قسما لقد رجع النسيم عليلا — Alarjani

قسَماً لقد رجَعَ النَّسيمُ عليلاً

لمّا سرَى منّي إليكِ رَسولا

I swear, the breeze returned ailing

when it traveled by night from me to you as a messenger.

فأتَى لبَرْحِ هَواكِ وهْو مرَدِّدٌ

نفَساً يُسارِقُه الأنامَ طويلا

It came back, from the anguish of loving you, repeating

a long sigh it stole furtively past humankind.

ورأى لحُبّكِ أنّه قد خانَني

فمضَى يَجُرُّ منَ الحياء ذُيولا

It realized that, through loving you, it had betrayed me,

and went away dragging the skirts of shame.

مسَح الدُّموعَ عنِ الجفونِ مُغالطاً

لكنْ رأَيْنا جَيْبَهُ مَبْلولا

It wiped tears from its eyelids, trying to deceive,

but we saw that its bosom was wet.

أفبَعْدَ ما نَمّت به أنفاسُه

أبْغي على الغَدَراتِ منه دَليلا

After its breaths have betrayed its secret,

must I seek further evidence of its treacheries?

لو لم يَنَلْ من فَضْلِ صُدغك جَذْبةً

لم يُهْدِ نَشْرَكِ للرّياضِ أصيلا

Had it not caught a tug from your trailing temple-lock,

it would not have gifted the gardens your fragrance at evening.

أوَ كُلّما بعث المُحبُّ رِسالةً

رجَع الرّسولُ بنَفْسِه مَشْغولا

Is it whenever a lover sends a message

that the messenger returns preoccupied with himself?

سأعيشُ فرداً ما أُريدُ مُساعِداً

مِمّا أَرى أهْلَ الوفاء قليلا

I shall live alone; I want no helper,

seeing how few are the people of fidelity.

فلَوِ استطعتُ وما استطاعةُ مُغرَمٍ

لجعَلْتُ جَفْنَكِ بالسُّهادِ كَحيلا

If only I could—and what power has a lovesick man?—

I would line your eyelid with sleeplessness as with kohl.

ومنَعْتُ طَيْفي أن يَزورَكِ خِيفةً

من أن يَخونَ كَغيْرِه ويَحولا

I would forbid my phantom to visit you, fearing

that it would betray me like the others and change.

بل لو أذِنْتِ وقد بقيتُ منَ الضَّنى

شبَحاً لكنتُ من الخيالِ بديلا

No, if you permitted—and wasting illness has left me

a specter—I would take the dream-image's place.

ولَجُزْتُ ساحةَ حيِّكمْ فطرقتُكمْ

مزُوراً ولم تَرَني العيونُ نُحولا

I would cross your quarter's open ground and visit you by night

as a visitor, unseen by eyes through my thinness.

عجباً عجِبْتُ من النّسيم إذا سرَى

واللّيلُ قد أرخَى عليه سُدولا

How I marveled at the breeze as it traveled by night,

with night having lowered its curtains over it!

مَغْبوقُ كأسِ هوىً أتاني عاثراً

في ذَيْلهِ سُكراً يَميلُ مَميلا

Given an evening draught from love's cup, it came stumbling

over its hem, drunkenly swaying to and fro.

يَشكو إليَّ من الهوَى ما نالَه

وأبَى غَريقٌ أن يُغيثَ بلييلا

It complained to me of what love had inflicted upon it,

but a drowning man refused to rescue one merely drenched.

أصَباً تُسمَّى الآنَ أم صَبّاً فقد

شَملَ السّقامُ لنا الجسومَ شُمولا

Are you now called Ṣabā, the east breeze, or ṣabb, a lovesick lover? For

illness has encompassed our bodies completely.

لئن سَقُمْتُ لمَا صَبوْتُ إليهمُ

إلاّ وجَدْتُ على البعادِ سَبيلا

Though I am ill, I have never yearned toward them

without finding a way, despite the distance.

فارحَمْ فتىً أحبابهُ في قلبه

وإلى وصالٍ لا يُطيقُ وُصولا

Have mercy, then, on a youth whose beloveds dwell in his heart,

yet who cannot attain reunion.

أأحِبَّتي والعَيشُ مُذْ فارقْتُكمْ

قد حال عن عَهْدِ الصّفاء حُؤولا

O my beloveds, since I parted from you, life

has utterly changed from its former serenity.

كانت غَمامةُ شَمْلِنا مَجْنوبةً

زمَناً فعادَ سَحابُه مَشْمولا

The cloud of our union was borne by the south wind

for a time; then its clouds became northwind-driven.

