هل يدنيك من أجارع واسط — Al Tirimmah

هَل يُدنِيَّكَ مِن أَجارِعِ واسِطٍ

أَوباتُ يَعمَلَةِ اليَدَينِ حَضارِ

Will you be brought nearer to the sandy flats of Wasit

by the repeated strides of a swift she-camel, tireless in her forelegs?

شَدقاءُ تُصبِحُ تَشتَئي غِبَّ السُرى

فِعلَ المُضِلِّ صِيارَهُ البَربارِ

Wide-mouthed, she races at dawn after the night's journey,

like a loud-bellowing beast that has lost his herd,

مِن وَحشِ خُبَّةَ أَودَعَتهُ نِيَّةٌ

لِلناطِلِيَّةِ مِن لِوى البَقّارِ

one of Khubbah's wild cattle, whom a journey has lodged

at al-Natiliyyah, from al-Baqqar's winding dunes.

طَرِفُ التَنائِفِ ما يُبِنُّ مَباءَةً

يَومَينِ طَيِّبُ نِيَّةِ الإِنعارِ

A rover of trackless wastes, he never stays in one lair

for two days, gladly intent on roaming far.

وَحَداهُ مُقتَنِصٌ قَرى آثارَهُ

بِعَياسِلٍ سُجُحِ الخُدودِ ضَواري

And a hunter drove him, having traced his tracks,

with swift hounds, smooth-cheeked and trained to hunt.

حَتّى فَجِئنَ بِهِ فَأَجفَلَ مِن مَدىً

كَثَبٍ وَهُنَّ دَوامِجُ الإِحضارِ

Until they surprised him, and he fled from a range

close at hand, while they crowded forward at full gallop.

شَأواً تَقاذَفَ جُلَّهُ ثُمَّ اِرعَوى

خَمِطاً يَهُزُّ كَحَربَةِ الأَسوارِ

He bounded over most of a stretch, then turned back,

fierce, brandishing a horn like a Persian horseman's lance.

فَنَحا لِأَوَّلِها بِطَعنَةِ مُحفَظٍ

تَمكو جَوانِبُها مِنَ الإِنهارِ

Then he aimed at the first of them with an enraged beast's thrust,

its edges whistling as the wound gaped open.

فَصَدَدنَ خَوفاً عن سِنانَي باسِلٍ

بَطَلٍ أَشاحَ عَلى الوَغى مِغوارِ

They recoiled in fear from the two spearpoints of a valiant

champion, ready for battle, a daring raider.

وَأَفاجَ مَحبوراً يُفَنِّنُ شِدَّهُ

بِفِجاجِ طامِسَةِ الصُوى مِقفارِ

And he sped away rejoicing, varying his run

through barren ravines whose landmarks were erased,

مِن خالِدٍ أَهلِ السَماحَةِ وَالنَدى

مَلِكِ العِراقِ إِلى رِمالِ وَبارِ

from Khalid, worthy of openhandedness and bounty,

king of Iraq, to the sands of Wabar.

يا خالِ ما وُجدُ اِمرِئٍ مِن عُصبَةٍ

يَتَضَيَّفوانَ قَوادِمَ الأَكوارِ

O Khalid, no man has been found among a company

leaning against the forward bows of camel saddles,

يَعتَدَّ مِثلَ أُبُوَّةٍ لَكَ تِسعَةٍ

بيضِ الوُجوهِ أَعِزَّةٍ أَخيارِ

who can count nine forefathers to match yours—

bright-faced, mighty, and virtuous.

شِقٌّ وَغَمغَمَةُ الأَغَرُّ وَعامِرٌ

عُمَداءُ أَهلُ لُهاً وَأَهلُ مَغارِ

Shiq, Ghamghamah, al-Agharr, and Amir—

pillars, men of lavish gifts and raids.

وَمُعَوَّدُ الجَفراءِ رَهنُ قِسِيِّهِم

بِالجَرجَرادِ بِكُلِّ يَومِ فَخارِ

And the frequenter of al-Jafra', pledged to their bows,

at al-Jarjarad on every day of glory.

وَالمُنتَضى أَسَدٌ وَكُرزُ قَبيلَةٍ

فَنِجارُ ضِئضِئِكُم كَخَيرِ نِجارِ

And the unsheathed blade Asad, and Kurz of the tribe:

the stock of your lineage is like the noblest stock.

