وبرق مشيب في ظلام ذوائب — Alarjani

وبَرقُ مَشيبٍ في ظلامِ ذَوائبٍ

له قَطْرُ دمعٍ من غمامِ جُفونِ

And lightning of gray hair amid the darkness of locks,

with a rain of tears from the clouds of eyelids.

أَرِقْتُ له لمّا أَضاء وَميضُه

أُقلِّبُ منّي فيه طَرْفَ حَزين

I lay sleepless over it when its flash shone,

turning toward it a sorrowful eye of mine.

وقلتُ له يا برقُ هل أَنت زائدي

على حُرَقي أَم تاركي وشُجوني

I said to it, “O lightning, will you add

to my burning sorrows, or leave me with my griefs?”

بُروقُ الورَى تَبْدو وتَخْفَى سريعةً

وبَرْقي مُقيمٌ ليس يَرحَلُ دوني

Others’ lightning appears and vanishes swiftly,

but my lightning stays, never departing without me.

ومن عَجَبٍ أَنّي لدى لَمعانِه

عَلِقْتُ بحَبْلٍ للوَقارِ مَتين

And strangely, when it flashed,

I clung to a strong rope of dignity.

وعَهْدي بنَفْسي قبلَ ذلك لم أَشِمْ

سَنا بارقٍ إلاّ وجُنَّ جُنوني

Yet, as I remember myself before this, I never watched

the radiance of lightning without my madness running wild.

فأصبحتُ قد ودَّعتُ عهدَ شَبيبتي

وقلتُ لأطْرابي حَرُمْتِ فَبِيني

Now I have bid farewell to the days of my youth,

and told my delights, “You are forbidden; depart!”

وكلُّ حَراكٍ كان بي نحْوَ لذّةٍ

تَبدَّلَ منّي عَهْدُه بسُكون

Every movement within me toward pleasure

has had its former habit replaced by stillness,

سوى واحدٍ أَنّي إذا ذُكرَ الصِّبا

وماضيهِ لم أَملِكْ إليه حَنيني

except one thing: whenever youth is mentioned,

and its bygone days, I cannot master my longing for it.

سأُمسك عن قَدْحي لنارِ بلابلٍ

غدَتْ في زِنادِ القَلْبِ ذاتَ كُمون

I shall refrain from kindling the fire of anguish

that now lies dormant in the heart’s fire-flints.

أَروحُ على عَزْمٍ جَموحٍ إلى العُلا

مُسايرَ جَدٍّ في الجُدودِ حَرون

I set out toward the heights with unbridled resolve,

keeping pace with a fortune stubborn among fortunes.

وأَظْهَر لي ما أَضمرَ الدّهرُ حقْبةً

ودهرُ الفتَى ذو أَظهُرٍ وبُطون

And Time revealed to me what it had concealed for an age;

a man’s lifetime has outward faces and hidden depths.

ولمّا رأَيتُ الرّأسَ جَنَّحَ نَمْلُه

وقلتُ نذيرٌ باقْتِرابِ مَنون

And when I saw the ants upon my head grow wings,

and said, “A warning that death is near,”

ولم أَك للعُقْبَى قطعْتُ علائقي

ولم أَك للدُّنيا قضَيْتُ شُؤوني

I had not severed my attachments for the hereafter,

nor settled my affairs in this world.

أَسِفْتُ على عُمْرٍ تَصرَّمَ ضائع

وجُدْتُ بدَمْعٍ يَسْتَهِلُّ هَتون

I grieved over a lifetime that had passed in waste,

and lavished tears, streaming in torrents.

وآنسَني بُعْدي من النّاسِ جانباً

وإنْ هُمْ على أَحْداقهم حَملوني

Keeping apart from people brought me comfort,

even if they carried me upon the pupils of their eyes.

فلمّا غدا عِبْئاً على جَفْنِ ناظري

لقاءُ الورَى من صاحبٍ وخَدين

And when it became a burden upon the lid of my eye—

meeting people, whether companion or intimate—

أَلِفْتُ الفلا مُستوطناً ظهْرَ ناقةٍ

تَلُفُّ سُهولاً دائماً بحُزون

I grew fond of the deserts, dwelling on a she-camel’s back,

as she ceaselessly folded plains together with rugged ground.

وما سِرْتُ إلاّ في الهَواجرِ وحْدَها

كراهةَ ظلّي أنْ يكونَ قَريني

I traveled only in the heat of midday,

unwilling that my shadow should be my companion.

