وعدت باستراقة للقاء — Alarjani

وعَدتْ باستراقةٍ للّقاء

وبإهداء زوْرةٍ في خفَاءِ

She promised a stolen meeting,

and the gift of a visit in secret.

وأطالَتْ مَطْلَ المُحب إلى أنْ

وجَدتْ خُلْسَةً من الأعداء

She long delayed her lover, until

she found a moment unobserved by enemies.

ثم غارتْ من أن يُماشيَها الظلْ

لُ فزارتْ في ليلةٍ ظَلماء

Then she begrudged even her shadow accompanying her,

so she visited on a pitch-black night.

ثُمّ خافَتْ لمّا رأتْ أنجمَ الّلي

لِ شَبيهاتِ أعيُنِ الرُّقبَاء

Then she grew afraid when she saw the night's stars

resembling the eyes of watchers.

فاستنَابَتْ طيفاً يُلمُّ ومَن يَمْ

لكُ عَيْناً تَهُمُّ بالإغفاء

So she deputed a visiting dream—but who

commands an eye about to fall asleep?

هكذا نَيْلُها إذا نوَّلتْنا

وعَناءٌ تَسَمُّحُ البُخلاء

Such is her giving when she grants us anything;

the generosity of misers is torment.

يَهْدِمُ الإنتهاءُ باليأسِ منها

ما بناه الرّجاءُ بالإبتداء

The ending, in despair of her, demolishes

what hope built at the beginning.

وقليلُ الإحسانِ عندي كثيرٌ

لو تَوقَّعْتُه من الحَسناء

A little kindness would seem much to me,

if I could expect it from the beauty.

فمتى للغليلِ يا صاح يَشْفي

مَن شكا ظَمْأةً إلى ظَمياء

When, my friend, can burning thirst be healed

in one who complains of thirst to a dark-lipped beauty?

هو جَدّى المَوسومُ بالغَدْرِ في الحُبْ

بِ متى ما اتَّهمْتُه بالوفاء

It is my luck, branded treacherous in love

whenever I accuse it of faithfulness.

كلّما مال مَن أُحبُّ لادُنا

ئىَ لَجّ الزّمانُ في إقصائي

Whenever the one I love inclines to draw me near,

time persists in banishing me.

ولَعَهْدي واسْمي إلى أُذْنِ أسما

ء لحُبّي كالقُرْطِ في الإسماء

I remember my name, in Asma's ear,

being, for love of me, an earring whenever names were spoken.

قبلَ تَعتادُ من عِذارى طُلوعاً

كُلَّ يومٍ بَيضاءُ في سَوداء

Before my cheek-hair became accustomed to showing

each day a white strand among the black.

حين أغدو لا للحبيبةِ من ده

رِي ولا للشّبيبةِ استخْفائي

When I went forth, my hiding from time was not for the beloved,

nor was my concealment for youth's sake.

لست أُنسىَ يومَ الرّحيلِ وقد غَرْ

رَدَ حادي الرّكائبِ الأنضاء

I cannot forget departure day, when

the driver of the worn-out mounts sang out.

وسُليَمْى مَنَّتْ بِردِّ سلامي

حين جَدَّ الوداعُ بالإيماء

Sulayma graciously returned my greeting

with a gesture when farewell became earnest.

سفَرتْ كي تُزوِّدَ الصَّبَّ منها

نظْرةً حين آذنتْ بالتّنائي

She unveiled herself to provision her lovesick lover

with a glance, when she announced separation.

وأَرتْ أنها من الوَجْدِ مثْلي

ولها للفراقِ مثْلُ بُكائي

She showed that she was like me in passion,

and wept as I did over parting.

فَتباكَتْ ودمعُها كسقيطِ الطْ

طلِ في الجُلَّنارةِ الحَمراءِ

She feigned tears, her tears like falling dew

upon a red pomegranate blossom.

وحكى كُلّ هُدْبةٍ لي قَناةً

أنهَرتْ فَتْقَ طعنةٍ نَجلاء

Every eyelash seemed to me a spear

that opened a broad wound to flowing blood.

فتَرى الدمعتين في حُمرةِ اللّوْ

نِ سَوداءً وما هُما بسَواء

You see the two tears within the red coloring,

dark, yet the two are not alike.

