طرقتنا بالزابيين الرباب — Bashar Ibn Burd

طَرَقَتنا بِالزابِيَينِ الرَبابُ

رُبَّ زَورٍ عَلَيكَ مِنهُ اِكتِئابُ

Rabab visited us by night at the two Zabs.

Many a visit leaves you grieving.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ لِاِبنِ جُهمَةَ إِذ بِت

تُ مَشوقاً وَنامَ عَنّي الصِحابُ

And I said to Ibn Juhma, when I spent

the night yearning, while my companions slept, heedless of me:

غَنِّني بِالرَبابِ إِن كُنتَ تَشدو

غارَ نَومي وَجَنَّ فِيَّ الشَرابُ

Sing to me of Rabab, if you sing;

my sleep has fled, and wine has gone mad within me.

أَمسَكَت عَنِّيَ الرُقادَ فَتاةُ

دارُها الخَبتُ وَالرُبى وَالقِبابُ

A maiden withheld sleep from me;

her home is al-Khabt, the hills, and the domed tents.

مُقبِلٌ مُدبِرٌ قَريبٌ بَعيدٌ

يَتَصَدّى لَنا وَفيهِ اِحتِجابُ

Approaching, retreating, near and far,

it shows itself to us, yet remains veiled.

كَسَرابِ المَوماةِ تُبصِرُهُ العَي

نُ وَإِن جِئتَهُ اِضمَحَلَّ السَرابُ

Like a desert mirage that the eye beholds,

yet when you approach it, the mirage vanishes.

أَو كَبَدرِ السَماءِ غَيرِ قَريبٍ

حينَ أَوفى وَالضَوءُ فيهِ اِقتِرابُ

Or like the full moon in the sky, not near,

when it rises high, though its light suggests nearness.

وَطِلابُ الرَبابِ مِن دونِها السَي

فُ سِفاهٌ وَالطَيفُ مِنها عَذابُ

To seek Rabab, with a sword barring the way,

is folly; her apparition is torment.

لَو أَقامَت نَعِمتُ بالاً وَلَكِن

ذَهَبَت وَالشَقا عَلَيَّ الذَهابُ

Had she stayed, I would have been at peace; but

she departed, and her departure is misery for me.

ساقَها الأَزرَقُ الغَيورُ إِلى الشا

مِ فَذاتُ الأَشياءِ مِنها خَرابُ

The blue-eyed, jealous one drove her to al-Sham;

so Dhat al-Ashya lies desolate without her.

طابَ حُزنٌ بَينَ الجَوانِحِ مِنها

وَاِنتِظاري هَل لِلحَبيبِ إِيابُ

Grief for her has grown sweet within my breast,

and so has my waiting: will the beloved return?

وَوُلوعُ الخَيالِ بي مِن صَديقٍ

لا أَراهُ حَتّى يَشيبَ الغُرابُ

And a friend's phantom clinging to me—

one I shall not see until the raven turns gray.

يابنَ موسى اِسقِني وَدَع عَنكَ بَكراً

إِن بَكراً خِلوٌ وَإِنّي مُصابُ

O son of Musa, pour me a drink, and leave Bakr aside.

Bakr is free of love's affliction, while I am stricken.

لا أَرى آنِسي مَقامَ الجَواري

وَمَسيرُ الرَبابِ فيهِ اِرتِقابُ

I do not see my companion where the maidens dwell,

and Rabab's journey is awaited.

يَومَ حَنَّت إِلَيَّ مُرفَضَّةُ الدَم

عِ وَحَنَّت إِلى سِوايَ الرَبابُ

On the day one yearned for me, her tears streaming,

while Rabab yearned for another.

لا تَلُمني فيها يَزيدُ بنُ زَيدٍ

وَاِرعَ وُدّي إِلَيكَ يُهدى الجَوابُ

Do not reproach me for her, Yazid ibn Zayd;

honor my affection for you; this reply is offered.

في لِقاءِ الرَبابِ شافٍ مِنَ الشَو

قِ إِلى وَجهِها وَأَينَ الرَبابُ

In meeting Rabab lies a cure for longing

for her face—but where is Rabab?

رُحتُ في حُبِّها وَراحَت دُواراً

بَينَ أَترابِها عَلَيها الحِجابُ

I went about in love with her, while she went circling

among her peers, with a veil upon her.

في جِنانٍ خُضرٍ وَقَصرٍ مَشيدٍ

قَيصَرِيٍّ حَفَّت بِهِ الأَعنابُ

In green gardens and a lofty palace,

Caesar-like, encircled by grapevines.

فَوقَها مَلعَبُ الحَمامِ وَيَستَن

نُ خَليجٌ مِن دونِها صَخّابُ

Above her is the doves' playground, and rushing

before her is a clamorous canal.

وَبَعيدٌ ما لا يُنالُ وَفي الحُب

بِ عَناءٌ وَلِلنَوى أَحقابُ

Distant is what cannot be reached; in love

there is hardship, and separation lasts for ages.

