Sol 6.1

  1. وَلا وَدّعُوا يَومَ النوَى جارَةَ الحِمَى

    وَلا أَطمَعُونِي فِي الوُصولِ إِلَى دَعدِ

    Nor did they bid farewell, on the day of parting, to the lady of the protected grounds,

    nor give me hope of reaching Da'd.

  2. وَلا عَلَّلُوا مِن عِلَّةِ البَينِ وَالأَسَى

    أَسِير الأَمانِي فِي هَوان مِن القَيدِ

    Nor did they soothe, from the sickness of separation and sorrow,

    the captive of hopes, abased by fetters.

  3. فَيا هَلْ يَلذُّ العَيشُ مِن بَعدِهم وَهَل

    تَعودُ الليالِي بِالقَديمِ مِنَ الودِّ

    Ah, can life be sweet after them, and will

    the nights restore the affection of old?

  4. وَهَل تَسمَحُ الأيامُ بِالوَصلِ بَينَنا

    وَبَينَ المُنَى أَم لا يَفِي الدَّهرُ بِالعَهدِ

    And will the days grant union between us

    and our wishes, or will time not keep its pledge?

  5. فَمَن لِي وَلَو بِالطيفِ فِي عالَمِ الكَرَى

    يُخبرُ عَنْهُم مَا يُقالُ عَلَى هِندِ

    Who will aid me, even as a phantom in the realm of sleep,

    to tell of them what is said of Hind?

  6. أَتَذْكُر دارَ عِزِّها عزَّةَ البَها

    فشعش نَفْساً ودُّهَا صادِق الوَعدِ

    Do you remember the house of her glory, the pride of beauty?

    Then brighten a soul whose love is true to its promise.

  7. فَلَيْتَ صَدِيقاً يُنبِئُ الحَيَّ عَنْهُم

    بِأَنَّ صدُوقَ الوَجدِ حَدَّثَ بِالعَهدِ

    Would that a friend would tell the tribe about them,

    that one sincere in longing has spoken of the pledge.

  8. وَمَنْ ليَتيم الدَّهرِ أَصْبَحَ باكِياً

    عَلَى ثَدْي أُمّ باكٍ وَهوَ فِي المَهدِ

    And who will aid time's orphan, now weeping,

    at a mother's breast, a weeper still in the cradle?

  9. تَقولُ تَجلَّدْ لا تَمُت كَمَداً لَها

    وَصَبْرِي عَنْها حائِرٌ وَهْيَ فِي لَحدِ

    She says, "Be steadfast; do not die of grief for her,"

    yet my patience without her is bewildered, while she is in a grave.

  10. فَكَيفَ يَطِيبُ العَيشُ وَالصَّبرُ مَيِّتٌ

    وَكَيفَ يُفيدُ العَذْلُ فِي غَمْرَةِ الصَّدِّ

    How can life be sweet when patience is dead?

    And how can reproach help amid the flood of rejection?

  11. تُوبِخني الأَحْداثُ وَالشَّيْخُ عاذِرِي

    عَلَى سَفَهٍ فِي الحلْمِ يَا حَسْرَتِي وَحْدِي

    The young rebuke me, while the old man excuses me

    for folly in forbearance—alas for me, alone!

  12. فَكَم أَشْمَتَتْ بِي العِدا مِن عِداتِها

    مَوَاعِد عرْقُوب أَخا الطمَعِ المُردِ

    How often her promises made my enemies gloat over me:

    the promises of 'Urqub, O brother of ruinous greed!

  13. وَمَا أَشعَبِي الخِلالِ إِلا كَباسِط

    لِيَشرَبَ راحاً بِالإِشارَةِ فِي الوَهدِ

    An Ash'ab in character is only like one stretching out his hand

    to drink wine by a gesture in a hollow.

  14. وَكَيفَ بُلوغُ الماءِ وَالكَف رازِم

    إِلَى فَم ظامٍ لا يَعبُّ مِنَ العَدِّ

    How can water reach—with the palm motionless—

    a thirsty mouth that does not gulp from the perennial spring?

  15. فَواضَيْعَة الأَعمارِ فِي غَيرِ حاصِلٍ

    وَيا خَيبَة الأَعمارِ مِن طائِلِ الرفدِ

    Oh, the waste of lifetimes with nothing gained!

    And oh, the disappointment of lifetimes in the gains of bounty!

  16. وَوَاعَجَبِي مِن خُلْفِ وافٍ بِعَهدِهِ

    وَمن عَثرَة المَخْدُوعِ لَم يَسلُو بِالرَّدِ

    And oh, my wonder at the breach of one faithful to his pledge,

    and at the stumble of the deceived man whom rejection did not console!