وأضافَنا الدَّهْرُ البخيلُ بقُربِكمْ

فرأى قليلَ ثَوائنا مَمْلولا

Stingy time made us guests in your proximity,

then found even our brief stay wearisome.

لا أَدَّعي جَوْرَ الزّمانِ ولا أَرى

لَيْلي يَزيدُ على اللّيالي طُولا

I do not allege time's injustice, nor do I think

my night exceeds other nights in length.

لكنّ مِرآةَ الصّباح تَنفُّسي

لِلهمِّ أصدأَ وَجْهَها المَصْقولا

But my sighing at the mirror of morning

has rusted its polished face with sorrow,

حتّى اكتحَلْتُ بنُورِ غرّةِ قادمِ

عَزَمتْ به عنّي الهمومُ رحيلا

until I lined my eyes with the light of an arriving one's radiant brow,

through whom my sorrows resolved to depart from me.

رُكْنٌ لدينِ اللهِ يأبَى عِزُّه

أن يستطيعَ له العِدا تَزْييلا

A pillar of God's religion, whose might refuses

to let his enemies dislodge him.

سائلْ مَعاهِدَ أصفهانَ أما اسْتفَتْ

ولقد رأتْ باليُمْنِ منه قُفولا

Ask the dwellings of Isfahan—did they not [unclear verb in the supplied text]?

They have indeed witnessed his auspicious return.

كاللّيثِ فارقَ لاقْتناصٍ غِيلَهُ

ثمّ انثنَى جَذِلاً يَحُلُّ الغِيلا

Like a lion that left its thicket to hunt,

then turned back joyfully to inhabit the thicket.

ظُفْرٌ له ظَفَرٌ ونابٌ ما نَبا

حتّى أعادَ عَدُوَّه مَأكولا

His claw brought victory, and his fang never recoiled

until he made his enemy devoured prey.

تاللهِ لو قَدرتْ غداةَ قُدومِه

طَرباً تلَقّتْه المَنابِرُ مِيلا

By God, had they been able, on the morning of his arrival,

the pulpits would have leaned toward him in joyous welcome.

وغداً ستُورِقُ تَحته أعوادُها

حتّى تُظَلِّلَ صَحْبَه تَظْليلا

Tomorrow their timbers will put forth leaves beneath him,

until they thoroughly shade his companions.

فرَشوا بديباجِ الخُدودِ طَريقَه

حُبّاً غدا لِمَصونِهنَّ مُذِيلا

They carpeted his path with the brocade of their cheeks,

out of love that made their guarded beauty freely offered.

ولوِ استُطيعَ لكان سَرْجُ حِصانِه

عِزّاً على حَدَقِ الورَى مَحْمولا

Had it been possible, his stallion's saddle would have been

borne upon people's very eyes in honor.

يَومٌ كأنّ اللهَ بَثَّ جُنودَه

للحَقِّ فيه منَ الضَّلالِ مُديلا

A day on which God seemed to have dispatched His hosts

to grant truth victory over error.

وتَملَّك الإعظامُ أَلسنةَ الورى

فسَماعُك التّكبيرَ والتَّهْليلا

Reverence took possession of people's tongues,

so you heard 'God is greatest' and 'There is no god but God.'

والشّمسُ من خَلَلِ الغمامِ تُري الورى

طَرْفاً وقد جَنح الأصيلُ كليلا

The sun, through gaps in the clouds, showed the people

a weary eye, with late afternoon already declining,

كمَطارِ دينارٍ نفَتْه أكُفُّهِمْ

صُعُداً فحَلّق ثُمّ جَدَّ نُزولا

like the flight of a dinar their palms had tossed

upward: it soared, then swiftly descended,

من بَعضِ ما نثَرتْ له أيدي الورى

حتّى حَكَى غَيْثاً عليهِ هَمولا

one of the things people's hands scattered for him,

until they resembled rain pouring down upon him.

حتّى لكادَتْ أن تُجِدَّ خِلالَها

شمسُ المغاربِ في الأكُفُ أُفولا

Until, amid them, there almost occurred anew

the western sun's setting in their palms.

وبدا الإمامُ ابنُ الإمامِ مُبوِّئاً

ظِلاًّ بنَتْه المُقرْبَاتُ ظليلا

The imam, son of the imam, appeared, making his abode in

a deep shade raised by the noble steeds.

عَقَدَ الجلالُ عليه تاجَ كرامةٍ

للمُلْكِ كَلّلَه به تَكْليلا

Majesty bound upon him a crown of honor

for kingship, fully crowning him with it.

