أيا دمع إن لم ينجد الصبر أنجد

ويا شوق ألحق غائرين بمنجد

O tears, if patience gives no aid, come to my aid.

And O longing, join the lowland travelers to an upland traveler.

ويا حاديي أظعانها إن نويتما

نوى فقفا لي وقفة المتردد

And O you two drivers of her caravan, if you intend

departure, then pause for me as one who hesitates.

فلي مهجة لم تنبتر وتكاد أن

ولي نَفَس لم ينقطع وكأن قدِ

For my life has not been cut short, though it is about to be;

and my breath has not ceased, though it seems it already has.

وزوراء من كافي الكفاة على النوى

وضعت لها يمناي في فم أسود

And a sinister missive from Kafi al-Kufat, despite the distance—

for it I put my right hand into a black serpent's mouth.

وعيد كصنع النار في يابس الغضى

شددت على الأحشاء من خوفه يدي

A threat like fire's work in dry ghada wood:

I pressed my hand against my entrails in fear of it.

وظلت بصبح اليوم منه مهابة

وبت له رعباً بليلة أنقَد

I spent the morning of that day in dread of it,

and, terrified by it, passed a night like Anqad the hedgehog's.

أرى كل ممدود عليّ حبالة

وكلَّ خيال قاعداً لي بمرصد

I see every outstretched thing as a snare against me,

and every phantom sitting in ambush for me.

واحسب زِرّي قابضاً بمخنقي

ومحمل سيفي آخذاً بمقلدي

I imagine my button clutching my throat,

and my sword's baldric seizing my neck.

أحُول حذار الظل رعباً وأحتمي

من الماء إلا أن يرنّق مَوردي

I turn aside, terrified of the shadow, and shield myself

from water, unless my watering place is muddied.

وأتّهم الظلماء أن لا تُجنَّني

وأمقُت ضوء البدر خيفة مهتدٍ

And I suspect the darkness will not conceal me,

and loathe the full moon's light, fearing someone might find me.

وأشرَق بالماء القراح على الصدى

وذاك لِما خُبرتُ أنك مُوعدي

I choke on pure water despite my thirst,

and that is because I was told that you threaten me.

أحاذر كيداً منك طلاب أنجم

وأرقب رأياً منك طلاع أنجد

I dread a scheme of yours that hunts the stars,

and watch for a plan of yours that scales the highlands.

وكنت امرأً لا يأتلي الخير فاعلاً

ومهما تعد بالشر تحصد وتخضد

You have been a man who never stints in doing good,

and whenever you threaten evil, you reap and lop.

أكافي الكُفاة استبقِ مني ومن دمي

حُشاشة مجد في البلاد مشرَّدِ

O Kafi al-Kufat, preserve, from me and my blood,

the last spark of a glory exiled throughout the lands.

أفي موجب الفضل الذي أنت أهله

توعّد مثلي أم قضية سودد

Does the generosity you are worthy of require

that you threaten one like me, or does nobility decree it?

أبعد مقاماتي لديك وهجرتي

إليك وإنفاقي طريفي ومُتلَدي

Is this after my stays with you and my migration

to you, and my spending of newly gained and inherited wealth,

وجوَّابةٍ للأفق فيك طردتها

غدت بين منثور وبين مقصَّد

and many a horizon-roaming composition in your praise that I sent forth,

which took the form of prose and measured verse?

وقفتُ بها استطلع الرأي منشداً

وقلت وأعلى اللّه قولَك جوِّدِ

I stood with it, seeking your opinion as I recited,

and you said—may God exalt your words—'Make it excellent.'

فأين زماني بالخِوان حضرته

وأين إلى الباب الرفيع ترددي

What, then, of my time at the dining table I attended,

and where are my repeated visits to the lofty gate?

ومالي وأبواب الرجا فيك جمة

وقفتُ بباب من رجائك مُوصَد

And why, when the gates of hope in you are many,

have I stood at a gate of hope in you, bolted shut?

ولا باعُ آمالي إليك بقاصر

ولا وجه أعمالي لديك بأسود

Nor is the reach of my hopes toward you too short,

nor is the face of my deeds black before you.

فماذا عسى الواشون خاضوا على دمي

ومن أي وجه ثار لي أيُّ مؤْيِد

What, then, might the slanderers have stirred up against my blood?

And from what quarter has any calamity arisen for me?

وأيّة نار شبَّها أيُّ مُوقد

وأي عظيم هاج مِن أيّما دَدِ

And what fire has any kindler set alight,

and what grave matter has erupted from what idle play?

فإن كنت حقاً موعدي بكريهة

فرأيك في تعجيل يوميَ عن غدي

If you truly threaten me with something dreadful,

then give thought to hastening my day ahead of my morrow.

وإن تنو تحريكاً وتهذيب جانب

فقد صك ذرعي وقد فتَّ في يدي

And if you intend to rouse me and refine my conduct,

then it has already battered my endurance and weakened my hand.

حنانَيْكَ من ظن لمولاك جائر

ولبيك من رأى على العبد معتد

Have mercy: spare your client an unjust suspicion;

I am at your service: spare your servant an oppressive judgment.

ولم تُمضها في مُخلص الودّ نية

يروج إليه الموت منها ويغتدي

Nor has such a resolve been carried out against one sincere in affection,

from which death makes its way to him and visits him at dawn.

ولا أنا إلا في ولائك محتَبٍ

ولا أنا إلا بالهوى لك مرتد

Nor do I sit, knees wrapped, in anything but allegiance to you,

nor do I wear any cloak but love for you.

وعذري عند اللّه فيك ممهد

وإن كان عند الناس غير ممهد

My justification concerning you is established before God,

even if it is not established before people.

وعقد ولائي في ذراك مؤكد

وإن لم يكن عقد المنى بمؤكد

The bond of my allegiance in your shelter is firm,

even if the bond of my hopes is not firm.

ولست لأني واجد منك مهرباً

أحُث ركابي فَدْفَداً بعد فدفد

It is not because I find a means of escape from you

that I spur my riding camels across wilderness after wilderness.

ولكن سأبلي العذر في كل حالة

بشكرك في يومَيْ مغيبي ومشهدي

But I shall make my justification complete in every circumstance,

by thanking you in both the day of my absence and the day of my presence.

فتبدي لك الأيام ما أنا عنده

ويأتيك بالأخبار من لم تزوّدِ

Then the days will show you where I stand,

and one you gave no provisions will bring you the news.