  17. إِذا ما يُنادِي الناسُ قامَ بِلا دُعا

    طُفَيْلِيَ أَعراس يخب وَقَدْ يَردِي

    Whenever people call out, he rises without an invitation,

    a wedding-crasher, trotting and sometimes galloping.

  18. تُعَنِّفُهُ الردادِ فِي غَيرِ مَرَّةٍ

    وَلا يَنْثَنِي عَنْ بابِهِم ساقِطَ الوَغدِ

    Those who turn him away scold him more than once,

    yet he does not turn back from their door, an abject wretch.

  19. فَما حيلَةُ المَخْبولِ مِن أَصلِ خلقِهِ

    عَلَى الطمَعِ الفَضَّاحِ وَالسفَه الفنْدِي

    What remedy is there for one crazed from his very creation,

    given to disgraceful greed and senile folly?

  20. أَبَعْدَ امتِحان الدَّهْرِ يَجْمُلُ بِالفَتَى

    ركُون إِلَى الأَوهامِ أَو حلم تُرْدِي

    After time's testing, does it befit a young man

    to rely on illusions or a dream that brings ruin?

  21. وَقَدْ شابَ قَرْنِي وَالشبابُ مُوَدع

    وَشَيبتُ قَرْنِي فِي الكُهُولِ وَفِي المُردِ

    My temple has grayed, and youth is taking leave,

    and I have grayed my temple among mature men and beardless youths.

  22. وَقَد حَكَّنِي الدَّهرُ المُهَذَّب صَرْفه

    يؤدِبُني كَالطفْل فِي مَكْتب الجدِّ

    Time has scoured me, its refining vicissitudes

    schooling me like a child in the school of earnestness.

  23. وَذَوَّقَنِي بَعْد الحَلاوَةِ قَارِسا

    وَمُرّاً وَبَعْد العِزِّ ذُلا علَى فَقدِ

    It made me taste sourness after sweetness,

    and bitterness, and after honor, humiliation through loss.

  24. فَأَصبَحْتُ خَلْفَ الأنْس فِي وَحْشِ غُرْبَتِي

    أكابِد مَا يَلْقَى بِها الحائِر المكدِي

    With companionship behind me, I have entered the desolation of my exile,

    enduring what the bewildered, destitute man meets there.

  25. وَأغرَب شَيء فِي الحِكَايَةِ سُغْتُه

    لِتَذْكيرِ نَاس مَا أضل مِن الميدِ

    And the strangest thing in the tale I swallowed

    as a reminder to people—what is more misleading than wavering?

  26. وَكُنْتُ حَسبت التيس مِن سُوء غِرَّتِي

    وَشِبْه الخصا بِالضرْعِ عَنْزا عَلَى بُعدِ

    In my wretched gullibility, I had thought the billy goat,

    from afar, a she-goat, its testicles resembling an udder.

  27. فَلَما أقَمت التيس للحَلبِ واستَوى

    قَرِيباً مِن القربي تَيقنْتُ بِالضدِ

    But when I stood the billy goat up for milking, and it stood

    near at hand, I became certain of the opposite.

  28. وَمِن عَجَبِ الأَشياءِ فِي الوَقْتِ طالِح

    وَشَاخَ مَعَ الصُّلاحِ لَولاي بِالكَيدِ

    Among the wonders of these times is a wicked man

    grown old among the righteous—but for me—through guile.

  29. أَلَيْسَ مِن البُهتانِ كَوْنُك صالِحاً

    وَتَطوِي لِشقِّ الدينِ كَشحا عَلَى حَقدِ

    Is it not a falsehood that you are righteous,

    while folding your flank over rancor to tear religion apart?

  30. وَمَنْ يَحتَطِب كُل الشظَايَا لِبَيتِهِ

    يَجِد فِي زَوَايا البَيْتِ سَقْطا مِن الزندِ

    Whoever gathers every splinter as firewood for his house

    will find in its corners sparks from the firestick.

  31. فَمَا عُذْر جَافٍ لا يُبَاكِر فِي الرِّضَى

    إِلَى خَيْرِ وَافِ لا يَبِيتُ عَلَى حَردِ

    What excuse has a harsh man who does not hasten in goodwill

    to the best of faithful men, who never sleeps in anger?

  32. وَكَمْ بتُّ وَالأَفراحُ فِي غُرفَاتِنَا

    إِلَى أَن تَجَلى الصُّبح فِي صُورَةِ الخودِ

    How many nights I spent with joys in our chambers,

    until dawn appeared in the form of a fair young woman.

