Sol 6.1

  1. سل البان هل مرّت عليه النوافح

    بوجدي وهل نمت بدمعي السوافح

    Ask the moringa whether wafting breezes have passed over it

    bearing my longing, and whether the torrents have told of my tears.

  2. هل في ربي تلك الطلول مقيمة

    كعهدي على الأفنان ورق صوادح

    Do there still dwell upon the hills of those ruins,

    as I remember, gray doves singing on the boughs?

  3. بقى مدمعي الهتان فيّاح مربع

    تلوح به تلك الظباء السوارح

    My streaming tears have preserved a spacious spring abode,

    where those roaming gazelles appear.

  4. وللَه مشتاق تذكر بعده

    فبات بأقداح الغرام يطارح

    And, by God, a yearning lover recalled his separation,

    then spent the night exchanging cups of passion.

  5. من عجب دمعي يفيض وفي الحشا

    سعير وزند الشوق وار وقادح

    What a wonder: my tears overflow, while in my breast

    a blaze rages, and longing's fire-stick glows and strikes sparks.

  6. وللَه صب حظه من أحبة

    بعاد وهجران ولاح يكافح

    And, by God, a lovesick lover's lot from his loved ones

    is distance, desertion, and a reproacher assailing him.

  7. ذا ما دجا ليل الغرام تسهدت

    عيون لهجران الحبيب قرائح

    Whenever the night of passion darkens, sleepless lie

    eyes made sore by the beloved's desertion.

  8. فهل من رقاد والزمان محارب

    وقد هجر الأحباب والصبر جامح

    Is there any sleep, when time wages war,

    when loved ones have forsaken me and patience has bolted?

  9. إذا رمت كتمان الهوى باح مدمعي

    وإن الهوى العذري بالدمع بايح

    When I seek to conceal love, my tears reveal it;

    and chaste ʿUdhri love speaks openly through tears.

  10. بينا بهم ما حلت عن قيد طاعة

    وهل حال عن رق عبيد ومادح

    While with them, I never left the bond of obedience;

    has a humble servant and praiser ever forsaken bondage?

  11. اني على عهد الوداد محافظ

    وإن وخدت بالبين عيس طلايح

    I keep faith with the covenant of affection,

    though weary pale camels hasten on in separation.

  12. لي بين أطلال الحمى وهضابه

    فواد مهيم بالأجارع شاطح

    Among the sanctuary's ruins and its hills, I have

    a love-crazed heart wandering far through sandy tracts.

  13. مالك رقي قل هجرا وجفوة

    إذا هجر الأحباب من ذا يصالح

    O master of my bondage, tell me, amid desertion and coldness:

    if loved ones forsake me, who is there to reconcile?

  14. يرعى اللَه أيام التصافي وعهدها

    وأيام كنا للحبيب نصافح

    May God preserve the days of mutual affection and their covenant,

    and the days when we clasped the beloved's hand;

  15. أيام عز نجتلي صفو كاسها

    هناء ولم ينجح إذا لام كاشح

    days of glory, when we savored the clear draught of their cup

    in joy; no ill-wisher succeeded when he reproached us.

  16. وحي ديارا قد سما برج عزها

    وطالت صحاريها وتلك الأباطح

    And greet the dwellings whose tower of honor rose high,

    and whose deserts and those broad gravelly valleys stretched far.

  17. يا خير قوم كالنجوم طوالع

    وغدران انس بالسرور طوافح

    O finest people, like rising stars

    and pools of fellowship overflowing with joy!

  18. وعت الأزهار في ظل دوحها

    فيا حبذا عرف من النشر فائح

    They held blossoms in the shade of their great trees;

    oh, how lovely the aroma wafting from that fragrance!

  19. دامت بها الأغصان تهتز للصبا

    كأن غصون البان خود روادح

    There the branches kept swaying to the east wind,

    as though the moringa boughs were full-hipped maidens.

  20. وفاضت عيون الجود فيها وقد زهت

    بمخضل فيحاها الربا والصحاصح

    And springs of bounty overflowed there, while there flourished

    the hills and open plains in their dew-drenched expanse.

  21. نسيم الصباهل نسمة من غياضها

    سحيرا وهلا من شذاها نفايح

    O east wind, is there a breath from their groves

    before dawn—and will there not be wafts of their fragrance?

  22. ويا ماءها هل نهلة منك في فمي

    يداوي بها قلبي وتشفى الجوانح

    And O water of those dwellings, is there a draught of you for my mouth,

    to heal my heart and bring healing to my ribs?

  23. ربوع ببرج المجد تسمو كما سمت

    بوصف العلي الأسعدي المدايح

    Abodes that soar in glory's tower, just as soared

    the praises celebrating the exalted al-Asʿadī.