خَدها يَصْبُغُ الدّموعَ ودمْعي

يَصبُغُ الخَدَّ قانياً بالدِماء

Her cheek dyes her tears, while my tears

dye my cheek crimson with blood.

خَضَب الدّمعَ خَدَّها باحمرارٍ

كاختضابِ الزجاجِ بالصّهباء

Her cheek stained the tears with redness,

as glass is stained by tawny wine.

يا صَفيّي من الأخلاِّء والعَي

شُ حَرامٌ إلاّ مَع الأصفياء

O my chosen friend among companions, life

is forbidden except with true friends.

لا تَسَلْني من أين أقبلَ سُقْمي

وأَبِنْ لي من أين أبغي شِفائي

Do not ask me whence my sickness came;

tell me where I should seek my cure.

مَن عذيري وهل عَذيرٌ من الأيْ

يامِ مهما أَفرطْنَ في الإلتواء

Who will plead my case? Is there an advocate against the days,

however far they go in perversity?

من زمانٍ جَفا فأضحَتْ ولم تَظْ

لِمْ بنوهُ أشباهَه في الجَفاء

Against a time grown estranged, whose sons became,

without wronging it, its likenesses in estrangement;

وكرامٍ مثْلِ الأهِّلةِ أيا

مَ سِرارٍ فما لَها من تَراء

and noble men like crescents in the days

of moonless darkness, with nothing of them to be seen;

وقَرَاري على وُعودِ الأماني

وارتقابي لها صباحَ مَساء

and my reliance on the promises of wishes,

and my waiting for them morning and evening;

واعتِلاقي بعَزْمةٍ ثُمّ لا أدْ

ري أمامي خيرٌ لها أم ورائي

and my clinging to a resolve, then not knowing

whether forward or backward is better for it;

ومَبيتي مؤُرَّقاً طُولَ لَيلي

واقتْضائي مَدائحَ الكُبَراء

and my lying sleepless all night,

and seeking recompense for my panegyrics to the great,

وهُمُ مُعرِضون عنّي وآبى

أنا إلاّ أُكرومَتي وحَيائي

while they turn away from me, and I refuse

anything but my dignity and modesty.

ذا امتعاضٍ أُخفي اختلالي عنِ الرَّا

ئي كإخفاءِ واصلٍ للرّاء

Resentful, I hide my destitution from the beholder,

as Wasil hid the letter r.

فأَعِد نَظْرةً بعَينكّ تُبصرْ

عَجَباً إنْ عَرَفْتَ عُظْمَ ابتلائي

Look again with your own eye: you will see

a marvel, if you understand the greatness of my ordeal.

كيف حالي ما بينَ دَهْرٍ وشِعْرٍ

ذاك والى هَدْمي وهذا بنائي

What is my condition between time and poetry?

The former pursues my destruction, the latter my rebuilding.

في زمانٍ لم يُبْقِ في قَرْضِ شعْرٍ

طائلاً من غنىً ولا مِن غَناء

In an age that leaves in composing poetry

no substantial wealth or benefit,

ما عدا غَيْظَ حاسدٍ كلّما استُح

سِنَ شعري معْ قلّة الإجداء

except an envier's rage whenever my verse is

admired, despite its scant return.

ما تَرى اليومَ والمُعسكرُ يا صا

حِ مَضَمَّ للنَّاس رَحْبُ الفناء

Do you not see today, my friend—the camp being

a spacious gathering place for people—

أنّني منه في ذُرا مَعشرٍ غُرْ

رٍ وأبناء دولةٍ غَرّاء

that I am there within the shelter of illustrious men

and sons of a splendid dynasty,

نازِلاً وسْطَهم وإن كنتُ منهم

عند قَصْدِ التّقريبِ والإدناء

dwelling in their midst, yet among them,

when nearness and intimacy are sought,

مثْلَ ما في القرآنِ من سورةِ النّا

سِ يُرَى بعدَ سُورةِ الشُعراء

like the surah of al-Nas in the Qur'an,

seen after the surah of al-Shu'ara?

لا التفاتٌ ولا سؤالٌ عنِ الحا

لِ ولا نَظْرةٌ من الإرعاء

No attention, no inquiry about my condition,

nor a glance of care.

ذو انكسارٍ في كسْرِ مُخلقةٍ طَلْ

ساءَ مَحطوطةِ المطا وقصْاء

Broken in spirit, beneath the side of a worn, effaced tent,

with its back lowered and its neck shortened.