  33. وَعانَقَتْ أَبكَارُ الحُبور مِن الصفَا

    وَبَاكَرَتْ أَقدَاحُ الحُضورِ مِن الوَجْدِ

    And the virgin joys embraced, sprung from purity,

    and cups of fellowship came early, out of rapture.

  34. كَأَن لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الرَّكبِ حاجِبُ عَينِهِ

    وَلا جَاءَ مِن غَرْبِ الهَوَى ناشِر البندِ

    As though his eye's brow had not been in the caravan,

    nor a banner-unfurler had come from the west of love,

  35. وَلا جالَ فِي شَرْقِ الهَوَى مَشْرِق الضحَى

    وَلا قالَ فِي ظِلِّ العُلا شامِخ الطَّودِ

    nor morning's radiant one had roamed the east of love,

    nor a lofty mountain had rested at noon in glory's shade,

  36. وَلا اعْتمَّ فِي صَدْرِ المَجَالِسِ مالِك

    وَلا حاتِم الأَضيافِ فِي لَيْلَةِ البَردِ

    nor a Malik had donned a turban at the head of assemblies,

    nor a Hatim of guests on a cold night,

  37. وَلا قَيْس حُب أَو مَفاخِر دارِم

    وَلا قَس لب قَطُّ أَو طَرفة العَبدِ

    nor a Qays of love, or the glories of Darim,

    nor a Quss of intellect ever, or Tarafa al-'Abd.

  38. وَحَسبِيَ مِن ذِكْرِ الفخَارِ عَلَيهِم

    بِأَنِّي فِي الأَشهادِ خاتِمَة العَدِّ

    It is enough for me, in recounting my boasts over them,

    that before witnesses I am the last in the count.

  39. فَإِن أَنَّبتنِي سُوقة وَتَعَنَّتَت

    عَلي وَظَنت رِيبَةً أَلسنُ النقدِ

    If common folk reproach me and deal harshly

    with me, and the tongues of criticism suspect something amiss,

  40. فَما عَلِمُوا أَنِّي الجَوادُ بِنَفْسِهِ

    وَكَيفَ يَغرّ المالُ عيسَى مِنَ الزُّهدِ

    they do not know that I am generous with my very self.

    How could wealth tempt 'Isa away from asceticism?

  41. وَلا علم العَميان والفَجْر صادِق

    بِأَن الضُّحَى يَمتَد لِلسالِكِ الفَردِ

    Nor did the blind know, though dawn was true,

    that morning light stretches onward for the solitary traveler.

  42. فَأَيْنَ يَكونُ الباغِي مِن حُر يَومِه

    وَأَنَّى يُقِيل الطاغِي فِي قيعٍ جُردِ

    Where, then, will the aggressor stand against the heat of his day,

    and where can the tyrant take noon-rest on bare plains?

  43. فَلا تَعْجَبا مِما انْثَنَى عَطْف حَاسِد

    يُكابِرُ كَيْداً وَهوَ كَالقاذِفِ الشهدِ

    Do not marvel, you two, that an envier turns his flank,

    obstinately scheming, like one who hurls away honey.

  44. فَما غَيَّر البَحرَ وَالفُراتَ مزاحِمٌ

    عَلَى مَضَض وَالعَذْبُ فِي حَجَرٍ صَلدِ

    No jostling rival has altered the sea or the Euphrates,

    despite his vexation, while fresh water lies within solid stone.

  45. وَلا ضَار شَمساً أشْرَقَت منكر الضُّحى

    وَلا جَحْدُ جافٍ لِلبُدورِ مِن الرُّمدِ

    No denier of daylight has harmed a risen sun,

    nor a harsh man's denial of full moons through inflamed eyes.

  46. إِذا اتَّسَقَت فِي الفَرْعِ وَالأَصلُ طَيِّبٌ

    فُنُونُ النَّدَى وَالطبْعُ شهْدٌ مَعَ الزُّبدِ

    When, in the branches, with a wholesome root, there are arrayed

    the varied arts of generosity, and nature is honey with butter,

  47. فَذاكَ كَمال الفَضْلِ وَالنبْل شاهِد

    لِيَقْضِيَ بِالقُسْطَاسِ وَالٍ بِلا كَيدِ

    that is the fullness of excellence, with nobility as witness,

    so that a ruler may judge by a just balance, without guile.

