Sol 6

  1. أَحِنُّ إلى تلك الضُّحَى والأصائلِ

    وما مَرَّ في أيّامِهنَّ القلائلِ

    I long for those mornings and late afternoons

    And what passed in their few days.

  2. قَصُرنَ وكانتْ أوّلَ العُمْرِ لَذّةً

    كما قَصُرَتْ ذَرعاً كُعوبُ العَوامل

    They were brief, though a delight at life's beginning,

    As the young ones of working camels are short of reach.

  3. لَيالٍ كجِلْبابِ الشَّبابِ لَبسْتُها

    أُجَرِّرُ منها الذَّيْلَ تَجريرَ رافل

    Nights I wore like the cloak of youth,

    Trailing their hem as one richly robed.

  4. سَوالِفُ بيضٌ من زمان كأنّها

    سَوالفُ بيضٍ من حسانٍ عَقائل

    Bright bygone times, as though they were

    The white temples of noble beauties.

  5. وقد مُلِئَتْ من كُلِّ حِلْىٍ لناظرٍ

    فَيا حُسْنَها لو كُنَّ غيرَ زوائل

    They were filled with every adornment for the eye;

    How lovely they were, if only they did not pass away.

  6. فللّهِ أيّامٌ قِصارٌ تتَابَعَت

    فلمّا تقَضّتْ أعقَبتْ بأطاول

    What short days followed one another!

    When they ended, long days came after.

  7. كأنّ اللّيالي حاسبَتْنا فأرسلَتْ

    أواخرَ فاستَوفَتْ بقايا الأوائل

    As though the nights had reckoned with us and sent

    Later ones to exact the balance of the earlier ones.

  8. ألا فسقَى اللهُ الحِمَى وزمانَه

    مُجاجةَ أخْلافِ الغَوادي الحَوافل

    May God water the protected land and its time

    With the milk of the full udders of rain clouds.

  9. فكم صِدْتُ في تلكَ الدِّيارِ وصادَني

    على عِزِّ قَوْمي من غَزالٍ مُغازل

    How often I hunted in those dwellings, and was hunted,

    Despite my people's might, by a flirtatious gazelle.

  10. ومِنْ أحوَرِ العَينَيْنِ في القُرْب سائفٍ

    بألحاظِهِ سِحْراً وفي البُعْدِ نابل

    And by a dark-eyed one who, nearby, wielded a sword

    Of enchantment in his glances, and from afar shot arrows.

  11. يَصُدُّ دَلالاً ثُمَّ يأتْي خَيالُه

    فأكرِمْ به من قاطعٍ مُتَواصِل

    He turns away coyly; then his image comes to me.

    How fine a severer who keeps returning!

  12. أأسماءُ قد حالَ النّوى دونَ وَصلِكُمْ

    وما القلبُ عمّا قد عَهدْتُمْ بحائل

    O Asma, has distance come between me and your embrace?

    My heart has not turned from what you knew of it.

  13. فإنْ أغشَ قوماً بعدكُمْ مُتعَلِّلاً

    على أنّ حُبيّكمْ عنِ الخَلْقِ شاغلي

    If I visit other people after you to seek distraction,

    Your love still keeps me from all others.

  14. ففي ناظري منكْم مِثالٌ وإنّما

    أرَى وَجْهَه في عَيْنِ كُلِّ مُقابل

    I carry your likeness in my sight, and

    See its face in the eyes of everyone I meet.

  15. أقولُ وأنفاسُ الرّياحِ عَوائدي

    لِسُقْمٍ يُرَى في مُضْمَرِ القَلْبِ داخل

    I speak while the breaths of the winds visit me

    In an illness visible deep within my hidden heart.

  16. إذا اجْتمَعتْ نَفْسي وعَينُكِ والصَّبا

    تَنازعتِ الشّكْوى ثَلاثُ علائل

    When my soul, your eyes, and the east wind meet,

    Three sufferers vie to voice their complaint:

  17. مَريضانِ من حُزْنٍ وحُسْنٍ وثالثٌ

    على النّأْيِ يَسْعَى بَيْنَنا بالرَّسائل

    Two are sick with grief and beauty; the third

    Travels between us with messages despite the distance.

