أتأمرني بالصبر والطبع أغلب — Al Burai

أَتأمرني بالصبر وَالطبع أَغلب

وَتَعجَب من حالي وَحالك أَعجَب

Do you bid me be patient, when nature is stronger?

You marvel at my state, though yours is stranger.

وَتَطلب مني سلوة عَن رَبائِب

وَراهن أَرواح المحبين تطلب

You ask me to forget those gazelle-like maidens,

after whom the souls of lovers seek.

فَما قَرّ لي دمع وَلا كف مدمع

وَلا طابَ لي عيش وَلا لذ مشرب

My tears have never settled, nor has my weeping ceased;

life has not pleased me, nor has any drink tasted sweet.

زَماني أَشكو منك عتبك دائما

فَلا أَنا مشكوّ وَلا أَنتَ معتب

O Time, I constantly complain of your reproach;

yet my grievance finds no relief, and you make no amends.

تَروم ذهولي عَن فَريق مفارق

وَركب باكناف الاباطح طنبوا

You seek to make me forget a company departed,

and a caravan that pitched its tents beside the gravelly valleys.

وَتسألني عَن زينَب بنت مالِك

وَما سألت عني وَلا عنك زينَب

You ask me about Zaynab, daughter of Malik,

though Zaynab has asked neither about me nor about you.

مروّعتي بالبين هَل من زيارة

تَعيش بها الارواح من قبل تَذهَب

You who frighten me with parting—is there a visit

by which souls might live before they depart?

فَلَم يَبقَ شيء غير فضله مهجة

وَقلب عَلى جمر الغضى يَتَقَلب

Nothing remains but a remnant of lifeblood

and a heart tossing upon coals of ghada wood.

أَورّى بذكر الركب وَهو مشرق

وأَبكي فَيَبكيني الفَريق المغرب

I veil my meaning by mentioning the eastward caravan,

and weep; the westward company makes me weep.

الى الجيرة الغادين شوقي وانني

عَلى وَلَهي أَبكي الرسوم وأندب

My longing is for the neighbors departing at dawn, and I,

in my distraction, weep over their traces and lament.

اذا وَصلوا طاب الزَمان بوصلهم

وان هجَروا فالهَجر عِندي أَطيَب

When they draw near, their closeness sweetens time;

and if they forsake me, their forsaking is sweeter still.

تحن لترداد الحَنين حشاشَتي

وَيَستَعذب التَعذيب قَلبي المعذب

My remaining life yearns to repeat its yearning,

and my tormented heart finds torment sweet.

وَطيف خيال زارَني بعد هجعة

لَدى وطن ينأون عنه وَبقرب

A phantom apparition visited me after a sleep,

at a homeland they leave far behind, while it draws near.

يعللني ذكرى ليال تقدمت

وَلكنه من حيث يصدق يكذب

It consoles me with memories of nights gone by,

yet where it speaks truly, it lies.

وَساجعة تَبكي فأبكي وانها

لتعجم شَكواها وأَشكو فأعرب

A cooing bird weeps, and I weep; she

utters her grief indistinctly, while I lament in clear speech.

أَلا لَيتَ شعري عَن ربا الاثل هل غَدا

وَراحَ عَلى العلات فيهن صبب

Ah, would I knew of the tamarisk hills: has a downpour come at dawn

and returned at dusk upon them, despite all hindrances?

وَدر فراد يس العقيقين هيدب

عَلى كل شعب منه يَرفض هيدب

Has a trailing rain-cloud poured over the gardens of the two ‘Aqiqs,

its trailing rain streaming over every ravine there?

وَهل روّع البرق الرياض بضاحك

يفضض أَزهار الرياض وَيَذهَب

Has lightning startled the gardens with a laughing gleam

that silvers and gilds the gardens’ flowers?

يظل يناغى الشمس لؤلؤ ظله

وَيصبح دار النور بالنور يلهب

The pearls of its shade keep whispering to the sun,

and at dawn the abode of light blazes with light.

وَهل عذبات البان رنحها الصبا

فَعانقها ثم اِنثَنى وَهي تَلعَب

Has the east wind swayed the slender tips of the ban trees,

embraced them, then turned away while they played?

أَحساب قَلبي فرّق الدهر بَينَنا

فَلَم يَبقَ شيء بعد كم فيه أَرغَب

O noble kindred of my heart, time has parted us;

nothing remains after you that I desire,

سوى الكرم الفَياض وَالصفح وَالرضا

أَرجيه بالظن الَّذي لا يخيب

except overflowing generosity, pardon, and favor,

which I hope for with a trust that does not fail,

من الهاشمي الطيب الطاهر الَّذي

اليه العلا وَالفَضل وَالفَخر ينسب

from the good, pure Hashimite, to whom

high rank, bounty, and glory are ascribed.