وَيَزيدُ وَاِبنُ يَزيدَ نالا مُهلَةً

في المَجدِ وَاِقتَدَحا بِزَندٍ واري

And Yazid and Yazid's son gained ample scope

in glory, and struck fire with a kindling fire-stick:

عِزّاً وَمَكرُمَةً أَباً فَأَباً لَهُ

حَيثُ اِستَقَرَّ بِهِم مَدى الأَعمارِ

honor and nobility for him, father after father,

wherever the span of their lives found its resting place.

وَصَلَ الحَديثُ لَهُم قَديمَ فَعالِهِم

فَجَرَوا عَلى لَقَمٍ وَدَعسِ أَمارِ

Their recent deeds joined their ancient achievements,

and they followed the broad road and the trodden track of waymarks.

حَسَباً تَواصَلَ لَيسَ يَفرُقُ بَينَهُ

جَدٌّ أَغَثُّ وَلا وَشائِقُ عارِ

An ancestry unbroken, never divided

by a worthless forefather or clinging taints of shame.

صُدفُ النَواظِرِ عَن مَنا جاراتِهِم

حَتّى يَبِنَّ حَواصِنَ الأَسرارِ

Their gazes avert from their women neighbors' charms,

so that those women remain inviolate in their private parts.

الصابِرونَ بِكُلِّ يَومِ حَفيظَةٍ

وَالفائِزونَ بِكُلِّ يَومِ نِفارِ

Steadfast on every day that calls for protective zeal,

and victorious on every day of rivalry,

أُنُفُ الحَفائِظِ يَبسُطونَ أَكفّهُم

بِنَوال لا نَزرٍ وَلا إِصفارِ

proud guardians of honor, they stretch forth their palms

with gifts neither scant nor empty.

يَتَضَمَّنونَ لِمَن يُجاوِرُ فيهِمُ

رَيبَ الزَمانِ وَكَبَّةَ الإِقتارِ

They take upon themselves, for anyone living among them,

time's vicissitudes and poverty's crushing fall.

وَالجارُ وَسطَهُمُ يَزيدُ عَطاؤُهُ

بِتَتابُعِ الهَلَكاتِ وَالأَحجارِ

A neighbor among them receives still greater provision

as calamities and stone-hard hardships follow one another.

وَلَأُحدِثَنَّ لِخالِدٍ وَلِقَومِهِ

مَدحاً يَغورُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ مَغارِ

I shall surely compose for Khalid and his people

praise that penetrates every deep recess for him.

وَيَفونَ إِن عَقَدوا وَإِن أَتلَوا حَبَوا

دونَ التَلاءِ بِفَخمَةٍ مِذكارِ

They keep faith when they pledge; when they promise protection, they provide

a mighty host of fierce men to defend that pledge.

يا خالِ ما وَشَحَت بِمثلِكَ ناقَةٌ

مِن صَغيِ ذي يَمَنٍ وَجِذمِ نِزارِ

O Khalid, no she-camel has carried your like

from Yemen's affiliated stock or Nizar's root,

بَعدَ اِبنِ آمِنَةَ النَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

خَيرِ الأَنامِ وَصَفوَةِ الجَبّارِ

since Aminah's son, the Prophet Muhammad,

best of humankind, the Almighty's chosen one:

أَندى يَداً لِعَشيرَةٍ مِن مالِهِ

في غَيرِ تَعتَعَةٍ وَلا اِقذِحرارِ

none more openhanded with his wealth toward his kin,

without hesitation or reluctance;

وَأَسَدَّ بَعدَ ثَأىً لِوَهيِ عَظيمَةٍ

وَأَفَكَّ في قَنَعٍ لِكُلِّ إِسارِ

or better at mending a great breach after rupture,

or at loosening every bond amid hardship;

وَأَعَمَّ منفَعَةً وَأَعظَمَ نائِلاً

لِأَخٍ أَسافَ وَصاحِبٍ مُحتارِ

or wider in benefit, greater in giving

to a brother whose herds have perished, or a bewildered companion;

وَأَصَدَّ عَن خَطَلٍ وأَحلَمَ قُدرَةً

عَن كاشِحٍ يَستَنُّ بِالأَغوارِ

or better at shunning folly, more forbearing in his power

toward a spiteful foe who courses through the lowlands;