  18. وهل يَستعينُ المَرْءُ يومَ حفيظةٍ

    منَ الدَّهْرِ إلا بابْنِ جِنْسٍ مُشاكل

    When time brings a day of distress, does a person seek help

    From anyone but a kindred, fitting companion?

  19. فإنْ أكُ ودَّعتُ الغَداةَ غِوَايتي

    وأصبحَ سَيْفي وهْو في يَدِ صاقل

    Even if this morning I have bid my folly farewell

    And my sword now lies in a polisher's hand,

  20. فكم ليلةٍ جادَتْ علَيَّ فأَبدعَتْ

    بإدْناءِ بَدْرٍ من يَدِ المُتَناول

    How many nights gave generously to me, bringing

    A full moon near enough for my hand to reach.

  21. يُجاوِرُ منه الثّغْرَ خَطُّ عِذارِه

    كما لاح حَولَ الشُّهْدِ تَدخينُ عاسل

    Beside that one's smiling mouth runs the line of cheek down,

    As a beekeeper's smoke appears around honey.

  22. وطافَ بِراحٍ للنّدامَى فلم يَزَلْ

    تَهاداهُ راحٌ من خَضيبٍ وناصل

    He passed wine among the companions, and still

    A hand with dyed fingers and one without passed it on.

  23. فلمّا تَخالَيْنا تَعاطَتْ شِفاهُنا

    كُؤوساً أُجلَّتْ عن تَعاطي الأنامل

    When we were alone, our lips exchanged

    Cups too exalted for fingers to pass.

  24. مُعارٌ منَ العَيشِ اقْتَضاني مُعيرُه

    على عَجَلٍ والدَّهْرُ شَرُّ مُعامل

    It was borrowed time in life; its lender demanded it back

    In haste, and time is the worst of dealers.

  25. نَزلْتُ على حُكْمِ الزَّمانِ ورَيْبِه

    وينزِلُ طَوعَ الحُكْمِ مَن لم يُنازل

    I submitted to time's decree and its uncertainties;

    One who does not fight must submit to the decree.

  26. وخَلّفْتُ في أرضي فؤاديَ ضِلّةً

    فأصبَحْتُ منها راحلاً غيرَ راحِل

    I left my heart behind in my land, astray,

    And departed from it while remaining there.

  27. وقَوماً على نَأيِ الدّيارِ أعِزَّةً

    أتَى دُونهَمْ بُعدُ المَدى المُتَطاول

    I left dear people in distant homes,

    With the long reach of distance standing between us.

  28. إذا قُلتُ هذا مَوْعِدٌ من لقائِهمْ

    تَمادَى به صَرْفُ الزَّمان المُماطل

    Whenever I say the time to meet them has come,

    Procrastinating fate stretches the wait.

  29. ومن حُرَقي يا صاحِ أنّيَ ناهلٌ

    ولا أرتَضي للوِرْدِ كُلَّ المَناهل

    One of my burning sorrows, friend, is that I am thirsty,

    Yet I will not drink from every watering place.

  30. أُلاحِظُ أحوالَ الأنامِ بمُقْلةٍ

    تَغُضُّ جُفونَ العارِفِ المُتَجاهل

    I watch people's affairs with an eye

    Whose lids lower like those of one who knows but feigns ignorance.

  31. ولمّا رأَيتُ العِزَّ عَزَّ مرَامُه

    مِنَ البُعْدِ إلاّ بالمَطِيِّ الذَّوامل

    When I saw that honor was hard to seek

    From afar except on tireless mounts,

  32. زَجَرتُ إليه اليَعْمَلاتِ فَخوَّدَتْ

    بصَحْبيَ أمثالَ النَّعامِ الجَوافل

    I urged the strong camels toward it, and they sped

    With my companions like startled ostriches.

  33. وجاءتْ بنا أعلامَ جَيٍّ فلم أزَلْ

    بها ذاكراً عَهْدَ الخليطِ المُزايل

    They brought us to the landmarks of Jayy; there I kept

    Remembering the time of companions now departed.

  34. أُقلِّبُ طَرْفي يَمنةً ثُمَّ يَسْرةً

    على إثْرِ أحوالِ الزّمانِ الحوائل

    I turn my gaze right and then left,

    Following the changing fortunes of time.

