Sol 6.1

  1. أَعاتِكَ بَعضُ الوُدِّ مُرٌّ مُمَزَّجُ

    وَلَيسَ مِن أَقوالِ الخَليفَةِ أَعوَجُ

    O Atika, some affection is a bitter blend.

    There is nothing crooked in the caliph’s words.

  2. لَهُ حينَ يَنأى مُذكِرٌ مِن سَماحَةٍ

    يَعودُ بِهِ طَلقاً وَلا يَتَلَجلَجُ

    When he draws away, he has a reminder of generosity,

    which brings him back openhearted, without hesitation.

  3. أَعاتِكَ ظُنّي بِالخَليفَةِ هِمَّةً

    وَقولي كَريمٌ ماجِدٌ يَتَحَرَّجُ

    O Atika, expect high resolve from the caliph,

    and say: he is generous, noble, and scrupulous.

  4. يَفيءُ إِلى حِلمٍ وَيَصدُقُ نَجدَةً

    وَتَنسابُ مِنهُ الحَيَّةُ المُتَمَعِّجُ

    He returns to forbearance and proves true in courage,

    and from him glides the writhing serpent.

  5. وَفي القَومِ ميلاعٌ وَلَيسَ بِنافِعٍ

    يَضِجُّ كَما ضَجَّ القَعودُ المُحَدَّجُ

    Among the men is an impetuous fellow, of no use,

    who bellows as a saddled young camel bellowed.

  6. لَبِستُ الغِنى طَوراً وَأَحوَجتُ تارَةً

    وَمَن ذا مِنَ الأَحرَرِ لا يَتَحَوَّجُ

    At times I have worn wealth, at others fallen into need.

    And who among freeborn men never falls into need?

  7. وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الناسَ تَهوي قُلوبُهُم

    إِلى مَلِكٍ يُحبى إِلَيهِ الشَمَرَّجُ

    And when I saw people’s hearts inclining

    toward a king to whom swift steeds are presented,

  8. عَرَضتُ إِلى وَجهِ الحَبيبِ وَراعَني

    غَزالٌ عَلَيهِ زَعفَرانٌ مُضَرَّجُ

    I turned toward my beloved’s face and was startled

    by a gazelle richly daubed with saffron.

  9. وَنازَعَني شَوقي إِلى مَلِكٍ قَدىً

    وَداعٍ إِلى المَهدِيِّ لا يَتَلَجلَجُ

    And my longing drew me toward a king nearby,

    as did an unfaltering caller to al-Mahdi.

  10. فَواللَهِ ما أَدري أَأَجلِسُ قانِعاً

    إِلى المِصرِ أَم أَلقى الإِمامَ فَأَفلِجُ

    So, by God, I do not know: shall I sit content

    in the city, or meet the Imam and prosper?

  11. وَإِنّي لَميلاعٌ مِراراً وَرُبَّما

    تَصَدَّعَ عَنّي المَجلِسُ المُتَوَشِّجُ

    And I am often impetuous indeed; and sometimes

    the tightly packed assembly breaks apart around me.

  12. أَقولُ وَقَد دَفَّت إِلَيَّ عِصابَةٌ

    مِنَ القَومِ مِنها حاسِرٌ وَمُدَجَّجُ

    I say, as a band draws near me,

    some of the men bareheaded, others fully armed:

  13. أَواقِدُ ذُبَّ القَومَ عَنّي بِزَجرَةٍ

    وَهاتِ نَصيحاً لا يَطيبُ المُلَهوَجُ

    O Waqid, drive these men away from me with a shout,

    and bring something pure; the hastily made gives no pleasure.

  14. وَلا تَبكِ مِن خَيسٍ بِبابِ خَليفَةٍ

    يَذِلُّ عَلَيهِ القَسوَرِيُّ الخَمَرنَجُ

    And do not weep over detention at a caliph’s gate,

    before whom the lionlike, hulking man is humbled.

  15. يُطيعُكَ في التَقوى وَيُعطيكَ في النَدى

    وَلا تَلقَهُ إِلّا وَلِلجودِ أَمعَجُ

    He heeds you in piety and gives to you in generosity;

    you never meet him but he hastens to give.

  16. أَرِقتُ إِلى بَطنِ الخَرينِ وَرَغبَتي

    إِلى مَلِكٍ يَجلو الدُجى حينَ يَخرُجُ

    I lay sleepless for the valley of al-Kharin, and my longing

    is for a king who dispels darkness when he comes forth,

  17. مِنَ الصيدِ مَكتوبٌ عَلى حُرِّ وَجهِهِ

    جَوادُ قُرَيشٍ هاشِمِيٌّ مُتَوَّجُ

    one of the noble lords, with these words written on his noble face:

    Quraysh’s generous one, a crowned Hashimite.

  18. يَصُبُّ دِماءَ الراغِبينَ عَنِ الهُدى

    كَما صُبَّ ماءُ الظَبيَةِ المُتَرَجرِجُ

    He pours out the blood of those who turn from guidance,

    as rippling water is poured from a deerskin bag.

  19. وَلا بُدَّ أَنّي راحِلٌ لِلِقائِهِ

    فَقَد بَشَّرَت بِالنُجحِ عَينٌ تَخَلَّجُ

    And I must depart to meet him,

    for a twitching eye has foretold success.

  20. لَقَد سَرَّني فَألٌ جَرى مِن مُوَفَّقٍ

    وَتَأويلُ ما قالَ الغُرابُ المُشَحِّجُ

    An omen that came from a fortunate man has indeed gladdened me,

    and the interpretation of the harshly cawing raven’s words.

