوؤهAnd a rain cloud which his stars have befriended
- ولما انقضى عصر الشباب وعهدهAnd when youth's season and its days had ended,
- يا بائع الزيت عرج غير مرموقO seller of oil, turn aside, held in no regard;
- يا عصمة العرب التي لولم تكنO protector of the Arabs—were you not
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