  35. وقالوا حِصارٌ قد أظَلَّ وعنْدَه

    يُخافُ عنِ السُّبْل انْقِطاعُ السَّوابل

    They said, 'A siege is drawing near, and with it

    We fear the roads will be cut off from travelers.'

  36. فقلتُ وأنْضاءُ الرِّكابِ مُناخَةٌ

    وقد طَرقَتْ إحدَى الخُطوبِ الجلائل

    I said, while the worn camels knelt

    And a grave calamity had arrived:

  37. خَليليَّ حُلاّ العُقْلَ للعيسِ وارْحَلا

    فما أصفهانُ اليومَ مَثوىً لِعاقِل

    'My two friends, untie the camels' tethers and depart;

    Isfahan today is no abode for a sensible man.

  38. وما الرَّأْيُ إلاّ قَصْدُنا الرَّيَّ دُونَها

    فَعُوجا إليها من صُدورِ الرَّواحِل

    The sound course is to make for Rayy before that happens;

    Turn your mounts toward it.

  39. نَزُرْ مِن مُعينِ الدّينِ مَولىً يُعينُنا

    على الدَّهرِ إن راعَ الفَتى بالنَّوازل

    Let us visit in Mu'in al-Din a patron who will help us

    Against time when it alarms a man with misfortunes.

  40. ففي ظِلِّهِ أمْنُ المَروعِ وسَلْوَةُ ال

    جَزوعِ وإفْضالٌ على كُلِّ فاضل

    In his shade the frightened find safety, and the

    Distraught find comfort, while every worthy person finds favor.

  41. فتىً عَمّ أهْلَ الشّرقِ والغَرْبِ جُودُه

    فما منْهُ خَلْقٌ غَيرُ نائِلِ نائل

    He is a man whose generosity reaches east and west;

    No creature leaves him without receiving a gift.

  42. بَقيّةُ أمجادِ الأنامِ وأنجُمِ ال

    كِرامِ وأفْرادِ المُلوكِ الأماثل

    He is a remnant of humanity's glories and the stars of the

    Noble, and of the finest kings.

  43. سَرَيْنا إليه والبلادُ مُضِلّةٌ

    نُطوِّفُ منها في الفيافي المَجاهل

    We traveled by night toward him through misleading country,

    Wandering across unknown wastes.

  44. فما زال يَهْدِينا إليهِ مَعَ النَّوى

    إلى أنْ بلَغْناهُ سَناءُ القَوافل

    Even across the distance, the caravans' radiance

    Kept guiding us until we reached him.

  45. ونحنُ على بُزْلٍ مُخدَّمةِ الشَّوى

    يُطرِّبُها وَهْناً غِناءُ الجَلاجل

    We rode mature camels with hardened legs;

    At night the music of their bells delighted them.

  46. مُقلَّدةً منها الهوادي إذا سَرَتْ

    قَدَحْنَ الحصَى واللّيلُ مُلقَى الكَلاكل

    Their leaders wore bells as they traveled;

    Their hooves struck sparks from stones beneath the heavy night.

  47. فأعناقُها قامَتْ مَقامَ حُداتِها

    وأخفافُها نابَتْ مَنابَ المَشاعل

    Their necks served in place of their drivers,

    And their padded feet in place of torches.

  48. وقد عَجِبَتْ خُوصُ الرِّكابِ أنِ انْتَهتْ

    إليكَ فقد ضَجّتْ لبُعْدِ المَراحل

    The lean riding camels marveled that they had reached

    You, after crying out at the long stages.

  49. فما كَرَعَتْ في غَيرِ مَاءٍ أَساحَهُ

    نَداكَ لها في كُلِّ أغبَرَ ماحل

    They drank only water that

    Your generosity made flow for them through every dusty, barren place.

  50. ولا رَتَعَتْ إلاّ معَ الأَمْنِ في الفَلا

    بأكنافِ ما أَنشأْتَه مِن خَمائل

    And they grazed safely in the open country

    Beside the groves you had brought forth.