أَعز الوَرى أَصلا وَفِعلا وَمنشأ

وَأَعلى وأسما في الفخار وأحسب

The most honored of humankind in lineage, deed, and upbringing,

the loftiest, highest in glory, and noblest in ancestry;

وأحسن خلق اللَه خلقا وَخلقة

وأطولهم في الجود باعا وأرحب

the finest of God’s creation in character and form,

the farthest-reaching and most ample in generosity;

وأكرم بيت من لؤى بن غالب

ومن غيرهم وابن الاطايب أَطيَب

of the noblest house descended from Lu’ayy ibn Ghalib,

and from all others—the purest son of the pure.

تسلسل من أَعلى ذؤابة هاشم

أَشم رَحيب الباع أَروع أَغلب

He descended from the highest crest of Hashim,

lofty, open-handed, awe-inspiring, mighty.

سَرى لَيلَة المِعراج يقصد حضرة

بها الكاس من راح المحبين تشرب

He journeyed by night, on the night of the Ascension, toward a presence

where a cup of lovers’ wine is drunk.

وَحفت به الاملاك منهم مبشر

بِما نال من فضل ومنهم مرحب

Angels surrounded him, some bringing glad tidings

of the grace he had attained, and others offering welcome.

وأَدناه رب العرش منه عَلى العلا

فَكانَ كَقاب القوس أَو هو أَقرَب

The Lord of the Throne brought him near Himself on high,

until he was a bow’s span away, or nearer.

وآتاه في الحشر الشَفاعَة وَاللوا

عَلى الرسل وَالحوض الَّذي لا ينضب

At the gathering He granted him intercession and the banner

above the messengers, and the Pool that never runs dry.

فآياته بالمعجزات نواطق

وَراياته بالفتح وَالنصر تنصب

His signs speak through miracles,

and his banners are raised in conquest and victory.

صلوه بما شئتم فَواللَه ما اِنطَوى

عَلى مثله في الكون أَم وَلا أَب

Bless him as you will; by God, never has

a mother or father in all creation borne his like.

أَينبي الصَفا المَكي عَن جيرة الحمى

ومن ضمه البيت العَتيق المحجب

Does Meccan al-Safa tell of the sanctuary’s neighbors,

and those embraced by the veiled Ancient House?

وَعَن عَرفات وَالمحصب من منى

فأمنيتي خَيفا مني وَالمحصب

And of ‘Arafat and al-Muhassab in Mina?

My wish is for Mina’s two Khayfs and al-Muhassab.

وَمن لي بأَهل الدار من أَهل طيبة

فَوَجدي موجود وَقَلبي مقلب

Who can bring me to the people of that abode, the people of Tayba?

My yearning abides, and my heart is tossed about,

الى روضة ما بين قبر وَمَنبَر

عَلَيها رباح الخلد تَصبو وَتجنب

toward a garden between a grave and a pulpit,

over which eternal breezes blow from east and south.

شذاها من الفَردوس مسك وَعَنبَر

عَلى غاية الوصفين أَذ فر أَشهَب

Its fragrance from Paradise is musk and ambergris,

both at their finest—strong-scented and pale gray.

أَلا بلغوا عني المحبين انهم

وان سَكَنوا قَلبي عَن العين غيب

Ah, tell the lovers on my behalf that they,

though dwelling in my heart, are absent from my sight.

أَحن اليهم من ديار بَعيدَة

وأسأل عنهم من يجىء وَيَذهَب

I yearn for them from distant lands

and ask about them of everyone who comes and goes.

غَرامي بهم فَوقَ الغَرام وَمُهجَتي

تَذوب وَدَمعي في المَحاجِر يسكب

My passion for them surpasses passion, and my soul

melts, while my tears pour from my eyes.

وَمن كل مشغوفا بحب محمد

وَحب أَبي بكر فَكَيفَ يعذب

Whoever is wholly enthralled by love of Muhammad

and love of Abu Bakr—how could he be tormented?

سَلام عَلى الصديق اذ هو لَم يزل

لخير البَرايا في الحياتَين يَصحب

Peace upon al-Siddiq, for he never ceased

to accompany the best of creation in both lives.

فَثانيه في الغار الخَليفة بعده

لامته نعم الحَبيب المقرب

His second in the cave, his successor after him

over his community—what a beloved, intimate companion!