وهْي غبَراءُ مَن رآني وصَحبي

تحتها خالَنا بني غَبراء

It is dust-colored; anyone seeing me and my companions

beneath it would think us sons of dust.

وأُراها ما طنَّبتْ مثْلَ ذي الغَب

راء كَفُّ امرىءٍ على الغَبراء

I think no tent like this dust-colored one has been pegged

by any man's hand upon the dusty earth.

شاب منهم سَوادهُا غيرَ مَظْلو

مٍ بطُلِ الإصباح والإمساءِ

Its blackness has grayed among them, and deservedly,

through long mornings and evenings.

تَركتَهْا الأيامُ لو نصعَ الّلو

نُ كآلٍ يلوُج في بَيْداء

The days have left it—were its color bright—

like a mirage wavering in a wilderness.

تَتَراءى للناظرِينَ خيالا

فهْي وسَطَ الهواء مثْلُ الهواء

It appears to onlookers as a phantom,

like air amid the air.

كلّما مَسّها من الشّرقِ ضّوءٌ

خِفْتُ وشْك اختلاطِها بالهَباء

Whenever light from the east touches it,

I fear it will soon mingle with airborne dust.

هذه حالتي وفي مثْلِ هذي

حَلّتي إن حلَلْتُ معْ نُظرَائي

This is my condition, and in something like this

is my lodging when I lodge among my peers.

ولكَم ناقصٍ قصيرِ يدِ الفَضْ

لِ وحاشا معاشرَ الكُرماء

How many a deficient man, short of hand in merit—

though I exempt the companies of the noble—

حاجِبٌ دون حاجِبِ الشمسِ عنه

ظِلُّ مَبنيّةٍ له قَوراء

is screened from the brow of the sun

by the shade of a spacious house built for him!

لائقٌ أن يقالَ فيه وفيها

واللّيالي مُعتادَةُ الإعتداء

Fit to be said of him and of it,

since nights are accustomed to injustice,

ما حَكَوا في النّواةِ والمَعقليّ ال

مُبْتَنى عن حُرَيبٍ الفَأفاء

is what they related about the date-stone and the Ma'qili

edifice, from Hurayb the stammerer.

كلُّ قومٍ أفاضَ قومٌ عليهم

خِلعاً ذاتَ بهجةٍ وبَهاء

Every people has had another people lavish upon it

robes of honor, splendid and beautiful,

كنسيجِ الرياضِ وشّتْه بالأن

وا رِ صُبْحاً أناملُ الأنواء

like the meadows' weave, embroidered with flowers

at dawn by the fingers of the rains.

غيْرَ أنّا من كلِّ ما خَلَع النّا

سُ وأسنَوا من بُردَةٍ ورِداء

But we, of all that people have bestowed

and lavishly given in mantles and cloaks,

قد قنَعِنا بخِلعةٍ ذاتِ تَلْمي

ع قليل أوخرقة بيضاء

have settled for a robe with a little patchwork,

or a scrap of white cloth,

حُلوةِ القَدِّ رَحْبةِ الذَّيْلِ بَرد الصْ

صَيفِ في حِضنِها وحَرُّ الشِّتاء

lovely in form, broad in hem, with summer's coolness

in its embrace, and winter's warmth.

جَيبُها في ضلوعِها والعُرَا في الذْ

ذيْلِ إن نُشِرّتْ غداةَ اكتِساء

Its opening is in its ribs, its loops at the

hem, when spread out on the morning of clothing.

ثُمّ من بعدِ أن تُزرَّرَ يُكسا

ها الفتَى وهو أظرَفُ الأشيْاء

Then, after it has been buttoned,

the youth is clothed in it—a most curious thing!

مَلْبَسٌ للحُلولِ يُخلَعُ للرِح

لةِ عند استماعِ رَجْع الحُداء

A garment for stopping, stripped off for departure

when the echo of the camel-driver's song is heard.

إن أقامُوا عَلا الرؤوسَ وإن را

موا مَسيرا عَلا على الأمطاء

If they stay, it rises over their heads; if they intend

to travel, it rises upon their mounts' backs.

رَكّبتْه الأيدي كَتركيبِ بَيْتٍ

من قَريضٍ مُناسبِ الأجْزاء

Hands assembled it as one assembles a verse

of poetry whose parts fit together.

