لك من غليل صبابتي ما أضمر — Alabywrdy

لكَ مِن غَليلِ صَبابَتي ما أُضمِرُ

وأُسِرُّ منْ ألَمِ الغَرامِ وأُظْهِرُ

Yours is what I conceal of my longing's burning thirst,

and what I hide and reveal of love's pain.

وتذَكُّري زَمَنَ العُذَيْبِ يَشِفُّني

والوَجْدُ مَمْنُوٌّ بهِ المُتَذَكِّرُ

Remembering the days at al-Udhayb wastes me away;

whoever remembers is afflicted with yearning.

إذْ لِمّتي سَحْماءُ مَدَّ على التُّقى

أظْلالَها وَرَقُ الشّبابِ الأخضَرُ

When my locks were black, and over piety was spread

their shade by the green foliage of youth.

هوَ مَلعَبٌ شَرِقَتْ بِنا أرجاؤُهُ

إذْ نَحنُ في حُلَلِ الشّبيبَةِ نَخْطِرُ

It is a playground whose reaches thronged with us

as we strutted in the robes of youth.

فبِحَرِّ أنفاسي وصَوْبِ مَدامِعي

أضْحَتْ مَعالِمُهُ تُراحُ وتُمطَرُ

Through the heat of my breaths and the downpour of my tears,

its landmarks came to be fanned by winds and drenched with rain.

وأُجيلُ في تلكَ المَعاهِدِ ناظِري

فالقَلبُ يعرِفُها وطَرْفي يُنكِرُ

I turn my gaze through those familiar haunts:

my heart recognizes them, but my eyes deny them.

وأرُدُّ عَبْرتِيَ الجَموحَ لأنّها

بِمَقيلِ سِرِّكَ في الجَوانِحِ تُخْبِرُ

I hold back my headstrong tear, because it

reveals where your secret rests within my ribs.

فأبِيتُ مُحْتَضِنَ الجَوى قلِقَ الحَشى

وأظَلُّ أُعْذَلُ في هَواك وأُعذَرُ

So I spend the night embracing heartache, restless at heart,

and spend the day reproached for loving you—and excused.

غَضِبَتْ قُرَيشٌ إذْ مَلَكْتُ مَقادَتي

غَضباً يَكادُ السُّمُ منهُ يَقْطُرُ

Quraysh grew angry when I took command of my own reins,

with anger from which poison almost dripped.

وتَعاوَدَتْ عَذْلي فَما أرْعَيْتُها

سَمْعاً يَقِلُّ بهِ المَلامُ ويَكْثُرُ

They kept returning to reproach me, but I lent them no

ear, whether their blame grew less or more.

ولقَدْ يَهونُ على العَشيرَةِ أنّني

أشْكو الغَرامَ فيَرقُدونَ وأسْهَرُ

My clan finds it easy to bear that I

complain of love, while they sleep and I lie awake.

وبمُهْجَتي هَيْفاءُ يَرْفَعُ جِيدَها

رَشَأٌ ويَخْفِضُ ناظِرَيْها جُؤْذَرُ

With my lifeblood I would ransom a slender maiden, whose neck is lifted

by a gazelle fawn, while a young oryx lowers her eyes.

طَرَقَتْ وأجْفانُ الوُشاةِ على الكَرى

تُطْوى وأرْدِيَةُ الغَياهِبِ تُنْشَرُ

She visited by night, while the informers' eyelids over sleep

were folded shut, and the robes of darkness were spread.

والشُّهْبُ تَلمَعُ في الدُّجى كأَسِنّةٍ

زُرْقٍ يُصافِحُها العَجاجُ الأكْدَرُ

The bright stars glittered in the darkness like spearheads,

blue, embraced by murky dust.

فنِجادُ سَيْفي مَسَّ ثِنْيَ وِشاحِها

بمَضاجِعٍ كَرُمَتْ وعَفَّ المِئْزَرُ

My sword's baldric touched the fold of her sash

on honored couches, where the loincloth remained chaste.

ثمَّ افْتَرَقْنا والرَّقيبُ يَروعُ بي

أسَداً يوَدِّعُهُ غَزالٌ أحْوَرُ

Then we parted, the watcher striking fear into me—

a lion whom a dark-eyed gazelle was bidding farewell.

والدُّرُّ يُنظَمُ حينَ يضحَكُ عِقْدُهُ

وإذا بَكَيْتُ فمِنْ جُفوني يُنثَرُ

Pearls are strung when their necklace smiles;

when I weep, they scatter from my eyelids.

فَوَطِئْتُ خَدَّ اللّيلِ فوقَ مُطَهَّمٍ

هُوجُ الرِّياحِ وراءَهُ تَسْتَحْسِرُ

Then I trod the cheek of night astride a splendid steed,

behind which furious winds fell exhausted.

طَرِبِ العِنانِ كأنّهُ في حُضْرِهِ

نارٌ بمُعْتَرَكِ الجيادِ تَسَعَّرُ

Eager at the rein, it seemed, in its gallop,

a fire blazing amid the clash of steeds.