أَجاب وَقَد صموا وأبصر اذ عموا

وَصدق بالحق المبين وَكَذبوا

He answered when they were deaf, and saw when they were blind;

he affirmed the manifest truth while they denied it.

وَصاحبه الفاروق ذاكَ المبارك ال

اغر أَمير المؤمنين المهذب

And his companion al-Faruq, that blessed,

radiant Commander of the Faithful, the refined one;

ضَجيع رَسول اللَه مظهر دينه

غضنفره في اللَه يَرضى وَيَغضَب

the resting companion of God’s Messenger, who made his faith manifest,

his lion, pleased and angered for God’s sake.

به اتسع الاسلام واتضح الهدى

وَلَم يَبقَ غير الحق للخلق مذهب

Through him Islam spread and guidance became clear;

no path but truth remained for humankind.

وَعثمان ذو النورين من سبح الحصى

بكفيه وارى الزند وَالبرق خلب

And ‘Uthman, possessor of the two lights, whose pebbles gave praise

in his palms—his fire-stick aglow while lightning gave false promise;

كَثير البكا وَالذكر منفق ماله

وَجهز جيش العسر وَالعام مجدب

abundant in weeping and remembrance, spending his wealth;

he equipped the army of hardship when the year was barren.

لَدى الحشر يَلقى اللَه وَهوَ مطهر

برىء شَهيد بالدماء مخضب

At the gathering he meets God, purified,

innocent, a martyr stained with blood.

وَمن كَعَلي كَرَمَّ اللَه وَجهه

كَريم به الامثال في الجود تضرب

Who is like ‘Ali—may God honor his face—

a generous man whose bounty is proverbial?

أَخو الحلم بحر العلم حيدرة الرضا

أَمام به صدع الهداية يشعب

Master of forbearance, ocean of knowledge, Haydara, well-pleasing;

a leader through whom the breach in guidance is mended.

هَزبر وَلكن صده الصيد في الوَغى

وَمخلبه الرمح الاصم المكعب

A lion, but the proud are his quarry in battle,

and his claw is the solid, jointed spear.

وَعمى رَسول اللَه وَالحسنين من

بهم شَرفات المجد تَزهو وَتعجب

And God’s Messenger’s two uncles, and the two Hasans, those

through whom the battlements of glory shine and inspire admiration;

وَمن قومه قوم الى اللَه هاجَروا

وَخلوا مَغاني دورهم وَتغربوا

and, from his people, those who emigrated to God,

leaving the dwellings of their homes and going into exile.

وَراضوا عَلى حب الحَبيب نفوسهم

فَكانَ لوجه اللَه ذاكَ التقرب

They disciplined their souls in love of the Beloved;

that drawing near was for God’s sake.

وآواه قوم آخرون وَناصَروا

وَذبوا العدا واِستمنعوا وَتغلبوا

Another people sheltered him and gave him aid,

repelled the foes, defended themselves, and prevailed.

أولئكم الانصار وَالسادة الاولى

نشا منهم فرع طَويل وَمنصب

Those are the Ansar and the noble lords from whom

a lofty lineage and standing arose.

سَلام عَلى ذاكَ النَبي وآله

وأزواجه وَالصحب ماجن غيهب

Peace upon that Prophet and his family,

his wives and companions, whenever deep darkness falls.

غداة للقا منهم أسود ضراغم

بسرد سَرابيل الحدائد تجلببوا

On the morning of battle, among them were lions, fierce lions,

clothed in interlinked shirts of iron.

يَخوضون بحرا دونه البحر من دم

وأمواجه بيض وَسمر وَشذب

They plunge into a sea of blood before which the ocean pales;

its waves are bright swords, dark spears, and stripped shafts.

فكل طَويل الباع مقتحكم الوَغى

أَغر طريل العمر لاقيه يعطب

Each is far-reaching, storming into battle,

radiant and long-lived; whoever confronts him perishes.

يَجود عَلى شوك الرماح بنفسه

وَيردى به في غمرة المَوت مقرب

He lavishes his own life upon the thorns of spears,

and a choice steed gallops with him into death’s tumult.

وَسرباله في الروع درع درية

وأَبيض من ماء الحَديد مشطب

His garment in terror is a gleaming coat of mail,

and a bright, grooved sword of lustrous iron.

عليهم سَلام اللَه اذ مهدوا الهدى

ودان لهم بالسيف شرق وَمغرب

God’s peace upon them, for they smoothed the way of guidance,

and east and west submitted to them through the sword,

عَلى حب من هانَت لسطوة باسه

وَهيبته العظمى نزار وَيعرب

for love of him before the force of whose might

and supreme awe Nizar and Ya‘rub were humbled.