ذو عَروضٍ وذو ضُروبٍ ولا عَي

بَ لَها لاحِقٌ من الإقواء

It has its first-half and second-half feet, and no flaw

of discordant rhyme-vowels attaches to them.

وهْى حَدْباءُ في فَتاءٍ منَ السِنْ

نِ قريبٍ لافي أوانِ فَتاء

It is hunchbacked, though young and recent in

age—not at a time of youthful vigor.

حَدِبٌ قَلْبُها علينا وقد يُمْ

تع أيضاً تَحَدُّبُ الحَدباء

Its heart bends tenderly toward us, and

even a hunchback's tenderness can give pleasure.

غيرَ أنْ لا تقومُ إن هي لم تُمْ

سِكْ بشُعْثٍ مَشْجوجةِ الأقفاء

Yet it cannot stand unless it holds fast

to shaggy supports with split napes.

عَوْجةٌ لي على الجبالِ أُتيحَتْ

بعدَ عَهْدٍ قد طالَ بالزَّوراء

A turn toward al-Jibal was allotted me,

after a long sojourn in al-Zawra.

تَرَكتْني مُعانِياً لمَعانٍ

وأعادتْ أعادياً أصدقائي

It left me suffering many troubles,

and turned my friends into foes.

رَنّقت مَشْربي وقد كان عَيْنٌ الشْ

شَمْسِ والماء دونه في الصّفاء

It clouded my drinking-place, though the sun's eye

and water had been less clear than it.

بعد عهْدي بعِيشتي وهْي خَضْرا

ءُ تثَنّى كالبانةِ الغَنّاء

After I had known my life green,

swaying like a luxuriant ban-tree,

وأموري كأنّها أَلفِاتٌ

خَطّهُنّ الوَلىُّ في الاستواء

and my affairs like alifs,

which al-Wali had drawn in perfect straightness.

لِوليّ الدينِ المُقدَّمِ سَبْقٌ

إنْ تبَارَتْ خيْلُ العُلا في الجِراء

Wali al-Din, the foremost, has the lead

when the horses of high rank compete in running.

لنجيبٍ في دَهْرِه ابنِ نجيبٍ

وبلوغُ الغاياتِ للنُّجباء

A noble man in his age, the son of a noble man;

and noble men attain the finish.

صارمُ الرّأي يُخجِلُ البيضَ والسُّم

رَ بحَدِّ اليراعةِ الرَّقْشاء

Sharp in judgment, he shames white swords and brown spears

with the edge of his speckled reed-pen.

طالعٌ في ثَنّيةٍ رحبَةِ الذِر

وةِ للفضلِ صَعْبةِ الرَّقْشاء

Ascending a pass of excellence, broad at its summit,

but difficult for the speckled serpent.

ناثرٌ ما يزالُ في الطِّرس دُرّاً

حَسدَتْ حُسنَها نجومُ السّماء

A prose-writer, ceaselessly scattering pearls upon the page,

whose beauty the stars of heaven envied.

فحَنتْ قَدَّها لِلَقْطٍ منَ الأُفْ

قِ إليها كوَاكبُ الجوزاء

So, to gather them, from the horizon

the stars of al-Jawza bent their figures toward them.

لو بنو مُقلةٍ رأوْهُ لأضحَى

ولَقَلّوا لمَجْدهِ من فِداء

Had the sons of Muqla seen him, he would be ransomed,

though they would be too little ransom for his glory,

بعزيزَيهمُ السّمَّيينِ يُفْدَى

من عيونٍ لهم ومن آباء

with their two precious namesakes,

among their eyes and their fathers.

ولآلَى أبو عَليٍ يَميناً

مُظهراً للوليّ صِدْقَ الوَلاء

And Abu Ali would surely swear an oath,

showing al-Wali the truth of his allegiance:

لا إلى مُقْلةٍ أبى لو عَلمْتُم

بل إلى مُقلةٍ تَراهُ انتمائي

Not to my father Muqla, if you knew,

but to the Muqla you see do I claim kinship.

دَرَجوا ثمّ جاءَ مَن هو أعلَى

دَرَجاً فلْيدُمْ قرينَ العَلاء

They passed away, then came one higher

in degree; may he remain the companion of loftiness.

ولنا في الوَليِّ مُسْلٍ عن الوَسْ

ْمىِّ فلْيبقَ عادِم الأكفاء

In al-Wali we find solace for the early rain;

may he remain without equals.