وآلَيتُ لا استَخْلصْتُ لي غيرَ صاحبٍ

حفيظٍ على سِرِّ الخليلِ أَمين

And I swore to choose for myself no companion but one

faithfully guarding a friend’s secret, trustworthy,

صَموتٍ فإن جَرَّدْتَه فجَميعُه

لسانٌ مُبينُ الهامِ غيرُ مُبين

silent; yet if you unsheathe it, all of it becomes

a tongue that severs heads but does not speak.

نَزيلِ شِمالي الدّهرَ ما نام جَفنُه

فإن أَيقظتْهُ الحربُ حَلَّ يَميني

Forever lodged at my left while its eyelid sleeps,

if war awakens it, it settles at my right.

ومَطْويّةِ الأقرابِ طاويةِ الفلا

بطُولِ نَجاءٍ بالنَّجاحِ ضَمين

And a camel of lean flanks, folding up the wasteland,

through long, swift travel, a guarantor of success.

تُوسِّدُني إحدى يدَيْها وتارةً

بأربَعِها أطْوي البلادَ أَمون

She pillows me on one of her forelegs, and at times

on her four legs I traverse the lands, she ever trusty.

فيا صاحبيَّ اليومَ والدّهرُ رائعي

بأعجَبِ أبكارٍ طَرقْنُ وعُون

O my two companions today, as Time appalls me

with astonishing woes come by night, both maiden and mature,

لِيَهْنِكُما أنّي الغداةَ إليكما

على عِزِّ أَنصاري جَعلْتُ ركوني

may it gladden you both that this morning, upon you

despite my supporters’ might, I have placed my reliance.

ألا فصِلاني بارك اللهُ فيكما

ولا تَعْبآ بالصَّحْبِ إن هَجَروني

Come, stand by me—God bless you both—

and pay no heed to companions if they abandon me.

فما هيَ إلاّ عزْمةٌ بعْدها الغِنَى

وتَرويحُ رَحْلٍ عنْدَها ووَضين

It is only a firm resolve, after which comes wealth,

and there the saddle and its girth will be eased.

بنا ظَمأٌ بَرْحٌ وبالرَّيِّ رِيُّنا

وما تلك عندي من نوىً بشَطون

We suffer a fierce thirst; in al-Rayy lies our slaking.

Nor do I deem that destination far distant.

وما تُنكِرُ الأقوامُ يومَ بلُوغِها

لئنْ صدقَتْ فيما رجَوْتُ ظُنوني

Nor will people disown me on the day I reach it,

if my expectations prove true in what I hoped.

إذا راحَ بعدَ اللهِ يا دهرُ أو غدا

عليكَ مُعينُ الدّينِ وهْو مُعيني

When, after God, O Time, there comes at dusk or dawn

against you Mu’in al-Din, who is my helper,

إذا عَلِقَتْ كَفّي بحَبل رجائهِ

فَقُلْ لِلّيالي كيف شِئْتِ فكُوني

when my palm clings to the rope of hope in him,

then tell the nights, “Be however you wish!”

فتىً عنده للمُستَعينِ برأيهِ

إغاثةُ دُنياً أو إعانَةُ دِين

A nobleman who offers whoever seeks his counsel

relief in worldly affairs or assistance in religion.

هُمامٌ إذا لاقَى الوفودَ أنالَهمْ

جميعَ الأماني ثُمَّ قال سَلوني

A magnanimous lord who, when he meets delegations, grants them

all their wishes, then says, “Ask me!”

إذا ما اشْتَرى حُسنَ الثّناء بمالِه

رأى نَفْسَه في ذاك غيرَ غَبين

When he buys fine praise with his wealth,

he considers himself no loser in that bargain.

صَفوحٌ عنِ الجاني سَفوحٌ حُسامُه

خُشونتُه أَضحتْ قرينةَ لين

Forgiving toward the wrongdoer, his sword freely sheds blood;

his severity has become the companion of gentleness.

إليهِ انْتِسابُ الفضْلِ مثْلُ انتسابِه

إلى الفَضْلِ صِدْقٌ فهْو غيرُ ظَنين

Virtue’s descent from him, like his own descent

from al-Fadl, is true; he is above suspicion.

فلا فاضِلٌ تَلْقاهْ إلاّ وعندَه

يُبدِّلُ عزّاً يَقْتَنيهِ بهُون

No worthy man you meet but in his presence

exchanges the dignity he possesses for humility.

له مَجلسٌ قد ظَلَّ للعلْمِ مَعْلَماً

مَضمَّ الورى من زائرٍ وقَطين

He has a gathering-place that has become a landmark of learning,

bringing people together, visitors and residents.