  24. أمير روت عنه المعالي فضائلا

    وكل ثناء نحو علياه جانح

    A prince whose virtues lofty honors have recounted,

    and every tribute inclines toward his eminence.

  25. تظاهر في برج العلا نعم كوكب

    وفي بيت سعد بالسعادة لايح

    He appeared in eminence's constellation—a splendid star—

    and shines with felicity in the house of good fortune.

  26. إذ افتخر الأمجاد يوما فإنه

    على كل ذي فخر علي وراجح

    When illustrious men boast one day, he is

    exalted above every man of glory, outweighing them all.

  27. غدا كفه للكف والوكف جامعا

    فللضد أخّاذ وللوفد مانح

    His palm has united restraint and rainlike bounty:

    it seizes from the foe and bestows upon delegations.

  28. همام تهاب الأسد صولة باسه

    ففي العزم فتّاك في الحزم ناجح

    A hero whose fierce onslaught even lions dread;

    deadly in resolve, successful in prudent judgment;

  29. وفي البذل هتّان وبالنصر قاطع

    وبالمجد معروف وبالراي صالح

    in giving, a downpour; in victory, decisive;

    renowned for glory and sound in counsel.

  30. لقد خضع الأعدا لماضي يراعه

    فكيف إذا جاء العدى وهو رامح

    His enemies have bowed to the keen edge of his reed pen;

    what, then, when he confronts his foes bearing a lance?

  31. إذا الخطب وافى مشكلا أو معميا

    فآراؤه للمشكلات شوارح

    When a calamity comes, tangled or obscure,

    his counsels elucidate its difficulties.

  32. كفاني فخرا إنني من عبيده

    وقد فاخرت قبلي الرقاق الصفايح

    It is glory enough for me that I am among his servants;

    slender sword-blades boasted before me.

  33. فيعفو عن الجاني ويوسع بره

    فكنت انا الجاني ولا ذنب واضح

    He pardons the offender and lavishes his kindness;

    so I was the offender, though no fault was evident.

  34. أمولاي ان الحاسدين تفننوا

    بذنبي ولكن أنت عن ذاك صافح

    O my lord, the envious have exercised their ingenuity

    over my guilt, but you overlook all that.

  35. فإني وإن لم أخطر جئتك تائبا

    وإن كنت ذا ذنب فأنت المسامح

    For, though I have not erred, I have come to you repentant;

    and if I am guilty, you are the one who forgives.

  36. ولا ابتغي إلا رضاك لأنني

    عبيد ببحر من أياديك سابح

    I seek nothing but your favor, for I am

    a humble servant swimming in a sea of your blessings.

  37. فشانك صفح والسماح شعاره

    وبابك باب الحلم بالعفو فاتح

    Pardon is your way, and generosity its emblem;

    your gate is the gate of forbearance, open with forgiveness.

  38. ذا صح لي منك الرضى بت شاكرا

    وحققت ان الدهر بالعهد ناصح

    When your favor is assured me, I spend the night grateful,

    and know for certain that time is faithful to its covenant.

  39. إن حزت صفحا مثل عهدي بحلمكم

    فما الدهر ان خصم هو ام مصالح

    If I gain pardon, as I have known your forbearance,

    what matters whether time is hostile or reconciled?

  40. فلا تنكروا عبدا نشا في نعيمكم

    اتقطع اذ تجني فروع سوانح

    Do not disown a servant who grew up amid your bounty;

    are yielding branches cut when their fruit is gathered?

  41. بني اسعد للحلم انتم وللرضى

    وان جنت الظلماء انتم مصابح

    Sons of Asʿad, you embody forbearance and favor,

    and if darkness closes in, you are lamps.

  42. وإن شحت الأنوار أنتم سحائب

    وإن دارت الهيجاء أنتم صحاصح

    And if light grows scarce, you are clouds;

    and if battle swirls, you are open plains.

  43. لعلياكم هيفاء مدح تقدمت

    وفيكم لسان الحمد بالشكر فاصح

    To your eminence a slender maiden of praise has come forward,

    and in your praise, the tongue of commendation speaks eloquently with thanks.

  44. عليّ الرضى خذها بحلم ومهرها

    إذا سعدت عفو وذا المهر راجح

    O gracious Ali, accept her with forbearance; her bride-price,

    if she is fortunate, is pardon—and that price is weighty.

  45. فلا زلت ذا مجد يلالأ فضله

    تزف بنات النظم فيه القرايح

    May you ever possess a glory whose excellence sparkles,

    where gifted minds lead the daughters of verse in bridal procession.