والعِزُّ يُلحِفُني وشائِعَ بُرْدِهِ

حَلَقُ الدِّلاصِ وصارِمي والأشْقَرُ

Glory wraps me in the woven threads of its mantle—

the rings of gleaming mail, my keen sword, and my chestnut steed.

وعَلامَ أدَّرِعُ الهَوانَ ومَوْئِلي

خَيْرُ الخَلائِفِ أحْمَدُ المُسْتَظْهِرُ

Why should I clothe myself in humiliation, when my refuge is

the best of caliphs, Ahmad al-Mustazhir?

هوَ غُرَّةُ الزّمنِ الكَثيرِ شِياتُهُ

زُهِيَ السّريرُ بهِ وتاهَ المِنْبَرُ

He is the white blaze of an age with many markings;

the throne is proud of him, and the pulpit exults.

ولهُ كما اطّرَدَتْ أنابيبُ القَنا

شَرَفٌ وعِرْقٌ بالنُّبُوّةِ يَزْخَرُ

He has, like the orderly sections of spear shafts,

honor, and a lineage overflowing with prophethood.

وعُلاً تَرِفُّ على التُّقى وسَماحَةٌ

عَلِقَ الرّجاءُ بِها وبأسٌ يُحْذَرُ

And eminence hovering over piety, and generosity

on which hope hangs, and might to be feared.

لا تَنفَعُ الصّلواتُ مَنْ هوَ ساحِبٌ

ذَيْلَ الضّلالِ وعنْ هَواهُ أزْوَرُ

Prayers do not avail one who drags

the train of error and turns away from loving him.

ولَوِ اسْتُميلَتْ عَنْهُ هامَةُ مارِقٍ

لَدعا صَوارِمَهُ إلَيْها المِغْفَرُ

Were a rebel's head drawn away from him,

its helmet would summon his keen swords to it.

فَعُفاتُهُ حَيثُ الغِنى يَسَعُ المُنى

وعُداتُهُ حَيثُ القَنا يتكَسّرُ

His petitioners are where wealth embraces every wish,

and his enemies where spears splinter.

وبِسَيْبِهِ وبسِيْفِهِ أعمارُهُمْ

في كُلِّ مُعضِلَةٍ تَطولُ وتَقْصُرُ

Through his bounty and his sword, their lives

in every crisis lengthen and are cut short.

وكأنّهُ المَنْصورُ في عَزَماتِهِ

ومُحَمّدٌ في المَكرُماتِ وجَعْفَرُ

He is like al-Mansur in his resolves,

and Muhammad and Ja'far in noble deeds.

وإذا مَعَدٌّ حُصِّلَتْ أنسابُها

فَهُمُ الذُّرا والجَوْهَرُ المُتَخيَّرُ

When Ma'add's genealogies are scrutinized,

they are the summits and the choicest jewel.

ولَهمْ وقائِعُ في العِدا مَذْكورةٌ

تَروي الذِّئابُ حَديثَها والأنسُرُ

Their battles against enemies are remembered,

their story told by wolves and eagles.

والسُّمْرُ في اللّبّات راعِفةٌ دَماً

والبِيضُ يَخضِبُها النّجيعُ الأحْمَرُ

Brown spears bleed in the hollows of throats,

and crimson gore dyes the bright swords.

والقِرْنُ يرْكَبُ رَدْعَهُ ثَمِلَ الخُطا

والأعْوَجيَّةُ بالجَماجِمِ تَعْثُرُ

The opposing warrior falls into his own blood, reeling in his steps,

and A'waj-bred steeds stumble over skulls.

ودَجا النّهارُ منَ العَجاجِ وأشْرَقَتْ

فيهِ الصّوارِمُ وهْوَ ليلٌ مُقْمِرُ

Day darkened from the dust, and keen swords shone

within it, and it was a moonlit night.

يا بْنَ الشّفيعِ إِلى الحَيا ما لأمرئٍ

طامَنْتَ نَخوَتَهُ المَحلُّ الأكبَرُ

O son of the intercessor for rain, what has a man

whose pride you have humbled to fear from the greatest drought?

أنا غَرْسُ أنْعُمِكَ التي لا تُجتَدى

مَعها السّحائِبُ فهْيَ مِنْها أغْزَرُ

I am a seedling of your favors: no one seeks

the clouds' bounty beside them, for they are more abundant.

والنُّجْعُ يَضْمَنُهُ لمَنْ يرْتادُها

مِنْكَ الطّلاقَةُ والجَبينُ الأزهَرُ

Success in seeking bounty is guaranteed to whoever seeks them

by your open welcome and radiant brow.

وإنِ اقتَرَبْتُ أوِ اغْتَرَبْتُ فإنّني

لهِجٌ بشُكإِ عَوارِفٍ لا تُكفَرُ

Whether I draw near or travel far, I am

devoted to thanking favors that cannot be denied.