  48. أَتُخزَى بَنو العَبَّاسِ وَالمَجْدُ فيهِمُ

    وِرَاثَة جَدّ لا شِراءَ عَن الجدِ

    Are the sons of al-'Abbas to be disgraced, when glory among them

    is inherited from a forefather, not bought through striving?

  49. وَتَعلُو بَنُو الأَوباشِ دُونِيَ فِي المَلا

    وَلا تَرْعَوِي عَنْ غَيِّها شِيعَة القردِ

    And do sons of riffraff rise, to my exclusion, in the assembly,

    while the monkey's faction does not desist from its error?

  50. وَماذَا عَلَيَّ فِي الحُثالَةِ قادَها

    إِلَى حَتفِها المَغرُور بِالبَطلِ الجدِّ

    What do I care for the dregs, led

    to their doom by one dazzled by the resolute champion?

  51. وَفِي خَبَل خَتمُ السُّلافَةِ بِالصَّفَا

    وَحَبْلُ الوَفا بِالعَهدِ يَجرِي مَعَ الأَيدِي

    And it is madness to seal choice wine with purity,

    while the cord of fidelity to the pledge runs through the hands.

  52. وَمَازالت السَّمحاء يَنْهل مزنُها

    بِكُلِّ سَبِيل مِنْهُ شرْبٌ لِذي ذودِ

    The generous one's rainclouds have never ceased pouring,

    on every road, from them comes drink for one with a small camel herd.

  53. وَقَد تنجِد الأَنْوَاء وَاليَأسُ غالِب

    عَلَى أَمَل عَيْشَا مِن الأَزدِ

    The rain-bearing stars may come to the rescue when despair prevails

    over the hope of a livelihood from al-Azd.

  54. وَيَنْشَقُ عَن فَجْر مِن الفَرَجِ الدُّجَى

    وَيَنْجابُ فِي عَصْر ضَبابُ الهَوي الوَردِ

    Darkness splits to reveal a dawn of relief,

    and in an afternoon the mist of rosy passion clears.

  55. وَفِي سُوقِ أَربَابِ البَلاغَة وَالنُّهى

    سَمِين وَغَث منتَقَى العندِي

    In the market of masters of eloquence and reason,

    there is rich fare and lean, selected from one's own stock.

  56. وَمن عِنْدِيَاتِ المَرْء حُبلَى وَسَاقِط

    وَمِنها السها وَالبَدر فِي نَظَرِ الحدِّ

    Among a man's own inventions are the pregnant and the stillborn,

    and among them are Suha and the full moon to a keen eye.

  57. وَلا يَضْربُ الأَمثالَ إِلا لِجهبذ

    حَكِيمُ الأَيادِي فِي قَوافِي الفَتَى الأيدِي

    Only for an expert are parables set forth,

    by a sage of benefactions, in the rhymes of the mighty young man.

  58. وَمِن عَجَب الأَيامِ فِي كُلِّ مَطلَع

    تَلَوُّنُها كَالقَوْل يأتِيكَ بِاللدِ

    Among the wonders of the days at every dawning

    is their changing color, like speech that comes to you in contention.

  59. وَمَا أَحمَد الأَحوالِ إِلا كَقابِض

    عَلَى جَرة بِالكَف من ساعد السعدِ

    Even the most praiseworthy of circumstances is only like one gripping

    a tug with his palm from fortune's arm.

  60. وَعِندَ الجهينِي فِي الحِكايَةِ مخْبر

    يَقِينِي كَرَأْيِ العَينِ مِن حازِم الكردِ

    With al-Juhayni, in the tale, there is information,

    certain as eyesight, from Hazim of the Kurds.

  61. تَحَجَّبَ فِي بَيتِ الحُكومَةِ قاسِط

    وَوَاكف عَدل فِي القَضا هاتِن الرعدِ

    An unjust man has secluded himself in the house of government,

    while a torrent of justice in judgment pours down thunder.

  62. وَلَو عَلِمَ المرتاب مَا يَعقُب الجَفا

    لأَرْبابِهِ لاقتَصَّ مِن نَفسِهِ يَفدِي

    Had the doubter known what follows harshness

    for its practitioners, he would punish himself to redeem himself.

  63. وَلا صَدَّ عَن بابِ الإِشارَةِ قاسِط

    مُفِيض الثنا فِي الأَرضِ كالعارِض الحدِّ

    Nor did an unjust man turn away from the door of counsel,

    lavishing praise over the earth like a fierce raincloud.

  64. فَأَصبَحَ مِن وَقعِ الهتُون عَلَى الرُّبى

    عَزِيزُ بِنَاء الجُدرِ فِي ذِلة الهدِّ

    Then, from the fall of pouring rain upon the hills,

    the mighty structure of walls was brought low by demolition.