  51. لقد ملأَتْ آثارُكَ الأرضَ كُلَّها

    فما مِن حُلاها جِيدُ أرضٍ بعاطل

    Your works have filled the whole earth;

    No land's neck lacks their adornment.

  52. وزادك إخراجُ المَظالمِ مِن تُقىً

    تَضاعُفَ جُودٍ بالعطايا الجَزائل

    Your pious removal of injustices has increased

    Your abundant giving of generous gifts.

  53. وما أُدِّيَتْ حَقَّ الأداء فَرائِضٌ

    إذا لَمْ يُقارِنْها الفتَى بِنَوافل

    Obligatory duties are not fully performed

    Unless a man joins them with voluntary good deeds.

  54. كَرُمْتَ فَكَمْ أَغنَيْتَ من طالبٍ غِنىً

    وَسائلَ رِفْدٍ لم يكُنْ ذا وَسائل

    You are generous: how many seekers of wealth have you enriched,

    And how many petitioners without any means!

  55. فآمَنْتَ حتّى عَزَّ وِجْدانُ خائفٍ

    وأَعطَيْتَ حتّى عَزَّ وِجْدانُ سائل

    You made safety so widespread that a fearful person is hard to find,

    And gave so much that a petitioner is hard to find.

  56. مَواهِبُ مَغْشِيِّ الرِّواقَيْنِ ماجِدٍ

    وإقْدامُ مَشْبوحِ الذِّراعَيْنِ باسل

    These are the gifts of a noble man whose two pavilions are thronged,

    And the courage of a brave man with broad arms.

  57. منَ القومِ لا تُعزَى إليهمْ أَكُفُّهمْ

    إذا لم تكُنْ مَبْسوطةً بالفَواضل

    His people do not acknowledge their hands as their own

    Unless they are extended with favors.

  58. إذا قبَض الأيمانُ منهمْ أعِنّةً

    غدا الفَضْلُ منهُمْ عندَها للشَّمائل

    When their right hands grasp reins,

    Generosity passes to their left hands.

  59. وما أحمدُ بنُ الفَضْلِ بالمُقْتِني سِوَى

    مَحامِدَ من أيّامهِ وفَضائل

    Ahmad ibn al-Fadl acquires nothing except

    Praise for his days and virtuous deeds.

  60. أخو عزَمات فاعِلٌ غَيْرُ قائِل

    إذا ذُمَّ يوماً قائلٌ غيرُ فاعل

    A man of resolve, he acts rather than talks

    When those who only talk are condemned.

  61. ندىً وردىً يُجْريهِما الدَّهرَ في الوَرى

    له سُودُ أقلامٍ وَبيضُ مَناصل

    Generosity and ruin he sends through the world at all times:

    His black pens and white sword blades bring them.

  62. أباً ماجِداً يأْوي الورَى منه عِزّةً

    إلى صاحبٍ حامي الحقيقةِ عادل

    He has a glorious forebear from whom people seek strength,

    And a just patron who protects what is right.

  63. حمَى الدِّينَ والدُّنيا لنا فَضْلُ جِدِّه

    وليس أخو جِدٍّ كآخَرَ هازل

    His forebear's earnest excellence guarded religion and worldly life for us;

    An earnest man is unlike one who idles.

  64. وأغضَى عنِ الجانينَ صَفْحاً لِحِلْمه

    وما عاقلُ الأقوامِ كالمُتَعاقل

    In his forbearance he closed his eyes to offenders and pardoned them;

    A truly wise man is unlike one who merely pretends.

  65. بَقيتَ لآفاقِ المكارمِ في الوَرى

    سَماءَ عُلاً فيها نُجومُ شَمائل

    May you remain for the horizons of human excellence

    A lofty sky filled with stars of noble qualities.

  66. وبُورِكْتَ من غَيْثٍ مدَى الدَّهْرِ ماطرٍ

    تَجودُ بما تَحْوِي وبالعِرْضِ باخل

    May you be blessed as rain that falls through all time:

    You give what you possess, while guarding your honor.

  67. أرَى رائدَ الآمالِ فيكَ مُبَشِّراً

    بأَمْرٍ إليه الدَّهْرُ كالمُتَطاول

    I see the scout of hopes in you bringing news

    Of a matter for which time seems to stretch expectantly.

