ولولا هناة والهناة معاذر — Alsharif Alradi

وَلَولا هَناةٌ وَالهَناةُ مَعاذِرٌ

لَطارَت بِرَحلي عَنكَ بَزلاءُ ضامِرُ

But for a small hindrance—and such hindrances are excuses—

a mature, lean she-camel would have flown from you with my saddle.

وَشَيَعتُ أَظعاناً كَأَنَّ زُهاءَها

بِجانِبِ ذي القَلّامِ نَخلٌ مَواقِرُ

And I would have escorted a caravan whose throng seemed

beside Dhu al-Qallam like palms heavy with fruit.

مُفارِقَ دارٍ طَأطَأَ الذُلُّ أَهلَها

وَما عِزُّ دارٍ لَيسَ فيها مَعاشِرُ

Leaving a dwelling whose people humiliation had bowed low:

what honor has a dwelling with no kinsfolk in it?

أَقَمتُ عَلى ما ساءَ أُذناً وَمُقلَةً

يُبَلِّغُني المَكروهَ سَمعٌ وَناظِرُ

I stayed amid what distressed both ear and eye;

hearing and sight bring me what I abhor.

أَبيتُ رَميضاً صالِياً حَرَّ زَفرَةٍ

لِلَيلِيَ مِن زَورِ المُلِمّاتِ سامِرُ

I spend the night scorched, burning in the heat of a sigh;

visiting calamities keep my night company.

أَرِقتُ وَلَم يَأرَق مَعي مَن رَجَوتُهُ

لِيَومي إِذا دارَت عَليَّ الدَوائِرُ

I lay sleepless, but the man I relied upon shared no vigil

for my day of need, when misfortunes turned against me.

أَقامَ عَلى دارِ القَطيعَةِ وَالقِلى

يُشاوِرُ فيما ساءَني وَيُؤامِرُ

He settled in the house of estrangement and hatred,

consulting and conspiring over what would harm me.

رَمانِيَ عَن قَوسِ العَدوِّ وَقالَ لي

أَمامَكَ إِنّي مِن وَرائِكَ ثائِرُ

He shot at me from the enemy's bow, then told me:

'Onward! Behind you I stand as your avenger.'

وَعِندي لَتَبديلِ الدِيارِ مُناخَةٌ

تُوَقِّعُ ما تُملي عَلَيَّ المَقادِرُ

I have a kneeling she-camel ready to change abodes,

recording what the fates dictate to me.

أَقولُ غَداً وَالشَرُّ أَقرَبُ مِن غَدٍ

أَبى الضَيمُ أَن يَبقى بِعُشِّكَ طائِرُ

I say, 'Tomorrow'—but evil is nearer than tomorrow.

Oppression refuses to let a bird remain in your nest.

فَما أَنتَ نَظّارٌ وَغَيرُكَ رائِحٌ

وَنِضوَكَ مَزمومٌ وَرَحلُكَ قاتِرُ

So why are you still waiting while someone else departs,

with your worn mount bridled and your saddle compact?

إِذا لَم يَكُن لي ناصِرٌ مِن عَشيرَتي

فَلي مِن يَدِ المَولى وَإِن ذَلَّ ناصِرُ

If no one from my clan comes to my aid,

an ally's hand still offers help, however lowly he is.

وَإِنّي وَإِن قَلّوا لِمُستَمسِكٌ بِهِم

وَقَد تُمسِكُ الساقَ المَهيضَ الجَبائِرُ

Even if they are few, I hold fast to them;

splints can hold together a fractured leg.

وَبَعضُ مَوالي المَرءِ يَغمِزُ عودَهُ

كَما غَمَزَ القِدحَ الخَليعُ المُقامِرُ

Yet some of a man's allies press upon his timber,

as a dissolute gambler presses a gaming arrow.

وَقَد كانَ مَولى الزِبرِقانِ هَراسَةً

لَها وَاِخِذٌ في الأَخمَصَينِ وَناقِرُ

Al-Zibriqan's ally was once a thorny plant,

with thorns pricking and piercing the hollows of the soles.

وَقَد أَكَلَ الجيرانُ قَيسَ بنَ عاصِمٍ

وَجارُ الأَيادِيِّ الحُذافِيِّ واقِرُ

Neighbors once devoured Qays ibn Asim,

while al-Iyadi al-Hudhafi's protected neighbor was secure.

وَقَد كانَ فيها لِلسُمَوأَلِ عُذرَةٌ

وَمَن رامَ عُذراً أَمكَنَتهُ المَعاذِرُ

Al-Samaw'al had an excuse in that affair;

whoever seeks an excuse finds excuses ready.