  65. وَقامَ خَطيبُ الجمعِ فِي جامِع الصفَا

    عَلَى منبَرِ التمكِينِ يَدعُو إِلَى الرشدِ

    The assembly's preacher rose in the mosque of purity,

    upon the pulpit of power, calling toward right guidance.

  66. فَشابَ لَها قَرن الوَليدِ وَلَم تفد

    مَعاقِلُ مَنع دونَها فاتِكُ الأسدِ

    At this a newborn's temple grayed, and no help came from

    fortresses of defense, with a lion-slayer before them.

  67. هُنالِكَ لا يَنجُو مِن الهَولِ هالِك

    تَحصن مِن رَيبِ الحَوادِثِ بِالرَّصدِ

    There, no doomed man escapes the terror,

    though he has fortified himself against the hazards of events with sentries.

  68. فَيا حَسرَة المَسبُوقِ وَالوَيل لازِب

    لِمُنخَدِعٍ مِن فَتكَةِ الأَسَدِ الوَردِ

    Oh, the grief of the one outstripped, with doom clinging

    to one deceived by the attack of the tawny lion!

  69. وَما وزر المَغرور إِلا سَحابَة

    تَظَلُّ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ يضحَى عَلَى وَقدِ

    The deluded man's refuge is only a cloud

    that lingers briefly; then he is exposed to a blaze.

  70. وَقَد تَصدق الأَحلام وَالظن كاذِب

    وَلَيسَ كَرَأيِ العَينِ مِن خَبَرٍ عندِي

    Dreams may prove true while conjecture is false,

    and to me no report is like the eye's own seeing.

  71. وَأَجمَل شَيء فِي العُلا عَفو قادِر

    عَلَى مُذنب لَم يَقتَرِف زِلة الجَحدِ

    The fairest thing in greatness is a powerful man's pardon

    of a sinner who has not committed the lapse of denial.

  72. وَمن ساوَرَ الضرغام أَصبَح باكِيا

    عَلَى فَقدِهِ مَحبُوبه حينَ لا يُجدِي

    Whoever attacks the lion comes to weep

    over the loss of his beloved, when weeping does no good.

  73. فَلِلَّهِ دَرّ الطائِي فِي قَولِه وَقَد

    أَجادَ وَقاس الجود بِالصاعِ وَالمدِّ

    God bless al-Ta'i for his words, for he

    spoke well and measured generosity by the sa' and mudd:

  74. وَإِنِّي لعَبْد الضَّيف ما دامَ ثاوِيا

    وَما بِيَ إِلا تِلكَ مِن شِيمِ العَبدِ

    "I am indeed the guest's slave so long as he remains,

    and that is the only trait of a slave in me."

  75. فَلا يَطمَع المَخذُول فِي عَفْو ماجِد

    إِذا سامَهُ بِالمَكْرِ أَو نَخوَة الندِّ

    Let no forsaken man hope for a noble man's pardon

    if he subjects him to deceit or a rival's arrogance.

  76. أَتَرْضَى بِبُخْسِ الفَخرِ فِي مَوقِف النُّهى

    وَسوق النُّهَى مَا بَينَ راخ وَمُشْتَدِّ

    Would you accept glory's devaluation where reason holds sway,

    when reason's market ranges between slackness and strength?

  77. وَمِن كَرَم الحُرِّ الكَريم دِفاعُهُ

    أَكُف الدَّنايا عَن جوارِه كالزَّردِ

    Among a free, noble man's generous traits is his repelling

    the hands of baseness from his precinct, like chain mail.

  78. فَلا يُحْمدُ الأَكْرامُ بِالصَّبْرِ فِي الرَّدَى

    وَلا يُجْلدُ الضّرْغامُ كالكَلبِ بِالقَدِّ

    The most noble are not praised for patience in destruction,

    nor is a lion flogged like a dog with a leather strap.

  79. وَمَن قاسَ بِاللَّيْثِ الكَبيرِ أُضَيْبِعا

    فَسَوفَ يُريهِ الشّبْل مَا صارَ فِي الفَهْدِ

    Whoever compares a little hyena to a great lion,

    the cub will show him what befell the cheetah.

  80. وَقَد يصْطَلِي المَحمُومُ وَاليَومُ صَائِف

    وَلا يَشْعُرُ المَسْمومُ بِالضُّرِّ فِي الصَفْدِ

    A fevered man may warm himself at a fire on a summer day,

    and the poisoned man does not feel the harm in his fetters.