كفْؤُكّفِ الولِيِّ لم يُرَ للكُت

تابِ يوماً في الحُدْث والقدماء

No match for al-Wali's hand has been seen among

scribes, modern or ancient.

يا ولياً يرَوِّضُ الطرسَ طُولَ الدْ

دَهْرِ فَضلاً بَقِيتَ للأولياء

O Wali, who trains the page throughout

time in excellence, may you endure for your friends,

هكذا ماطِرَ الأناملِ طَلّاً

للقراطيس وابِلاً للرّجاء

thus raining from your fingers a drizzle

upon papers, and a downpour upon hopes.

نعْمَ ذُخرُ الآمالِ عمْرُك فابقَ الدْ

دَهرَ للمُرتجي أَمَدَ البقاء

What a fine reserve for hopes your life is! Remain throughout

time, for the hopeful, to the utmost span of life.

زِنتَ وجهَ الدّهرِ الذي شانَهُ النّق

صُ فلا زلْتَ غُرّةَ الدَّهماء

You adorned time's face, which deficiency had disfigured;

may you ever be the white blaze of the dark throng.

أنت لولاك كان للناسِ في الأف

واهِ ذِكْرُ الكريمِ كالعَنقاء

Without you, on people's

lips, mention of the generous would be like the phoenix.

لك منّي في الصّدْرِ حُسنُ ولاءٍ

رَشْحُه ما بقيتُ حُسْنُ ثناء

For you my breast holds true allegiance,

whose outpouring, while I live, is beautiful praise.

دُرُّ لَفْظٍ في تبْرِ مَعْنىً مَصوغٍ

فتقرَّطْهُ يا أخا العلياء

Pearls of speech set in wrought gold of meaning:

wear them as earrings, brother of loftiness.

فَحُلِيُّ الرّجالِ صَوْغُ يدِ الفكْ

رِ وصَوغُ الأيدي حُلِيُّ النِّساء

Men's ornaments are fashioned by the hand of thought,

while what hands fashion are women's ornaments.

عَفْوَ طبْعٍ جاءتْك فاجْتلِها حس

ناء بكراً فالحُسنُللاجتلاء

She came to you unforced from my nature; unveil her, a

beautiful virgin, for beauty is meant to be unveiled.

من مُواليك للفضائلِ حُبّاً

وموُالي أسلافِك السُّعَداء

From one devoted to you out of love for virtues,

and devoted to your blessed forebears.

ووِدادُ الأحرارِ في الدّهرِ من أش

رَفِ إرْثِ الآباء للأَبْناء

The friendship of free men is among the noblest

legacies fathers leave to sons.

يَذخرُ الدّهرُ منك في خَللِ الأي

ْيامِ عَضبْاً ذا رَوْنَق ومَضاء

Time stores you amid the intervals of

days, a sharp sword, gleaming and keen.

وليِومٍ يُعِدُّك المُلْكُ ذي جَدْ

دٍ وجِدِّ وذي سناً وسَناء

The kingdom readies you for a day of good fortune

and earnestness, of radiance and splendor.

قُلْ لَمنْ ظَلَّ فضُلهُ وهْو جَمٌ

عن مديحٍ يُصاغُ ذا اسِتغناء

Tell the man whose excellence, abundant as it is, remains

in no need of praise composed for him:

فإذا ما بَعْثتُ بابنةِ فكْري

لك جاءتْ تَمشي على استِحيْاء

When I send the daughter of my thought

to you, she comes walking shyly.

إن كَساكَ المديحَ فِكري فكم قد

أمطَرتْ ديمةٌ على الدأْماء

If my thought clothes you in praise, how often

has a rain-cloud showered upon the ocean!

كيف أُهدِي لكُ الثّناءَ وأوصا

فُك فُتْنَ الأوهامَ عُظْمَ اعتلاء

How can I offer you praise, when your qualities

have surpassed imagination in their towering eminence?

وأنا منك في القياسِ وإنْ فا

قَ بني الدّهرِ خاطري في الذَّكاء

Compared with you I am, even if my thought

surpasses the children of time in brilliance,

مثْلَما في الحسابِ من واضعِ الشّط

رنْجِ بالبُعْدِ تابِعُ السِيَماء

as, in calculation, from the inventor of chess

the practitioner of simya stands far removed.