نبيّ حجازي رضىّ مكرم

كَريم جواد صادِق الوعد منجب

A prophet of the Hijaz, well-pleasing, honored,

noble, generous, true to his promise, nobly born.

إِلى صاحب الجاه العَريض رمت بنا

هموم لَها في ابن العَواتك مطلب

To the possessor of vast standing we were driven

by cares seeking their answer in the son of the ‘Awatik.

من الحبر وَالنيابَتين تَراسَلَت

الى مقصد من دونه الهول يَركب

From the learned man and the two deputyships they came in succession,

toward a goal before which terrors must be ridden through.

فَقامَت عَلى باب النَبي محمد

مَقام ذَليل خائف يترقب

So they stood at the door of the Prophet Muhammad,

as one humbled and fearful, watching anxiously.

وَحَطَت ببحبوح المَكارِم وَالرضا

لَدى سيد منه المَكارِم توهب

They settled in the heart of generosity and favor,

with a master from whom noble gifts are bestowed,

عَلى الساحَة الخَضراء وَالمشهد الَّذي

يَكاد بزوار النَبي يرحب

on the green courtyard and at the shrine that

seems ready to welcome the Prophet’s visitors.

سَلام عَلى ذاكَ الحَبيب فانني

اليه عَلى بعدي أحن وأطرب

Peace upon that Beloved, for I,

despite my distance, yearn for him and am stirred.

عَسى يا رَسول اللَه نظرة رحمة

الينا وَالا دعوة ليس تحجب

May there be, O Messenger of God, a merciful glance

toward us—or else a prayer that is not barred.

فأَنتَ حمانا مِنزَمان معاند

به ينكر المَعروف والدين يسلب

You are our refuge against a hostile age

in which goodness is denied and faith is stripped away.

سميك يا مَولايطال عكوفيه

عَلى كعبة العصيان وَالرأس أَشيَب

Your namesake, my master, has lingered long

at the Kaaba of disobedience, though his head is gray.

فَخَد بيد المقرى واشفع له وَلي

فَو اللَه اني مذنب وَهوَ مذنب

So take al-Muqri by the hand and intercede for him and me;

by God, I am a sinner, and he is a sinner.

وَقم يا رَسول اللَه بي وَبصاحبي

وَقل ذا كَهَذا الاخلاف مرتب

Stand up for me and my companion, O Messenger of God,

and say, ‘This one is like that one’—[the concluding phrase is unclear].

فَقَد عظمت أَوزارنا وَذنوبنا

وَلَم نأت شيأ لِلكَرامة يوجب

Our burdens and our sins have grown immense,

and we have done nothing that merits honor.

وَقطعت الايام أَسباب بيننا

وَلكن اليكم يَلجأ المتسبب

The days have severed the ties between us,

yet to you the seeker of a means resorts.

أَحاط بنا طوفان زلاتنا وَما

لنا فيه الا فلك صفك مركب

The deluge of our missteps has surrounded us, and we have

no vessel upon it but the ark of your pardon.

اذا ما هممنا بالزِيارة عاقنا

بعادك عنا لا الجفا وَالتجنب

Whenever we intend a visit, what bars us is

your distance from us, not estrangement or avoidance.

اليك توسلنا بك اصفح وجد وعد

فَما منك بدّلا وَلا منك مهرب

To you we plead through you: pardon, be generous, and return in kindness;

we cannot do without you, nor flee from you.

وَقل انقامني وَلي وَمَعي وَبي

وَعندي فاهوال القيامة تصعب

And say, ‘[He is] of me, mine, with me, and through me,

and in my presence’—for the terrors of Resurrection are grievous.

نَلوذ وَنَدعو المسلمين لظلكم

اذا أخذ الجاني بما كان يكسب

We seek refuge and invite the Muslims to your shade

when the wrongdoer is seized for what he used to earn.

فَما منكم الا نفحة هاشمية

علينا وَالا رحمة تتشعب

Nothing from you but a Hashimite breath of grace

upon us, nothing but mercy branching out.

وَصلى عليك اللَه ما در عارض

وَما لاحَ في السبع الطَرائِق كوكب

May God bless you as long as rain-clouds pour,

and stars shine in the seven celestial ways;

صَلاة تعم الآل وَالصحب دائما

بلاغا به ما دامَت الصحف تكتب

a blessing embracing the family and companions always,

a means of attainment through it, as long as pages are written.