وَأَشَدَّ مَحمِيَةً وَأَبلَغَ صَولَةً

بِالحَقِ عَندَ تَكاملِ الأَعذارِ

or stronger in defense, mightier in assault

for the right, when every excuse has run its course;

وَأَدَلّ في عِظَةٍ عَلى ما لَم يَكُن

أَبَداً لِيَذهَنَهُ ذَوو الأَبصارِ

or more discerning in admonition about what

even men of insight would never have comprehended,

نُطقاً وَمَنصَرَةً لِدينِ مُحُمَّدٍ

وَالحَقُّ ذو تَبَعٍ وَذو أَنصارِ

in speech and support for Muhammad's faith—

and truth has followers and supporters;

وَأَوَدَّ بَعدَ حَذارِ أَن لا يَرعَوي

حَتّى يُميتَ وَريدَ كُلِّ حَذارِ

or more intent, after alarm, on never drawing back

until he kills the life-vein of every fear;

وَأَجَدَّ إِذ زَنَأَ الزَمانُ تَوَسُّعاً

في رَوحَةٍ وضأَعَزَّ ذِمَةَ جارِ

or more resolute, when time grows constricted, in finding room

for relief, and stronger in safeguarding a neighbor's covenant;

وَأَشَدَّ إِذ زَنِأَ الزَمانُ تَوَسُّعاً

في عيصِ كُلِّ شَصيبَةٍ وَيَسارِ

or stronger, when time grows constricted, in making room

amid the thicket of every hardship and ease.

لَو لَم تَكُن رَجُلاً لَكُنتَ بِما تَرى

لَحِماً تَدينُ لَهُ الأَجادِلُ ضاري

Were you not a man, as is plain to see,

you would be a flesh-hungry predator before whom the falcons bow:

صَقرٌ يَصيدُ إِذا غَدا بِجَناحِهِ

وَبِخَطمِهِ وَيَصيدُ بِالأَظفارِ

a falcon hunting, when it goes forth, with its wing

and its beak, and hunting with its talons.

يُمضي الأُمورَ بِلا وَتيرَةِ فَترَةٍ

مِمّا يُلِمُّ بِهِ وَلا اِستِحسارِ

He carries matters through without a spell of slackening

from what befalls him, or any weariness;

كَالسَيفِ أَخلَصَهُ الجَلاءُ وَصانَهُ

تَصميمُهُ بِجَماجِمِ الكُفّارِ

like a sword purified by polishing and preserved

by its cleaving blows upon unbelievers' skulls.

يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ جَوفُهُ مِن قوتِهِ

وَبِهِ لِمُختَلِفِ الهُمومِ مَجاري

At evening and morning, his belly draws on its sustenance,

and within him flow the channels of diverse cares.

وَيَبيتُ جُلُّهُمُ يَكِتُّ كَأَنَّهُ

وَطبٌ يَكونُ إِناهُ بِالأَسحارِ

Most of them spend the night snoring, as though

each were a milk-skin ripening before dawn.

مَلِكٌ يُذعذِعُ بِالمَحامِدِ مالَهُ

وَالحَمدُ حينَ يَغِبُّ ذو أَنصارِ

A king who scatters his wealth in praiseworthy deeds,

and praise, even when delayed, has its champions.

وَإِذا النُفوسُ جَشَأنَ وَقَّرَ خالِداً

ثَبتُ اليَقينِ بِحَتمَةِ المَقدارِ

When souls recoil in dread, Khalid is steadied

by firm conviction in fate's inevitable decree.

مَن كانَ يَتَّخِذُ الكُنوزَ فَإِنَّما

كَنزاهُ زَرعُ عَشيرَةٍ وَعَقارِ

Whoever else may lay up treasures, his only

two treasures are cultivating his clan and landed estates:

كَنزانِ ذُخرُهُما يَوؤُمُّكَ نَفعُهُ

عِندَ اِختِلافِ مَواضِعِ الآجارِ

two treasures whose stored benefit comes to meet you

amid the differing places of reward.

وَصِلاتِ ما أَمَرَ الإِلَهُ بِوَصلِهِ

فيما يُقالُ يَزيدُ في الأَعمارِ

Maintaining the ties God has commanded to be maintained

is said to add to the span of life.