تُركيُّ تاجٍ قد تَغرَّبَ للعُلا

فغدا على العَربِيِّ منه نَزيلا

A Turkish crown traveled abroad in pursuit of glory,

becoming a guest upon an Arab head.

لثَم العِمامةَ مُقتنِعاً به

فَخْراً وبَجّل رأسَه تَبْجيلا

It kissed the turban, content in him

as its pride, and greatly honored his head.

وكأنّما قد كانَ أَقسَم جاهداً

قسَماً فجاء كطالبٍ تَقْبيلا

It was as though it had earnestly sworn

an oath, then came like one seeking a kiss,

لِترَى ولو يَوماً عُيونُ النّاس مِن

قَمرِ العلاء نُزولَه الإكليلا

so that people's eyes might see, if only for a day,

the moon of glory alight within the diadem.

فلْيَهْنِ ذا التّاجَيْنِ أنّ جَمالَه

لَهُما أفادا وَجْهَه التّجْميلا

Let the bearer of two crowns rejoice that his beauty

belongs to both; both have lent his face adornment.

وأُعيرَ مَنْكِبُه قَباءً فابْتَنى

مَجْداً لأتراكِ الزّمانِ أثيلا

A robe was lent to his shoulder, and he established

deep-rooted glory for the Turks of his age.

كالغِمدِ رُدَّ على حُسامٍ صارمٍ

ما زال مَتْنُ العِرْضِ منه صقيلا

Like a sheath returned over a cutting sword,

the surface of whose honor has always remained polished.

رُكْنٌ طُوالَ الدَّهْرِ كان مَصونُه

لِلّثْمِ لا عن ذِلّةٍ مَبْذولا

A pillar whose guarded person, throughout time,

has been offered for kisses, never from humiliation.

والبِيضُ مُغمدَةً ومُصلَتةً معاً

مَثُلَتْ له حَولَ الرِّكابِ مُثولا

The bright swords, sheathed and drawn alike,

stood before him around the stirrups.

وكأنّما الرُّمْحانِ لمّا ذَيَّلا

بُردَيْهما من خَلْفِه تَذْييلا

It was as though the two lances, when they trailed

the skirts of their two mantles behind him,

غُصْنا عَلاءٍ مُزْهِرٍ طَرفَاهُما

ظَمِئا فقاما يَشْكُوانِ ذُبولا

were two branches of glory with flowering tips,

thirsty, standing to complain of wilting.

فكَسا ورُودُهما اخْضِراراً أنّه

صَحِبا غَماماً من نَداهُ هَطولا

Their arrival clothed them in green: the reason was

that they accompanied a cloud pouring freely from his bounty.

وتَجشّمَتْ هُوجُ الرّياح عَواصِفاً

من بَعْدِ ما قِيدَتْ إليه خُيولا

The wild winds labored as storm-blasts,

after being led to him as horses:

من كُلِّ أَشهبَ ساطعٍ أنوارُه

كالصُّبْحِ إلاّ ناظِراً مَكْحولا

each a gray steed whose radiance shone

like morning, except for a kohl-darkened eye;

أو كُلِّ أدْهَمَ حالكٍ جِلْبابُه

كاللّيْلِ إلاّ غُرّةً وحُجولا

or a black steed whose covering was pitch-dark

like night, except for a white blaze and white stockings.

لمّا امتطاهُ طارَ نَسْرُ سَمائه

يَبْغي له تحتَ النُّسورِ مَقيلا

When he mounted it, the eagle of his heaven soared,

seeking for him a resting place beneath the eagles.

أقسَمْتُ ما لُوِيَ الحديد به ولا

جَعلوا لرِجْلِ جَوادِه تَنْعيلا

I swear, no iron was bent upon it, nor

did they fit a shoe to his steed's foot.

لكنّما ذاك الهلالُ وقد سَما

يُهْدي لحافرِ طِرْفِه تَقْبيلا

No, that was the crescent moon, risen high,

offering a kiss to the hoof of his noble steed.

للهِ يَومُ مَسَرّةٍ طَردَ الأسَى

وأنال كُلَّ فؤادِ حُرٍّ سُولا

God be praised for a joyful day that banished sorrow

and granted every freeborn heart its wish!

خلَعوا على البُشَراء ما لَبِسَ الورَى

حتّى النّهارُ مُلاءهُ المَسْدولا

They bestowed on the bearers of good news all that people wore—

even the day gave its trailing mantle.