وعُلاكَ لي في ظِلِّها ما أبتَغي

مِنها ومنْ كَلِمي لَها ما يُذْخَرُ

In the shade of your eminence I have what I seek

from it, and in my words it has something to treasure.

يُسْدي مَديحَكَ هاجِسي ويُنيرُهُ

فِكري وحظّي في امْتِداحِكَ أوفَرُ

My inspiration weaves your praise, and it is illumined

by my thought; my share in praising you is richer.

بغْداذَ أيّتُها المَطيُّ فواصِلي

عَنَقاً تئِنُّ لهُ القِلاصُ الضُّمَّرُ

To Baghdad, O riding camels, keep up

a swift pace that makes the lean young she-camels groan.

إنّي وحَقِّ المُستَجِنِّ بطَيْبَةٍ

كَلِفٌ بِها وإِلى ذَراها أصْوَرُ

I, by the sanctity of him entombed in Taybah,

am enamored of it and inclined toward its heights.

وكأنَّني مما تُسوِّلُهُ المُنى

والدّارُ نازِحةٌ إليها أنظُرُ

It is as though, through what my hopes entice me to,

I behold it, though that abode is far away.

أرضٌ تَجُرُّ بِها الخِلافَةُ ذَيْلَها

وبها الجِباهُ منَ المُلوكِ تُعَفَّرُ

A land where the caliphate trails its robe,

and where the foreheads of kings are rubbed in dust.

فكأنّها جُلِيَتْ عَلَينا جَنّةٌ

وكأنّ دِجلَةَ فاضَ فيها الكَوثَرُ

As though a paradise were unveiled before us,

and al-Kawthar overflowed within the Tigris.

وهَواؤُها أرِجُ النّسيمِ وتُرْبُها

مِسْكٌ تَهاداهُ الغَدائِرُ أذْفَرُ

Its air is fragrant with breezes, and its soil

is richly scented musk that tresses exchange as gifts.

يَقْوى الضّعيفُ بِها ويأمَنُ خائِفٌ

قَلِقَتْ وِسادَتُهُ ويُثْري المُقْتِرُ

There the weak grow strong, and a frightened man finds safety—

his pillow once restless—and the needy grow rich.

فصَدَدْتُ عنها إذ نَباني مَعْشَري

وبَغى عليَّ منَ الأراذِلِ مَعْشَرُ

Yet I turned away from it when my own people shunned me,

and a band of the base oppressed me,

منْ كُلِّ مُلْتَحِفٍ بما يَصِمُ الفَتى

يُؤذي ويَظلِمُ أو يَخونُ ويَغْدِرُ

each wrapped in what disgraces a man,

harming and wronging, or betraying and dealing treacherously.

فنَفَضْتُ منهُ يدي مَخافَةَ كَيْدِهِ

إنَّ الكَريمَ على الأذى لا يَصْبِرُ

So I shook them from my hand, fearing their guile;

a noble man will not endure injury.

وأبَى لشِعْري أن أدَنِّسَهُ بهِمْ

حَسَبي وسَبُّ ذوي الخَنا أن يُحقَروا

What forbade me to defile my poetry with them

was my noble descent; reviling the foul is to hold them in contempt.

قابَلْتُ سيّئَ ما أتَوْا بجَميلِ ما

آتي فإنّي بالمكارِمِ أجْدَرُ

I met the evil of what they did with the good

I do, for I am more worthy of noble deeds.

وأبادَ بعضَهُمُ المَنونُ وبَعْضُهُمْ

في القِدِّ وهْوَ بما جَناهُ أبصَرُ

Death destroyed some of them, while others

are in leather fetters, well aware of what they committed.

والأبيضُ المأثورُ يَخْطِمُ بالرّدى

مَنْ لا يُنَهْنِهُهُ القَطيعُ الأسمَرُ

The bright, patterned sword bridles with death

him whom the brown lash cannot restrain.

فارْفَضَّ شملُهُمُ وكمْ مِنْ مَوْرِدٍ

للظّالِمينَ وليْسَ عنهُ مَصْدَرُ

So their company scattered; how many a watering place

there is for oppressors, with no way out!

وإِلى أميرِ المؤمنينَ تطَلَعَتْ

مِدَحٌ كما ابتَسَمَ الرِّياضُ تُحَبَّرُ

Toward the Commander of the Faithful have risen

praises, adorned like smiling gardens.

ويقيمُ مائِدَهُن لَيلٌ مُظلِمٌ

ويضُمُّ شارِدَهُنَّ صُبحٌ مُسْفِرُ

A dark night steadies their wavering verses,

and a radiant dawn gathers their wandering verses.

فبِمِثْلِ طاعَتِهِ الهِدايَةُ تُبْتَغى

وبفَضْلِ نائِلِهِ الخَصاصَةُ تُجْبَرُ

Through obedience like his, guidance is sought,

and through the abundance of his gifts, want is remedied.