لَيتَ شِعري عَنِ الرَبابِ وَقَد شَط

طَت بِها الدارُ هَل لَها إِصقابُ

Would that I knew about Rabab, now far

away in her dwelling: will she draw near?

أَصبَحَت في بَني الشُموسِ فَأَصبَح

تُ غَريباً تَعتادُني الأَطرابُ

She came to be among Banu al-Shumus, and I became

a stranger, beset by surges of longing.

وَسَقِيٍّ كَالعَبقَرِيِّ إِذا غَر

رَدَ مُكّاؤُهُ تَغَنّى الذُبابُ

And a watered meadow, like an Abqari carpet—when

its whistling bird trills, the flies sing—

عازِبٌ حُفَّ بِالبَراعيمِ تَغذو

هُ نُجومُ السَما وَهُنَّ اِعتِقابُ

remote, ringed with buds, nourished

by the stars of heaven as they take their turns,

مُتَناهي الرَيحانِ يَسجِدُ لِلشمَ

سِ مُبيناً وَما عَلَيهِ اِتِّئابُ

abounding in sweet herbs, bowing down to the sun

openly, unashamed—

بُتُّ ضَيفاً مَعي الريمُ وَالأَع

فَرُ وَالرائِعُ الأَناةُ الكَعابُ

I spent the night as a guest there, with the white gazelle and the tawny

gazelle, and the lovely, leisurely, budding-breasted maiden.

ذاكَ شَأني بِهِ وَوافى بِيَ الرَو

عَ كُمَيتٌ مُشَذَّبٌ نَعّابُ

That was my life there; into terror I was carried

by a dark bay, tall, lean, and harsh-voiced.

أَعوَجِيُّ الآباءِ شارَكَ فيهِ

لاحِقٌ وَالوَجيهُ ثُمَّ الغُرابُ

His forebears were of A'waj's stock; his lineage joined

Lahiq, al-Wajih, and then al-Ghurab.

صانَهُ الجِدُّ وَالمَح

ضُ فَفيهِ ذِلٌّ وَفيهِ اِلتِهابُ

Diligent care and pure breeding preserved him;

he has docility within him, and fire.

وَمُنيفُ القَذالِ وَقَّرَهُ القَو

دُ وَذَكّى فُؤادَهُ الإِجلابُ

High of poll, steadied by being led,

his heart fired by the shouting.

فَهُوَ صافي الأَديمِ كَالدُملجِ الأَحُ

الأَحمَرِ طِرفٌ تَزينُهُ الأَقرابُ

His hide is unblemished, like a bracelet,

red—a noble steed whose flanks adorn him.

وَخُروجٌ مِنَ الأَضاميمِ في المَن

سَجِ مِنهُ وَفي القَطاةِ اِنتِصابُ

And a projection from the clustered parts at his withers,

and an upright rise in his croup.

شِمَّرِيٌّ أَجَشُّ كَالشَبَبِ الغا

دِي أَقَرَّت جَنانَهُ الكُلّابُ

Brisk, hoarse-voiced, like a wild bull going forth at dawn;

the hooks have steadied his heart.

شاخِصُ القَلبِ وَالمَسامِعِ وَالطَر

فِ إِلى ما يُهابُ أَو لا يُهابُ

His heart, ears, and gaze are intent

on what may be feared or may not be feared.

وَإِذا ما جَرى لِيُدرِكَ شَيئاً

فاتَهُ وَاِنتَحى بِهِ الإِدآبُ

And when he runs to overtake something

that has eluded him, and ceaseless urging drives him,

قُلتُ ريحٌ تَحِنُّ بَينَ أَواسٍ

أَو بَراعٌ غَنّى بِهِ القَصّابُ

I say: a wind moaning between pillars,

or a reed pipe through which the piper sings.

فَبِهِ أَطلُبُ المَعالِيَ أَو رَو

حاً أَلا بَل رَوحاً وَلا أَرتابُ

Upon him I seek high honors—or Rawh—

indeed, rather Rawh, and I have no doubt.

غالَ نَومي غَولُ القَوافي إِلى رَو

حِ مَديحاً كَما تُقادُ العِرابُ

The demon of rhymes stole my sleep, bound for Rawh

in praise, as purebred Arabian steeds are led.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ إِذ تَوَلَّتنِيَ الهَم

مُ وَسُدَّت مِن دونِيَ الأَبوابُ

And I said, when care took hold of me

and doors were barred against me:

لَيسَ عِندَ اللِئامِ فَضلٌ وَلَكِن

عِندَ رَوحٍ عَلى الثَناءِ ثَوابُ

Base men have no bounty, but

with Rawh there is a reward for praise.

أَينَ رَوحٌ عَنّي فَإِنَّ لِرَوحٍ

نَفَحاتٍ يَغنى بِها المُنتابُ

Where is Rawh, away from me? For Rawh has

breezes of bounty that enrich those who visit.

مَلِكٌ مِن مُلوكِ قَحطانَ تَجري

مِن يَدَيهِ لَنا العَطايا الرِغابُ

A king among the kings of Qahtan; there flow

from his hands to us lavish gifts.