جَموعٌ لأصحابِ الإمامَيْنِ كُلِّهمْ

بهِ ذو مكانٍ يَرْتَضيهِ مَكين

It gathers all the followers of the two Imams;

there, each man with a place he approves is firmly established.

إذا رَكضوا في حَلْبةِ الفِقْهِ راقَنا

بُدُوُّ هجانٍ عندَها وهَجين

When they race in the course of jurisprudence, we delight

in the appearance there of purebred and crossbred.

أئمّةُ عَصْرٍ كالنُّجومِ مُطيفةٌ

ببَدْرِ عُلاً للنّاظرِينَ مُبين

The imams of an age circle like stars

around a full moon of eminence, clear to those who look.

فلا افْترقَ الشّمْلُ الّذي هو جامعٌ

بصَرْفِ زمانٍ للكرامِ خَؤون

May the company he has assembled never be dispersed

by the vicissitudes of a time treacherous to the noble.

ولا زالَ منه الدِّينُ يُصبحُ لاجئاً

إلى طَوْدِ عزِّ في الخُطوبِ رَزين

May religion never cease, through him, to seek refuge each morning

in a mountain of might, steadfast amid calamities,

مَديدِ ظلالٍ للرَّعايا ظليلةٍ

وحِصْنٍ لأسرارِ المُلوكِ حَصين

spreading sheltering shade over the subjects,

and an impregnable fortress for the secrets of kings.

أخي شَغَفٍ منه بفنِّيْنِ زائدٍ

وإنْ جاء من إحسانهِ بفُنون

A man with especial passion for two pursuits,

though his beneficence takes many forms:

بإجْراء مالٍ للعُفاةِ معونةً

وإجراء ماءٍ بالفلاةِ مَعين

channeling money to petitioners as aid,

and channeling freely flowing water through the desert.

فيا بَحرَ جودٍ لم يُحَدَّ بساحلٍ

ولَيْثَ وغىً لم يَعْتَزِزْ بعَرين

O sea of generosity unbounded by a shore,

and lion of battle needing no lair for protection!

لنا من نَداهُ كلُّ بَدْرٍ وبَدْرةٍ

وكلُّ نفيسٍ يُقْتَنى وثَمين

Every full moon and every purse is ours from his bounty,

and every precious, valuable thing one acquires,

وكلُّ وجيهيٍّ أغرٍّ مُحجَّلٍ

مُقَيَّدِ حُورٍ بالفَلاةِ وَعين

and every Wajihi steed, white-blazed and white-socked,

a fetter for the desert’s dark-eyed, wide-eyed antelopes,

سَبوقٍ لخيلِ اللّيلِ والصُّبحِ عَفْوُهُ

على بُعْد شأوٍ للرّهانِ بَطين

outstripping the horses of night and dawn; its effortless gait

has ample range over a distant racing course.

جَرى أشهَبُ الإصْباحِ وهْو وراءه

فلمّا تَجلَّى بادياً لعُيون

The gray steed of daybreak ran behind it;

and when it appeared clearly before the eyes,

أبَى غيرَ سَبْقِ الصُّبْحِ مَعْ شُغْلِه له

بشَكْلِ ثلاثٍ بعْدَ لَطْمِ جَبين

it would do nothing but outstrip dawn, though dawn hampered it

by fettering three legs after striking its forehead.

أيا صاحباً زان الزَّمانَ بفَضْلِه

فلا افْتَرقا من زائنٍ ومَزين

O master who has adorned Time with his excellence,

may the two never part, adorner and adorned.

لقد نام بيضُ الهندِ أمْناً فما يُرَى

لَهُنَّ غِرارٌ هاجراً لجُفون

India’s bright blades have slept secure; no one sees

any edge of theirs forsaking its sheath.

ومُذْ شاهدَتْ أطرافَ أقلامهِ القَنا

أَبَتْ خِيفةً إلاّ ارْتعادَ مُتون

And since the spears beheld the tips of his pens,

they have done nothing, out of fear, but tremble in their shafts.

وحُسّادُه اشْتاقَتِ عطاشُ حُلوقِهمْ

وُرودَ مياهِ في الجُفون أُجون

His enviers’ thirsty throats have longed

to drink the stagnant waters within the sheaths,

ليُطْلِقَ أرواحاً غَدتْ من جُسومهمْ

مُعذَّبةً في مُظْلماتِ سُجون

to release souls that, within their bodies, have become

tormented in dark prisons.