وَلَكِنَّهُ أَصغى لِما قالَ لائِمٌ

فَأوفى وَلَم يَحفِل بِما قالَ عاذِرُ

Yet he heeded what a reproacher said,

and kept faith, disregarding what an excuser said.

فَلا يَغرُرَنكَ اليَومَ ثَغرُ اِبنِ حُرَّةٍ

تَبَسَّمَ لِلأَعداءِ وَالصَدرُ واغِرُ

Let no freewoman's son's mouth deceive you today:

it smiles at enemies while his breast seethes with rancor.

شَكا الناسَ يَبكي قَلبُهُ وَلِسانُهُ

وَإِن كَتَمَت عَنكَ الدَموعَ النَواظِرُ

He complained of people, his heart and tongue weeping,

though his eyes concealed their tears from you.

تَواكَلَهُ الخُلّانُ حَتّى حُسامُهُ

وَأَعوانُهُ حَتّى الجَنانُ المُوازِرُ

His friends left him unaided—even his keen sword,

and his helpers—even the heart that supported him.

وَما كُنتَ إِلّا كَالمُوارِبِ نَفسَهُ

بَغى وَلَداً وَالعِرسُ جَدّاءُ عاقِرُ

You were only like a man deceiving himself:

he sought a child, though his wife was dry-breasted and barren.

وَهَل يَنفَعَنَّ الطارِقينَ عَلى الطَوى

إِذا غابَ جودُ المَرءِ وَالزادُ حاضِرُ

Can it benefit hungry visitors who come by night,

if a man's generosity is absent, though provisions are present?

يَفوزُ الفَتى بِالحَمدِ وَالمالُ ناقِصٌ

وَتَتبَعُ مَوفورَ الرِجالِ المَعائِرُ

A man wins praise while his wealth dwindles,

while reproaches pursue the well-provided among men.

وَلَو كُنتُ في فِهرٍ لَقامَ بِنُصرَتي

غُضوبٌ إِذا لَم يَغضَبِ الحَيُّ غائِرُ

Had I been among Fihr, there would have risen to defend me

a fiercely angry, zealous man, even when the clan felt no anger.

وَسَدَّدَ مِن دوني سِناناً كَأَنَّهُ

إِلى الطَعنِ نابٌ يُقلِسُ السُمَّ قاطِرُ

He would have leveled a spearhead in my defense, as though it were

a dripping fang spewing venom into the thrust.

إِذا ضافَتِ الحَيَّ الحَريدَ مُغيرَةٌ

أَدَرَّ عَليها لَقحَةَ الطَعنِ عامِرُ

When a raiding band visited the isolated clan,

Amir made the milch-camel of spear thrusts pour forth upon them.

كَلَيثِ الشَرى ما فاتَ حَدَّ نُيوبِهِ

مِنَ الطُعمِ يَوماً أَدرَكَتهُ الأَظافِرُ

Like a lion of al-Shara: whatever escaped the edge of its fangs

among its prey, its claws would catch one day.

وَيَأبى الفَتى وَالسَيفُ يَحطِمُ أَنفَهُ

وَفي الناسِ مَصبورٌ عَلى السَيفِ صابِرُ

A brave man refuses to yield, though the sword crushhes his nose;

among men is one held captive under the sword, yet steadfast.

وَلَو بِأَبي العَوّامِ كانَ مُناخُها

لَغامِرَ عَنها اللَوذَعِيُّ المُغامِرُ

Had their halting-place been with Abu al-Awwam,

the shrewd adventurer would have braved danger to defend them.

وَراحَت طِراباً لَم تُشَمِّس رِحالَها

وَلا نَغَرَت مِنها القُدورُ النَواغِرُ

They would have departed gladly, their saddles never exposed to the sun,

nor would their seething pots have boiled over.

سَوارِحَ لَم يَدفَع عَنِ الرَعيِ دافِعٌ

لَئيمٌ وَلَم يَنهَر عَنِ الماءِ زاجِرُ

Roaming at pasture, with no one driving them from grazing,

no base fellow, nor any scolder chasing them from water.

فَتَلتُم عَلى ضَلعاءَ مَنقوضَةِ القِوى

إِذا ما اِستَمَرَّت بِالرِجالِ المَرائِرُ

You twisted a crooked rope with unraveled strands,

when men's tightly twisted ropes grew firm.

سَهامُكُمُ في كُلِّ عارٍ سَديدَةٌ

وَسَهمُكُمُ في مَرشَقِ المَجدِ عائِرُ

Your arrows aim true at every disgrace,

but your arrow strays when glory is the target.