عِندَهُ الحِلمُ وَالشَجاعَةُ وَالجو

دُ مِساكاً وَلَيسَ فيهِ خِلابُ

With him are forbearance, courage, and generosity,

firmly joined, with no deceit in him.

وَعَلى وَجهِهِ الأَغَرِّ قَبولٌ

وَكَأَنَّ المَعروفَ فيهِ كِتابُ

Upon his radiant face lies welcome,

as though kindness were a book written upon it.

رَمَتاهُ رَوحاً وَمَن مِثلُ رَوحٌ

حينَ جَفَّ الثَرى وَقَلَّ السَحابُ

The two cast him forth, Rawh—and who is like Rawh—

when the soil dried and clouds grew scarce?

أَنزَلَتهُ ذُرى المَكارِمِ نَفسٌ

حُرَّةٌ في بَيانِها إِطنابُ

A soul set him upon the summits of noble deeds,

a noble one, whose description calls for lengthy speech.

وَإِذا عُدَّت المَساعي كَفاهُ

حاتِمٌ وَالمُهَلَّبُ الوَهّابُ

And when great deeds are counted, enough for him are

Hatim and al-Muhallab, the great giver.

وَلَهُ مِن نَدى قَبيصَةَ بَحرٌ

حَضرَمِيٌّ لِجانِبَيهِ عُبابُ

He has, from Qabisa's generosity, a sea,

Hadrami, with billows at both its shores.

حَمِدَتهُ القُرى وَسُرَّ بِهِ الجا

رُ وَعاشَت في فَضلِهِ الأَحبابُ

The villages praised him, and the neighbor rejoiced

in him, while loved ones lived upon his bounty.

قُل لِرَوحِ بنِ حاتِمٍ بنِ قَبيصِ ال

مَجدُ فينا وَفيكُمُ إِعجابُ

Say to Rawh ibn Hatim ibn Qabis: Glory

is ours, while self-admiration is yours.

كَيفَ لَم تَأتِني الكَرامَةُ مِنكُم

بَعدَ وُدٍّ وَأَنتُمُ الأَربابُ

How has no honor come to me from you,

after affection, when you are the lords?

عِش حَميداً وَاِنعَم أَبا خَلَفٍ أَن

تَ فَتى الناسِ لَيسَ فيكَ مَعابُ

Live praised and prosper, Abu Khalaf; you

are the people's noble youth, with no fault in you.

قَد كَفَيتَ المَهدِيَّ هَمّاً وَشاغَب

تَ عَدُوّاً فَالمِحرَبُ الشَغّابُ

You have spared al-Mahdi a care, and harried

an enemy—thus you are the warrior, the relentless challenger.

وَعَلى وَرزَنٍ هَجَمتَ المَنايا

وَالمَنايا في دورِهِم أَسرابُ

And upon Warzan you hurled the deaths,

and the deaths came in flocks through their dwellings.

وَمِنَ القَومِ ذو غَناءٍ وَوَعدٍ

كَمُخاطِ الشَيطانَ فيهِ اِضطِرابُ

And among the people is a man of means, with a promise

like the devil's mucus, full of wavering.

زَعَمَ الأَقرَبُ المُقابِلُ في الحَي

ي مَعيداً وَتَزعُمُ النُسّابُ

The nearest one, facing us in the clan, asserted,

repeating it, and the genealogists assert,

أَنَّ رَوحَ بنَ حاتِمٍ وَرَدَ البَح

رَ فَأَضحى يَنتابُهُ الطُلّابُ

that Rawh ibn Hatim has come to the sea,

and now seekers come to him repeatedly.

ذاكَ داودُ ما عَصَبتَ بِهِ الحا

جَةَ إِلّا اِنقَضَت وَهابَ الغَنابُ

That is Dawud: never have you entrusted him with a need

without its being fulfilled; the flies feared him.

وَلُبابٌ مِنَ المَهالِبَةِ الشو

سِ تَسامى العُلى كَذاكَ اللُبابُ

And the choicest of the fierce Muhallabids,

rising toward the heights; such is the choicest stock.

يُحسِدُ السَيِّدَ الجَوادَ عَلَيهِ

شِيَمٌ دونَها يَهيمُ الشَبابُ

The generous lord is made to envy him

by virtues that leave young men wandering short of their reach.

وَإِذا ما داودُ حَلَّ بِأَرضٍ

طابَ رَيحانُها وَطابَ التُرابُ

And wherever Dawud settles in a land,

its herbs grow sweet, and its soil grows sweet.

شِم أَبا مَسمَعٍ سَيَكفيكَ داو

دُ بنُ رَوحِ بنِ حاتِم ما تَهابُ

Watch expectantly, Abu Misma'; Dawud will shield you—

ibn Rawh ibn Hatim—from all you fear.

يا إبنَ رَوحٍ أَشبَهتَ رَوحاً وَمن يُش

بِه أَباهُ تُتمَم لَهُ الأَنسابُ

O son of Rawh, you resemble Rawh; whoever resembles

his father has his lineage made complete.