  21. فَهَيَّجتُ مِرقالَ العَشِيِّ شِمِلَّةً

    تَزِفُّ كَما زَفَّ الهِجَفُّ السَفَنَّجُ

    So I roused a fleet she-camel, a swift trotter at dusk;

    she hurries as a great, fleet male ostrich hurries.

  22. تَلوحُ لُغاماتُ النَجاءِ بِوَجهِها

    كَما لاحَ بَيتُ العَنكَبوتِ المُنَسَّجُ

    The foam of her swift running shows upon her face,

    as a spider’s woven web appears.

  23. تَعَزَّ عَنِ الحَوراءِ إِنَّ مَقامَنا

    عَلَيها وَتَركَ المُلكِ رَأيٌ مُزَلَّجُ

    Resign yourself to leaving the dark-eyed girl; our staying

    with her and forsaking the court is an ill-founded plan.

  24. سَأَلقى أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ لِحاجَتي

    وَإِن عُطَّ في حِجرِ الفَتاةِ الخَدَلَّجُ

    I shall meet the Commander of the Faithful to seek what I need,

    even if the thick member is torn in the girl’s lap.

  25. فَتى الدينِ قَوّاماً بِهِ وَفَتى النَدى

    وَنِعمَ لِزازُ الحَربِ حينَ تَبَرَّجُ

    A champion of religion, steadfast in upholding it, and champion of generosity,

    and a fine mainstay of war when she unveils herself!

  26. لَقَد زَيَّنَ الإِسلامَ مُلكُ مُحَمَّدٍ

    وَفي الحَربِ لِلأَعداءِ نارٌ تَأَجَّجُ

    Muhammad’s reign has indeed adorned Islam,

    and in war he is a fire blazing against his enemies.

  27. إِمامَ الهُدى أَمسَكتَ بَعدَ كَرامَتي

    وَقَد كُنتَ تُعطيني وَوَجهُكَ أَبلَجُ

    Imam of guidance, you have held back after honoring me,

    though once you gave to me with a radiant face.

  28. إِمامَ الهُدى صَغوي إِلَيكَ وَحاجَتي

    وَلي حَشَمٌ أَصغى إِلَيكَ وَأَحوَجُ

    Imam of guidance, my inclination and my need are toward you,

    and I have dependents more drawn to you and more needy.

  29. فَلَو كانَ حِرماني يَزيدُكَ نِعمَةً

    ثُلِجتُ بِهِ إِنّي بِما نِلتُ أَثلَجُ

    So if depriving me increased your blessings,

    I would rejoice in it; what I have gained makes me happier still.

  30. لَعَمري لَقَد أَشمَتَّ بي غَيرَ نائِمٍ

    فَنامَ وَهَمّي ساهِرٌ يَتَوَهَّجُ

    By my life, you have indeed made a wakeful man gloat over me;

    so he slept, while my anxiety stays awake and burns.

  31. أَخافُ اِنقِطاعَ الدَرِّ بَعدَ اِبتِزازِهِ

    وَتَبليغَ مَن يَسدي الحَديثَ وَيَنسُجُ

    I fear the milk’s flow will cease after it has been drawn,

    and the tale-bearing of one who warps and weaves talk.

  32. وَقَد تُبتُ فَاِقبَل تَوبَتي يابنَ هاشِمٍ

    فَإِنَّ الَّذي بَيني وَبَينَكَ مُدمَجُ

    And I have repented; so accept my repentance, son of Hashim,

    for the bond between you and me is tightly woven.

  33. وَما لَكَ لا تُرجى وَأَنتَ خَليفَةٌ

    تُحَجُّ كَما حُجَّ الدُوارُ المُدَلَّجُ

    And why should no hope be placed in you, when you are a caliph

    to whom pilgrims come, as to al-Duwar, approached by night?

  34. وَإِن سُرَّ حُسّادي فَسَيبُكَ واسِعٌ

    عَلى الناسِ لا يَسطيعُهُ المُتَفَجفِجُ

    And though my enviers rejoice, your bounty is ample

    for all people; no blustering boaster can match it.

  35. فَدونَكَ فَاِمسِكها أَو اِعطِ فَإِنَّها

    زَواريقُ مِن كَفَّيكَ لِلناسِ تُخرَجُ

    So here you are: withhold them or give, for they are

    little boats sent out from your two palms to the people.

  36. فُضولُ فَتىً أَسخى يَداً في سَبيلِها

    فَفاضَت عُباباً أَو حَوارِيَّ يُنسَجُ

    The largesse of a youth most openhanded in bestowing it,

    pouring forth in billows, or as woven white linen.

  37. سَتَحمَدُ ما يَأتي إِذا بَلَغَ المَدى

    وَضَمَّكَ في الفِردَوسِ ظِلٌّ وَسَجسَجُ

    You will praise what comes when its full course is run,

    and shade and temperate air embrace you in Paradise.

  38. صَنيعُ اِمرِئٍ أَعطاهُ رَبٌّ مَحَبَّةً

    وَلِلخَيرِ صُنّاعٌ وَلِلبِرِّ مَنهَجُ

    The good work of a man to whom the Lord has granted love;

    and goodness has its craftsmen, and righteousness its path.

  39. تَجيءُ مَواعيدُ الكِرامِ سَوِيَّةً

    وَتُنضى مَواعيدُ اللِئامِ فَتُخدَجُ

    The promises of noble men arrive whole,

    while the promises of the base are worn out and born incomplete.

  40. وَلي حاجَةٌ لا تَدَّريها بِحُجَّةٍ

    إِلى مَلِكٍ يَجلو الدُجى حينَ يَخرُجُ

    And I have a request you cannot put off with an excuse,

    for a king who dispels darkness when he comes forth.