وَما كُنتُمُ لُجمَ الجَوامِحِ قَبلَها

فَتَثنونَني إِن أَعجَلَتني البَوادِرُ

You were not bridles for unruly steeds before this,

to turn me back if sudden impulses hurry me onward.

إِذا ما دُعوا لِليَومِ ذي الخَطبِ أَصفَحوا

صُدورَ الحَرابي أَرمَضَتها الهَواجِرُ

When summoned for a day of peril, they lay bare

the breasts of chameleons scorched by midday heat.

كَأَنَّ بُكوراً مِن نَطاةٍ وَخَيبَرٍ

لَها ناحِطٌ مِنهُم رَميضٌ وَناعِرُ

As though early fruit from Natah and Khaybar

had one of them groaning and scorched, and another bellowing.

وَما أَنا إِلّا أُكلَةٌ في رِحالِهِم

لَها الفَمُ إِلّا أَن يَقي اللَهُ فاغِرُ

I am nothing but a morsel among their baggage,

with a mouth gaping for it, unless God protects me.

وَلَولا أَبو العَوّامِ لَم يَملِكوا العُلى

عَلى الناسِ إِلّا أَن تَشِبَّ النَوائِرُ

But for Abu al-Awwam, they would never have gained supremacy

over others, save by kindling fires.

وَلَم يَرفَعوا بَينَ الغُوَيرِ وَحاجِرٍ

قِبابَهُمُ ما دامَ لِلبُدنِ ناحِرُ

Nor would they have raised, between al-Ghuwayr and Hajir,

their tents, so long as anyone slaughtered sacrificial camels.

أَرُدَّ عَلى قَومي فُضولَ تَغَمُّدي

وَإِنّي عَلى ما سَاءَ قَومي لَقادِرُ

I return to my people the bounty of my forbearance,

though I am quite capable of what would hurt them.

وَإِنّي لَأَستَأني حُلومَ عَشيرَتي

لِيَعدِلَ مُنآدٌ وَيَرجِعَ نافِرُ

I wait patiently for my clan's good sense,

so the crooked may straighten and the estranged return.

وَأَطلَسَ مَنّاني الكِذابَ وَقالَ لي

لِيَهنِكَ إِحدى اللَيلَتَينِ لَباكِرُ

A scant-bearded man gave me lying promises and told me:

'May you rejoice! One of the two nights will surely come early.'

يُناقِطُ فيها هِجرِسٌ وَهوَ نائِمٌ

وَجُرَّرَ فيها هِجرِسٌ وَهوَ فاتِرُ

In it, Hijris plays a jumping game, though he is asleep;

in it, Hijris was dragged along, though he was listless.

تَشَبَّهَ بِالمُجرينَ في حَلبَةِ النَدى

أَقِم وادِعاً يا عَمرُو إِنَّكَ عاثِرُ

He imitated the racers in the arena of generosity.

Stay at ease, Amr: you are stumbling.

وَأَهمَلَها مَرعِيَّةً في ضَمانِهِ

زَمانَ اِدَّعى نِسيانَها وَهوَ ذاكِرُ

He neglected it, though it was tended under his protection,

when he claimed to have forgotten it, though he remembered.

رَآها عَلى عِلّاتِها ظَهرَ صَعبَةٍ

تَحادَرُ مِن إِرقاصِها وَتُحاذِرُ

Despite its flaws, he saw it as the back of an unruly she-camel,

whose jolting sends you tumbling and makes you wary.

فَأَحجَمَ عَنها هائِباً نَزَواتِها

وَطارَ عَليها الشَحشَحانُ المُخاطِرُ

So he shrank from it, afraid of its leaps,

while the bold risk-taker flew onto it.

رَأى سَيفَهُ فيها فَعَضَّ بَنانَهُ

فَأَلّا أَبا الغَلّاقِ كُنتُ تُبادِرُ

He saw his sword in it and bit his fingertips.

Then why, Abu al-Ghallaq, were you not hastening?

يَكِشُّ كَشيشَ البَكرِ في الحَيَّ أُجلِيَت

عَليهِ بَرُمّانَ القُرومُ الخَواطِرُ

He growls like a young camel in the clan, when paraded

before him at Rumman were the swaggering stallions.

تَطاوَحَ وَالأَورادُ تَركَبُ عُنقَهُ

خَواطِرُ ما دونَ الرَدى وَكَواسِرُ

He reeled while tawny lions mounted his neck,

swaggering on this side of death, and mauling.

وَإِنّي مَليءٌ إِن بَقيتُ لِعُرضِكُم

بِشَوهِ المَجالي تَحتَهُنَّ النَواقِرُ

If I live, I am well able to assail your honor

with hideous-looking verses concealing piercing blows.

