أرقت للبرق بات يأتلق — Al Staley

أرقتُ للبَرْق بات يأتَلقُ

ومن صِفات المتيّم الأرقُ

I lay sleepless at the lightning flashing through the night;

sleeplessness is a trait of the love-enthralled.

وهَبّ من رائح الصّبا نَفسٌ

فالعَبرات الغزارُ تستَبقُ

A breath blew from the evening east wind,

and copious tears raced one another.

هو البُكا إثرَ جيرةٍ لَهُمُ

زُمَّت ركابُ الرّفاق فانطَلّقوا

It is weeping after neighbors, for whom

the companions’ riding camels were haltered, and they departed.

وأقفر الحِنوُ لا أنيس بِهِ

فالجزع فالأجزعان فالبرقُ

Al-Hinw lay deserted, with no companion there,

and al-Jiz‘, al-Ajza‘an, and al-Barq.

يا بأبي والقلاصُ عَادية

للبين تلْكَ الظّعائِنُ الحِزَقُ

Ah, may my father ransom them, as young she-camels hurry

toward separation—those companies of women in howdahs!

ناؤا وفي كلّ هودج لهُمُ

غيداء جيداء كاعب فنقُ

They went far away, and in each howdah of theirs

was a graceful, long-necked, full-breasted, pampered beauty.

صفراء في الخمر من مجاسدها

كأنها الشمس حازها الشفقُ

Golden-fair beneath veils of her saffron-dyed robes,

she seemed the sun enclosed by twilight’s glow.

يلبسها اللّيل فاحمْ رجلٌ

ويطلع الصّبحَ واضح يَقَقُ

Coal-black, gently waving hair clothes her in night,

while a radiant, pure-white face brings forth the dawn.

لها قوامٌ في الوشي معتدلٌ

كالغصن الغضّ هزّه الورقُ

Her figure, in embroidered silk, is well proportioned,

like a tender branch stirred by its leaves.

وهي رَدائحٌ يزينها هيفٌ

غصّت بُرها وجالة نُطقُ

She is full-hipped, graced by a slender waist;

her anklets fit tightly, while girdles hang loose.

يا حبّذا الدار والجميعُ وَما

كُنّا عهدناه قبلَ نفّترقُ

Ah, how dear the home, the gathering, and what

we once knew before we parted!

وروضة الأنس بينها غُدُرُ

فيها نسيم النّعيم يصطفقُ

And the garden of companionship, with pools within it,

where the breeze of bliss stirs;

والعيش بالأصفياء في رغّدٍ

مصطبح تَارةً ومغتَبِقُ

and life with true friends in comfort,

drinking at dawn one time, at dusk another.

ونَحنَ والغانيات يجْمعُنا

شبابنا والجوارُ والعِشقُ

We and the beauties were brought together by

our youth, our nearness, and our love.

بين ظباء الحمى تصيّدنا

سهامُ طَرفٍ قِسيّها الحدَق

Among the gazelles of the protected pasture, we were hunted by

arrows of glances, whose bows were eyes.

نركض خيلا من الشّباب لَنا

في كل ميدان لذةٍ طلقُ

We galloped steeds of youth, and ours was

a free gallop in every field of pleasure.

حتى إذا جَدَّة الصِّبى بليت

واعتيضَ منها مُلاءةٍ خَلَقُ

Until, when youth’s freshness had worn out,

and a threadbare mantle was received in its stead,

وبان ألاَّفنا الَّذينَ هُمُ

كان بنا من هواهم عَلَقُ

and our dear companions departed, those

to whom our love had bound us,

لم يبقَ إلاّ إدّكارُ عهدهِمُ

يلتاعُ منهُ معذَّب قَلقُ

nothing remained but remembrance of our days with them,

which torments a restless, suffering soul:

صبّ معنَّى بحبّهم كَلِف

شجٍ بشوقِ وبالبكا شَرِقُ

a yearning lover, tormented by love for them, infatuated,

sorrowful with longing and choking with tears.

أُخيَّ لا مؤنسٌ ولا ثقةٌ

قَمن بهِ الأنسُ أو بمن نَثِقُ

My dear brother, there is no companion, no trusted friend

worthy of fellowship—or whom can we trust?

أما الخلال التي يعاش بها

فالسَّبُّ والمضحكاتُ والمَلَقُ

As for the traits by which one makes a living,

they are insults, jokes, and flattery.

وكلُ نفسٍ رهن بها كسَبت

وكاسب السوء رهنه غَلقُ

Every soul is held in pledge for what it has earned,

and the evildoer’s pledge is forfeit.

والخيرُ والشّرُ من مكاسبنا

فالخيْرُ يبقى والشّرُ ينمَحِقُ

Good and evil are among our earnings;

good endures, while evil is effaced.

والعزُّ والفضل في ذرى سَمَدٍ

لآل نبهان هكذا خُلقوُا

Glory and excellence, on Samad’s heights,

belong to the house of Nabhan: thus were they created.

حيثُ أبو القاسم الجوادُ ومَن

نأمَن في رَبعهِ ونَرْتزِقُ

There dwells generous Abu al-Qasim, the man

in whose abode we find safety and sustenance.