كُلٌّ أراد خُروجَه من لُبْسِه

لمّا رأى بالسّعْدِ منه دُخولا

Everyone wished to come out of his clothing

when he saw him enter auspiciously.

وحكى شَقيقُ الرَّوضِ لابسَ أحمَرٍ

قد قامَ للأذْيالِ منه مُشيلا

The garden's anemone resembled a wearer of red

who stood lifting the hems of his robe.

فكأنّه لمّا أتاهُ مُبَشِّرٌ

والشّوقُ أبقَى الجِسمَ منه نَحيلا

It was as though, when a bearer of good news reached it,

while longing had left its body thin,

ألقَى العِمامةَ واشْتَهى لقميصِه

خَلْعاً ولم يكُ زِرُّه مَحْلولا

it cast off its turban and wished to remove

its shirt, though its button was not undone.

رُتَبٌ بها زيدَتْ عُلاك نَباهةً

من غيرِ أن كنتَ اشتكَيْتَ خُمولا

Ranks through which your eminence gained further renown,

though you had never complained of obscurity.

ولكَمْ مَواقِفَ للعُلا مَشْهورةٍ

قد فُصّلِتْ آياتُها تَفْصيلا

How many renowned stands you have made for glory,

whose signs have been fully set forth!

ناصَيْتَ فيها السّابقينَ إلى العُلا

وملأْتَ حَدَّ اللاحقِينَ فُلولا

In them you matched the foremost in pursuit of glory,

and filled the followers' edges with notches.

وأرى القَواعدَ للهُدَى وأُمورَه

والدّهرُ يتْبَعُ بالفروعِ أُصولا

I see the foundations of guidance and its affairs—

while time makes branches follow roots—

عادتْ بإسماعيلَ سُنّةُ رَفْعِها

نَسَقاً كما بَدأَتْ بإسْماعيلا

their raising's tradition renewed through Ismail,

in due succession, as it began with Ismail.

إن لم تكنْ فيها رَسولاً مِثلَه

فَكفِعْلِه لأبيكَ كنتَ رسولا

If you are not a messenger in this, as he was,

you were, like him, your father's emissary.

كُلٌّ قَسيمُ أَبيهِ في تَشْيِيدِه

وتَرى الأمورَ إذا نظَرْتَ شُكولا

Each shared with his father in its construction;

when you look, you see affairs resembling one another.

شَيّدْتُما المَعْنَى كما قد شَيّدَ ال

مَبْنَى وبالأُخرى ذَكرْنا الأُولى

You two built the substance, as he once built the

structure; through the latter we recalled the former.

يا ابنَ الّذي آتاكَ زُهْرَ خِلالِه

رَبُّ السَّما ثُمَّ اصطفاهُ خَليلا

O son of him whose shining virtues were bestowed on you by

the Lord of heaven, who then chose him as His intimate friend:

فكفاكَ فَخْراً أن تُسَمِّيَه أباً

وكفاهُ فَخْراً أن تُعَدَّ سَليلا

enough glory for you that you call him father,

and enough glory for him that you are counted his offspring.

ولقد نشَرْتَ العلمَ نَشْراً في الوَرى

في الأرضِ حتّى لم تُخَلِّ جَهُولا

You have indeed spread knowledge far among people

throughout the earth, until you left no one ignorant.

فَبقِيتَ للإسلام يا شَرفاً له

حتّى تكونَ لنَقْصِهمْ تَكْميلا

May you remain for Islam, O honor to it,

until you make up for their deficiencies.

تَسْبي شَمائلُك الرِّقاقُ عقولَنا

ومنَ الشّمائلِ ما يُخالُ شَمولا

Your gentle qualities captivate our minds,

and some qualities might be mistaken for wine.

يا ابْنَ الكرامِ وطالما انتصحَ الورَى

في حادثٍ مَن كان أقومَ قِيلا

O son of the noble, how often have people taken counsel

in a crisis from the one most upright in speech!

أَمُعيرُ قَولي أنت سَمْعَك ساعةً

كَرماً فاذكُرْ إن رأَيْتَ فُضولا

Will you lend my words your ear for a little while,

out of generosity? Remember it, if you find me intrusive.

والنُّصْحُ قُرْطٌ ربّما يَجِدُ الفتَى

في السّمْعِ مَحْمَلَه البَهِيَّ ثَقيلا

Advice is an earring that a young man may find

heavy in his ear, for all its beautiful setting.