عُلالَةُ رُكبانِ الظَلامِ إِذا وَنوا

مِنَ السَيرِ مَرفوعٌ بِهِنَّ العَقائِرُ

A diversion for riders in the darkness when they grow weary

of traveling, with voices raised to recite them.

قَوارِعُ مَن تَخبِط يَعُد وَهوَ موضَحٌ

أَميمٌ وَمَن تُخطِىء يَبِت وَهوَ ساهِرُ

Striking blows: whoever they hit returns with his skull laid bare,

brain-wounded; whoever they miss spends the night awake.

بَواقٍ بِأَعراضِ الرِجالِ خُدوشُها

كَما رَقَصَت رَقَّ الأَبيلِ المَزائِرُ

Their scratches endure upon men's reputations,

as the monk's parchment was set dancing [agent unclear in the supplied text].

حَقيبَةُ شَرٍّ بِئسَ ما اِختارَ رَبُّها

إِذا نُفِضَت عِندَ الإِيابِ المَآزِرُ

A saddlebag of evil—wretched is what its owner chose—

when waist-wraps are shaken out upon returning.

نَلُمُّكُمُ وَاللَهُ يَصدَعُ شَعبَكُم

وَلا يَجبُرُ الأَقوامُ ما اللَهُ كاسِرُ

We gather you together, while God splits your union;

no people can mend what God is breaking.

أَحَنَّ إِلى قَومي كَما حَنَّ نازِعٌ

إِلى الماءِ قَد دانى لَهُ القَيدَ قاصِرُ

I yearn for my people as a straining camel yearns

for water, though its restrainer has drawn its hobble tight.

تَذَكَّرَ جَوناً بِالبِطاحِ تَلُفُّهُ

بِمُنتَضِدِ الدَوحِ الغَمامُ المُواطِرُ

It remembered dark water in the valley flats, enfolded

among clustered trees by clouds pouring rain.

وَجَنَّت عَلَيهِ لَيلَةٌ عَقرَبِيَّةٌ

لَها سائِلٌ في كُلِّ وادٍ وَقاطِرُ

A scorpion-like night closed over it,

with water flowing and rain dripping in every valley.

بِأَبطَحَ مِعشابٍ كَأَنَّ نِطافَهُ

دُموعُ العَذارى أَسلَمَتها المَحاجِرُ

In a grass-rich, pebbly watercourse, whose droplets seemed

the tears of maidens, released by their eye sockets.

يَبيتُ عَلى الماءِ الَّذي في ظِلالِهِ

كِنانَةُ وَالحَيّانِ كَعبٌ وَعامِرُ

It spends the night beside the water in whose shade dwell

Kinanah and the two clans, Ka'b and Amir.

لَهُم في كَفافِ الأَرضِ شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

عَماعِمُ يَبنونَ العُلى وَكَراكِرُ

Across the earth's reaches, east and west, they have

great throngs building high honor, and mighty hosts.

أَداروا رَحىً بِالأَعوَجِيّاتِ قَمحُها

صُدورُ المَواضي وَالرُؤوسُ النَوادِرُ

They turned a mill with A'waj-bred mares, its grain

the points of keen swords and heads flying off.

هُمُ نَشَطوني مَنشَطَ السِجلِ بَعدَما

تَطاوَحَهُ الجَولانُ وَالقَعرُ غايرُ

They hauled me up as one hauls a bucket, after

its swinging had tossed it about above a deep-sunken bottom.

وَمَدّوا يَدي مِن بَعدِ ما كانَ مَطرَحي

مِنَ الأَرضِ مَجروراً عَليهِ الجَرائِرُ

They stretched out my hand, after the place where I lay

on the ground had had wrongs dragged across it.

وُقوا شَرَّها وَاليَومُ مُستَوجِفُ الحَشا

لَهُ أَبجَلٌ مِن عائِذِ الطَعنِ فائِرُ

May they be shielded from its evil, while the day trembles in its entrails,

its great vein gushing from renewed spear thrusts.

وَما غَيرُ دارِ المَرءِ إِلّا مَذَلَّةٌ

وَلا غَيرُ قَومِ المَرءِ إِلّا فَواقِرُ

Any home but a man's own is humiliation;

any people but his own are back-breaking calamities.

وَأَخلَيتُ مِن قَلبي مَكاناً لِذِكرِهِم

وَقَد يُذكَرُ البادي وَتُنسى الحَواضِرُ

I cleared a place within my heart for their remembrance;

a desert-dweller may be remembered while towns are forgotten.