كذلك العَالمونَ كلّهمُ

وفدٌ إلى باب داره رُفَقُ

Likewise, all the world’s people

are delegations to his house’s door, arriving in companies.

عمّت جميعَ الوَرى صَنائِعُهُ

لمْ يُعْرَ من طوْقِ برّه عُنُقُ

His benefactions have encompassed all mankind;

no neck is bare of his kindness’s necklace.

مُنتجَع الرَّبع روضه خَضِلٌ

مُيَمَّمُ الوِردِ حَوضُه يَدِقُ

His abode is sought for bounty; his garden is lush.

His watering place is sought; his basin pours forth.

صَحَّت لمرتادِه سَماحتُه

واتَّضَحت للمُؤمِّل الطُّرُقُ

His generosity has proved true to those seeking him,

and the paths have become clear to the hopeful.

عنْدَ مَراد العُفَاةِ مَقصدُه

تقوى المطايا وتقْرب الشُّقَقُ

When petitioners resolve to seek him,

their mounts grow strong and distances draw near.

ويحمد الوافدُ انتجاعَ فتىً

صوبُ يديهِ النُّضارُ والوَرِقُ

The visitor praises his seeking bounty from a man

whose hands rain gold and silver.

عنْدَ أبي القاسم السّخيِّ لهُ

روضَةُ جودٍ وجَدْوَلُ غَدَقُ

With generous Abu al-Qasim, he has

a garden of bounty and an abundant stream.

يَلقاهُ بالبشْر سيدٌ بَهِجٌ

أروعُ جذلانُ وجههُ طلَقُ

A radiant lord meets him with a smiling welcome,

imposing and joyful, his face cheerful.

بالقول والفَضل مُحسنٌ حسَنٌ

تكامل الخَلقُ فيه والخُلُقُ

Beneficent and gracious in speech and generosity,

he unites perfection of bodily form and character.

منقادة شمْسُ الأمور لَهُ

والفضلُ سهلٌ والحمدُ مُتَّسِقُ

Even unruly affairs are obedient to him;

excellence comes easily, and praise follows unbroken.

لا يقف العجزُ عند همّته

ولا يلقّى لعزمه الفَرقُ

Incapacity cannot stand before his ambition,

nor does fear confront his resolve.

تشق آراؤه الخَطوبَ كَما

يَشقُّ مُسودَّةَ الدُّجى الشَّفَقُ

His judgments cleave adversities just as

twilight’s glow cleaves the blackness of night.

يَلقى الملماتِ حين تَفجَوُه

يقظانُ لا عاجزٌ ولا نَزِقُ

He meets calamities when they surprise him,

alert, neither helpless nor rash.

ما أطيبَ النّاس من ثنائهم

على عليّ به فقد صدَقوا

How fine people are in their praise

of Ali! In praising him, they have spoken truly.

والأزْدُ آباؤهُ الذين هُم

بكل فضلٍ وعزَّةٍ سَبَقوا

The Azd are his forefathers, who

excelled in every virtue and distinction.

والباهرونَ المَلا إذا جَلسوا

والمُفحِمُون الوَرى إذا نَطَقوا

They dazzle the assembly when they sit,

and leave mankind speechless when they speak.

والوالجون الوَغى إذا ركبُوا

عليهم البَيضُ تحته الحلقُ

They enter the fray when they mount,

wearing helmets, with rings of mail beneath.

مثل أسود العرين تحملهم

جردٌ عتاق سلاهِبٌ لُحقُ

Like lions of the thicket, they are borne by

sleek, highbred, tall, lean-flanked steeds.

غُلبٌ أشدَّاءُ في أكفّهمُ

بيضُ الظُّبا والأسنَّة الذُّلُقُ

Thick-necked and mighty, in their hands are

bright sword-edges and keen spearheads.

لا يمنعون النفوسَ ورِدَ رَدىً

في الرّوع حيثُ الكُماة تَعْتَنِقُ

They do not bar their souls from death’s watering place

in battle’s terror, where armored champions grapple.

بين سَراياهُم يُرى لهمُ

ألويةُ المُلكِ وهيَ تَخْتَفقُ

Among their squadrons are seen their

royal banners, fluttering.

لا يملك النّاسُ سدَّ ما فتحوا

ولا يطيقون فتح ما رَتَقُوا

No one can close what they have opened,

nor force open what they have sewn shut.

فاق أبو القاسم المُلوكَ عُلًى

وشاع صيتاً ثناؤهُ عَبِقُ

Abu al-Qasim has surpassed kings in eminence;

his renown has spread, his praise fragrant.

لولا عطاياك يا عليُّ لنا

لأصبح الجود مابه رمَقُ

Were it not for your gifts to us, O Ali,

generosity would have no breath of life left.

طال لكَ العُمْر في عُلىً وغِنىً

كلاهما للمُراد مُتّفقُ

May your life be long in eminence and abundance,

both in harmony with what you desire.

وهاكها نظمَ شاعر ندسٍ

جاءك بالمعجزات يَعتَلقُ

Take this—the verse of a discerning poet,

who comes to you with marvels, holding fast.

مثلَ سموط العقودِ فَصَّلها

بالدرّ والشَّذر زانه النّسَقُ

Like necklace strands, he has interspersed them

with pearls and gold beads; their ordering adorns it.