وسِواكَ منهمْ إن عَنَيتُ بِمْقولي

فعلَى استِماعِك أجعَلُ التَّعْويلا

And if by my words I mean another among them,

it is upon your listening that I place my reliance.

وإذا نظَرْتَ وأنت عارِفُ عِلّةٍ

لم تَعْيَ عن أن تَعرِفَ المَعلولا

When you look, knowing the cause,

you will not fail to recognize the effect.

ما للفريقَيْنِ اسْتجازا فُرْقةً

من بَعْدِ حَبْلٍ لم يَزلْ مَوْصولا

Why did the two groups deem division permissible

after a bond that had always remained joined?

كانا معاً في وَجْهِ دينِ مُحمّدٍ

والدّهرُ يُصبِحُ للعُهودِ مُحيلا

Together they were upon the face of Muhammad's religion,

while time keeps overturning covenants,

كالمُقلتَيْنِ مع السّلامةِ لا تَرى ال

يُمنَى على اليُسرَى لها تَفْضيلا

like two eyes when sound: you do not see the

right enjoying any superiority over the left.

فسعَى وُشاةٌ لا سَعوْا ما بينَهمْ

بالبَغْيِ حتّى بدَّلوا تَبْديلا

Then slanderers—may their efforts fail—worked between them

with malice, until they utterly changed things.

أتُهادِنُ الأعداءَ تَطلُبُ سِلْمَهُمْ

خَطْباً لعَمرُك لو عَلِمتَ جليلا

Would you make truces with enemies, seeking their peace—

a grave matter, by your life, if you knew?

عجَباً وأنصارُ الهُدَى قد أصبَحوا

كُلٌّ لِكلٍّ مُوسِعٌ تَخْذيلا

How strange, when the defenders of guidance have become

each lavishing discouragement upon the other!

والدَّهرُ فيه ولا دَهَتْك عَجائبٌ

تتَضمَّنُ المَحْذورَ والمَأْمولا

Time has wonders—may they never assail you—

containing what is feared and what is hoped for.

هي فُرصةٌ لك من زمانِك أَعرضَتْ

فانْهَضْ قَؤولاً للجميلِ فَعولا

This is an opportunity your age has presented to you:

rise, eloquent in speaking good and vigorous in doing it.

وأعِدْ نظامَ الجانبَيْنِ كما بَدا

يَغْشَ الجميعُ جَنابَك المأْهولا

Restore the order of the two sides as it first appeared;

all will throng your well-peopled court.

وإذا هجَمْتَ بجَمْعِهمْ كي يُصبِحوا

سَيْفاً على هامِ العِدا مَسلولا

When you advance with them united, so that they become

a sword unsheathed against the enemies' heads,

فاسأَلْ بذاك مُحمّداً في قَبرِه

فكفَى به عن دينِه مَسْؤولا

ask Muhammad about that in his grave:

he suffices as the one to consult about his religion.

يُخْبِرْك أنّك قد أقرَّ بعَيْنِه

ما قد عزَمتَ ويَسألُ التّعْجيلا

He will tell you that you have brought joy to his eye

by what you have resolved, and he will ask you to hasten.

تأليفُ ما بَيْنَ القلوبِ لمثْلِهمْ

من بعدِ أن يَعِدَ الهوانُ جَزيلا

Reconciling the hearts of men like them,

after humiliation has threatened to be grievous,

فخْرٌ إذا أضحَى لعَصْرِك غُرّةً

كان المَفاخِرُ كُلُّها تَحْجيلا

is a glory; if it becomes your age's white forehead-blaze,

all other glories will be its white stockings.

ولأنتَ أهدَى في الأمور إلى الّتي

تُرضي ولستَ على العُلا مَدْلولا

You are better guided in affairs toward the course

that pleases, and need no guide toward glory.

يا مَن يَعُدُّ اللهَ عُدّةَ نفْسِه

فإليه يَجعلُ أمْرَه مَوْكولا

O you who count God as your own resource,

and therefore entrust your affair to Him:

لا زلتَ منه في ظلالِ عنايةٍ

حتّى تكونَ بما تشاءُ كَفيلا

may you never leave the shelter of His care,

until you can ensure all that you desire.

وإليك من كَلِمي الحسانِ بدائعاً

كالدُّرِّ فُصِّلَ نَظْمُه تَفْصيلا

Here for you are marvels from my beautiful words,

like pearls whose stringing has been carefully arranged.

ستَرى طَوافي حَولَ بَيتِك دائماً

إن كان حَجُّ مدائحي مَقْبولا

You will always see me circling your house,

if the pilgrimage of my praises is accepted.