يَستَصغِرُ القُحَمَ الكِبارَ مِنَ النَدى

مَن يَجتَديهِ وَهُنَّ غَيرُ صِغارِ

The greatest ventures in generosity seem slight

to whoever asks his bounty, though they are no small things.

وَيُضَحضَحُ اللُجَجَ الغَمارَ بِسَيبِهِ

حَتّى يَصِرنَ وَهُنَّ غَيرُ غَمارِ

He makes the deep seas shallow with his largesse,

until they cease to be overwhelming depths.

لا اليَومُ يَمنَعُهُ إِذا أَعطى بِهِ

جوداً يَؤومُ غَداً بِغَيرِ غِرارِ

What he gives today does not restrain him

from bounty that returns tomorrow undiminished.

إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ لَكَ لا لِغَيرِكَ ما أَني

مِنكُم أَشيمُ مَصاوِبَ الأَمطارِ

I am your man, no other's; I never weary

of watching for the downpouring rains from you.

أَرجو وَآمُلُ كُلَّ عامٍ نَفحَةً

مِنكُم تَدُقُّ خَطائِرُ الإِقتارِ

I hope and look each year for a waft of bounty

from you that smashes poverty's barriers.

خُرّاً أَموتُ وَلم يَشِنّي مَطمَعٌ

إِنّي نَقِيُّ بَطائِنِ الإِضمارِ

I shall die free, unstained by greed;

my innermost intentions are pure.

وَلَقَد عَرَتني مِنكَ جَدوى أَنبَتَت

خُضراً إِلى لَفَفٍ مِنَ الأَشجارِ

Your bounty has indeed come upon me and made grow

green shoots into tangled groves of trees:

وَسُمِيَّةٌ بَكَرَت وَكانَ وَلِيُّها

يُرجى جَداهُ بِديمَةٍ مِدرارِ

an early-season shower came first, and the rain following it

was hoped to bring its bounty in a steady, copious shower.

فَلَئِن تَيَمَّمتُ السُعودَ لَهُ الحَرى

وَلِئِن نَزَعتُ لَقَد وَرَت بِكَ ناري

So if I sought good fortune, that was fitting for him;

and if I set out, through you my fire has surely kindled.

إِنَّ الصَينعَةَ لا تَضيعُ إِذا اِنتَهَت

مِنكُم إِلَيَّ وَإِن أَغَبَّ مَزاري

A kindness is not lost when it passes

from you to me, even if my visits are infrequent.

وَلَئِن أرَدتَ لَأِن ترى بِكَ زَندَتي

لَتَرِن زَندَةُ مَرخَةٍ وَعَفارِ

And if you wish to see my fire-stick kindled through you,

you will surely see a stick of markh and afar.

أَجِدُ المُروءَةَ كُلَّها لَومَدَّني

مالٌ أَمُدُّ بِهِ يَدي وَعِذاري

I would find all manly virtue, if I were supplied

with wealth to stretch out my hand and lengthen my rein.

وَصَنيعُ مِثلِكَ عِندَ مِثلي ذِكرُهُ

في الأَصلِ حينَ تَغيبُ ذو آصارِ

The memory of a kindness from one like you to one like me,

when you are absent, is rooted in binding obligations.

وَمِنَ الصَنيعَةِ ما يَعودُ مَعونَةً

لِلكاشِحينَ وَهُم ذَوو الإصرارِ

But some kindness returns as aid

to spiteful enemies, persistent in their malice.

رِش نَبلَ مَن يَرمي وَراءَكَ جاهِداً

رَميَ المُناضِلِ فازَ بِالأَخطارِ

Feather the arrows of one who shoots tirelessly behind you,

like a competing archer who has won the stakes.

لا تَترُكَن مُرُطاً وَنَبلُ مَعاشِرٍ

دوني تُزَيُّنُها بِريشِ نِسارِ

Do not leave mine unfeathered, while the arrows of people

beneath me you adorn with vultures' feathers.

وَاِجمَع سِهامَكَ ثُمَّ صُكَّ عِتاقَها

صَكَّ المُقامِرِ أَقدُحَ الأَيسارِ

Gather your arrows, then rattle their finest shafts

as a gambler rattles the lottery players' arrows.