إذا ما نطاقُ العَفْوِ ضاقَ عنِ العدا

وباؤوا بحَرْبٍ لا تُطاقُ زَبون

When the reach of pardon grows too narrow for the enemies,

and they incur a fierce, unbearable war,

غدَتْ تَنْبُشُ العِقبانُ عنهمْ لتَهْتدي

إلى كلِّ ثاوٍ في القَتامِ دَفين

the eagles begin digging for them, to find

each fallen one buried in the battle-dust.

بكَ الرَّيُّ أَضحتْ وهْيَ للنّاسِ كَعبةٌ

بعيدةُ رُكْنٍ من صَفاً وحَجون

Through you al-Rayy has become a Kaaba for the people,

though its corner lies far from Safa and Hajun.

ولولاكَ ما كانتْ تَغَصُّ عِراصُها

بخَيْلٍ لنُزّاعِ البلادِ صُفون

Were it not for you, its open squares would not be crowded

with the poised steeds of travelers from distant lands.

أَتَى غُرَمائي يومَ أَزمعْتُ رِحْلتي

وقد أَنظروني القومُ وانْتَظروني

My creditors came on the day I resolved upon my journey;

the men had granted me time and waited for me.

وقلتُ إلى المولَى المُعينِ تَوجُّهي

فطالَبني بالحَقِّ كُلُّ مُدين

I said, “My course is toward the lord Mu’in,”

so every creditor demanded his due from me.

وعَدُّوا رَجائيهِ غنىً فتَباشَروا

بذلكَ إلاّ أَنّهمْ لَزِموني

They reckoned my hope in him as wealth, and rejoiced

at that—yet they kept close to me.

مدَحْنا وفي أَجيادِنا وَسْمُ جُودِه

كما خَطبَتْ خَطْباءُ فوقَ غُصون

We praised him with the mark of his generosity upon our necks,

as orators discoursed from the branches.

كأنّا حَمامٌ حينَ لاقتْ نفوسَنا

جزَتْ صَوْغَ أَطواقٍ بصَوْغِ شُجون

We were like doves: when his gifts touched our souls,

they repaid the crafting of neck-rings with the crafting of plaintive songs.

ومَنْ لي لِما تُولي بشكرِ ابْنِ حُرّةٍ

بأدْنَى قضاءِ الحقِّ عنه قَمين

Who can give me, for what you bestow, a freeborn man’s thanks,

worthy of discharging even the least obligation for it?

وما لي سوى شكرٍ وإنْ كان قاصراً

بسالفٍ ما أَوْلَيْتَنيهِ رَهين

I have nothing but gratitude, though it is inadequate,

pledged to the favors you have bestowed before.

حياءً لأملاكِ الزّمانِ إذا همُ

رأو مَوْضعي في الفَضْلِ واطَّرحوني

Shame upon the kings of the age, when they

see my standing in merit and cast me aside!

فعَيبِيَ أَنْ لم يَعْرِفوني وعيْبُهمْ

إذا ضيّعَوني بعدَ أَنْ عَرَفوني

My fault is that they did not know me; theirs is

if they neglect me after knowing me.

دنا مِن مُناهُ مَنْ نأى عن ديارِه

إليكَ ونال المُبتغَى بيقين

Whoever travels far from his home draws near his desires

by coming to you, and surely attains what he seeks.

إذا بذَلَ الرَّاجي لك الوجْهَ صُنْتَهُ

وكنتَ له بالمالِ غيرَ ضَنين

When the hopeful petitioner offers you his face, you preserve it,

and are not grudging toward him with wealth.

لصَوْنكَ مبذولاً من الوجهِ طالما

بذلْتَ من الأموالْ كُلَّ مَصون

To preserve the face freely offered, how often

you have freely given every guarded treasure!

عزَزْتَ بفضْلِ المالِ لمّا أَهنْتهُ

وهان له مَن كان غيرَ مُهين

You gained might through wealth’s worth when you humbled it,

while for its sake, those who did not humble it grew low.

رجاؤكَ بعدَ اللهِ أَحْيا حُشاشتي

وقد غَلِقَتْ عند الحِمامِ رُهوني

Hope in you, after God, revived my last spark of life,

though my pledges lay forfeit in death’s hands.

ولو شِئْتُ أَيضاً رَدَّ شَعريَ حالكاً

وجلْدةَ وجهي غيرَ ذاتِ غُضون

And, had I wished, it would also have restored my hair to blackness,

and the skin of my face to freedom from wrinkles.