  68. وما هو إلاّ عَزْمةً منك تُنْتَضَى

    لإعزازِ حَقٍّ أو لإذْلالِ باطل

    It is only a resolve of yours drawn like a sword

    To strengthen right or humble falsehood.

  69. ليَرْجِعَ عَدْلٌ يَشْمَلُ الخَلْقَ مِثْلَما

    هُمُ اليومَ في جَوْرٍ وحاشاكَ شامل

    May justice return and embrace all people, as

    Oppression now embraces them—far be it from you!

  70. إذا ما رعاكَ اللهُ فارْعَ عِبادَهُ

    وحُطْهُمْ يَحُطْكَ اللهُ من كُلِّ هائل

    If God protects you, then protect His servants;

    Shelter them, and God will shelter you from every terror.

  71. كَبُرْتَ عنِ الشّيْءِ الّذي يَكْبُرُ الورَى

    بهِ أبداً والنّاسُ شَتّى المَنازل

    You have risen above the thing by which people

    Forever seek greatness, though their ranks differ.

  72. ويَطْلُبُك الشُّغْلُ الّذي يَطلُبونَه

    فنَلْ منه فَخْراً ما سِواكَ بِنائل

    The work they seek now seeks you;

    Gain from it a glory no one else can attain.

  73. وقد عَلِمَ الأقوامُ صِدْقَ مَقالتي

    وما عالِمٌ في حَظِّه مِثْلَ جاهل

    People know that my words are true,

    And one who knows his fortune is unlike one who does not.

  74. أحلَّك سُلطانُ السَّلاطينِ رُتبةً

    يَضيقُ بها ذَرْعُ الحَسودِ المُساجل

    The sultan of sultans has placed you in a rank

    That strains the endurance of every rival and envious man.

  75. وجاءتْك منه خِلْعةٌ خُلِعَتْ لها

    قُلوبُ العدا من كُلِّ باغٍ مُناضل

    A robe of honor came to you from him, at which

    The hearts of hostile contenders fell away.

  76. كساك وبَيتُ اللهِ تَكسوه لم تَزَلْ

    على النّاسِ من عِزٍّ مُلوكُ القَبائل

    He clothed you, while you clothe the House of God; long have

    The kings of the tribes stood above people in honor.

  77. وما ذلك التَّشْريفُ والمَجدُ شامخٌ

    سوى مَخْفَرٍ في جَنْبِه مُتَضائل

    Yet that distinction, with your glory towering so high,

    Is but a small token beside it.

  78. ولكنّه للمُلْكِ والدّارُ غُربةٌ

    على صِدْقِ وُدٍّ منه إحدَى الدَّلائل

    But, for the ruler while he is away from home, it is

    One sign of his sincere affection.

  79. لِيَهْنِ الورَى أن قد وُقيتَ مِنَ الرَّدى

    وأنْ قد رمَى الدَّهرُ العِدا في المَقاتل

    Let people rejoice that you have been spared death

    And that time has cast your enemies into fatal blows.

  80. وليس يَضيرُ الخَلْقَ واللهُ ناقِدٌ

    إذا عاشَ عالٍ للوَرى فَقْدُ سافل

    The loss of a lowly man does not harm humanity, as God judges,

    If one of high worth lives for the people.

  81. تَهاوَى نُجومُ القَذْفِ في كُلِّ لَيلةٍ

    وتَلبَثُ أنوارُ البُدورِ الكَوامل

    Shooting stars fall every night,

    While the light of full moons endures.

  82. وما أنت في حالٍ منَ اللهِ خائباً

    لأنّكَ لا تَرضَى بتَخْييبِ آمِل

    You are never disappointed by God in any state,

    For you never consent to disappoint one who hopes in you.

  83. مُعينُك مَن أنت المُعينُ لدينه

    وكافيكَ في الدُّنْيا صُروفَ الغَوائل

    Your helper is the One whose religion you help;

    He suffices you against the world's turns of misfortune.

  84. ومَن كان عَوْناً للعبادِ وناصراً

    فليس له رَبُّ العِبادِ بخاذل

    Whoever helps and supports God's servants

    Will not be forsaken by the Lord of servants.