لا تَترُكَن سُدىً فَيُعضِلَ حَلُّها

وَتَطيشَ حينَ تَحُثُّ بِالأَوتارِ

Do not leave them untended, lest they become hard to unbind

and fly wide when you propel them with bowstrings.

وَاِعبَأ لِنَبلِكَ بارِياً وَمُرَكِّباً

أَرِباً يُقَوِّمُ أَسهُمَ الأُسوارِ

Appoint for your arrows a shaper and a fitter,

skilled in straightening a Persian bowman's shafts,

يَبري اللِحاءَ عَنِ العَميمِ وَشاحِذاً

يَجلو الضُبا وَيَسُنُّ كُلَّ غِرارِ

who strips bark from tall timber; and a sharpener

who polishes blade-tips and whets every cutting edge.

وَاِحزُر وَناظِر في الحَديثِ فَإِنَّهُ

يُبدي مَسَمَّةَ سِرِّ كُلِّ ضِمارِ

Assess and examine speech, for it

reveals the telltale mark of every hidden secret.

فَهُناكَ تُبرِزُ وَجهَ كُلِّ مُنَضِّجٍ

وَيَبوخُ كُلُّ مُنَغِّلٍ خَوّارِ

Then you expose the face of each man who ripens his work,

and every feeble corrupter dies down.

وَاِسأَل فَإِنَّ لَنا مَناقِبَ شَكلُها

سِيٌّ مَضَت لِسَوالِفِ الأَعصارِ

Ask, for we have noble deeds whose pattern

matches deeds that passed in bygone ages.

وَلِكُلِّ قَومٍ قَد خَبَطتَ بِأَنعُمٍ

تَترى وَجُدتَ بِديمَةٍ مِدرارِ

You have showered every people with favors

one after another, giving like a steady, copious rain,

حَتّى تَركَتَ جَنابَهُم ذا بَهجَةٍ

وَردَ الثَرى مُتَلَمِّعَ الثَيمارِ

until you left their land full of delight,

with rosy soil and gleaming fruits.

وَلَقَد قَصَرتَ عَلى تَميمٍ نِعمَةً

وَعَمَمتَ بِالنُعمى عَلى أَنمارِ

You have specially reserved a favor for Tamim,

and spread your bounty over Anmar.

فَكَفَيتَ أَيِّمَهُم مُناها بِالغِنى

وَالناكِحينَ مُؤونَةَ الإِصهارِ

You met their unmarried women's wishes with wealth,

and spared those marrying the cost of marriage alliances.

وَفُضول نَيلٍ بَلَّ وَكلُ سَمائِهِ

وَعُبابُ بَحرِكَ دائِمُ التَيّارِ

And abundant bounty, watered by its sky's dripping,

while the flood of your sea flows without cease.

ما نالَها أَحَدٌ مَضى وَمُريدُهُ

مِنهُ عَلى أَثَرٍ مِنَ الأَثارِ

No one before attained it; whoever seeks it

from him follows one trace among his traces.

أَمرٌ ذَخَرتَ لَهُ وَكانَ ذَخيرَةً

لَكَ إِذ تُحَطُّ عَواقِبُ الأَقدارِ

A cause for which you stored provision, itself a treasure

for you when fate's final consequences descend.

وَإِذا عَلِقتَ بِذِمَّةٍ مِن خالِدٍ

فَاِقصِد بِسَومِكَ ضارِبَ الأَصدارِ

When you attach yourself to a pledge of protection from Khalid,

then in your quest approach the smiter of breasts,

وَأمَن كَما أَمِنَت حَمامَةُ أَيكَةٍ

بِمِنىً نَمَت أُصُلاً إِلى الأَوكارِ

and be as safe as the dove of a thicket

at Mina, ascending at evening to its nests.

ياخالِ أَنتَ سِدادُ ما لَو لَم تَكُن

شَقَّت بَوائِقُها عَلى الأَمصارِ

O Khalid, you are the barrier against things that, were you absent,

would unleash calamities grievous upon the cities;

وَالمُقتَفى بِإِباءِ كُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ

فَقماءَ ذاتِ دوائِرٍ وَخِطارِ

and the example followed in resisting every great calamity,

monstrous, fraught with reversals and grave perils.