لمن الركائب نحو رامة ترتمي — Ibn Farkoun

لمَن الرّكائِبُ نحْو رامةَ ترْتَمي

منْ بعْدِ طولِ تأمُّلٍ وتلوّمِ

Whose are the riding-camels hurtling toward Rama,

after long reflection and lingering?

عُوجاً كأمْثالِ القِسيِّ ضَوامِراً

مهْما ارْتَميْنَ يُصِبْنَ شاكلَةَ الرّمي

Curved like bows, lean-bodied,

whenever they dart forth, they strike the intended mark.

يحْمِلْنَ من أهْلِ الصّبابةِ أسْرَةً

كلفَتْ برَبْعٍ للغَرامِ ومَعْلَمِ

They carry a family from among the people of ardent love,

enamored of a dwelling and landmark of passion.

من كُلّ يقْظانِ الفؤادِ حديثُهُ

يزَعُ المنامَ عنِ العُيون النُّوَّمِ

Each wakeful-hearted one, whose speech

keeps sleep from slumbering eyes;

من كلّ منفردٍ بمجموعِ الهَوى

مُغْرىً بأشْتاتِ المحاسِنِ مُغْرَمِ

each alone with the whole of love,

beguiled by scattered beauties, enthralled;

متوسّدٍ فوقَ الرواحلِ بالحِمى

متوسّلٍ في ربْعِهِ متوسِّمِ

resting his head atop the mounts in the protected grounds,

imploring in its dwelling, searching for signs;

متأمّلٍ لبِعادِهِ متألّمٍ

ومسلّمٍ لغَرامِه مُسْتَسْلِمِ

pondering its remoteness, aching,

and yielding to his passion, utterly surrendered.

هُنّ الحَنايا لا الحَطايا إذْ رَمَتْ

منْها إلى الغرضِ القصيّ بأسْهُمِ

They are bows, not riding-camels, as she shot

arrows from them toward the distant target.

ومعاهِد الأُنْسِ التي وقفَتْ بها

للصّبْرِ حلّتْ كُلَّ عقْدٍ مُبْرَمِ

And the haunts of fellowship where she stopped

have undone every firmly tied knot of patience.

ما بالُها إن أُرْشِدَتْ لسُلُوِّها

لا تنْتَهي ولأهْلِ عُذْرةَ تنْتَمي

What ails her that, when guided toward forgetting,

she will not desist, and belongs to the people of 'Udhra?

تُزْجي عُهودَ الدّمْعِ من أجْفانِها

وجْداً بذكْرى عهدِها المتقدّمِ

She sends forth pledges of tears from her eyelids,

yearning at the memory of her bygone bond.

لمْ تُنْكِرِ الحيَّ الحِلالَ وإنّما

بهُيامِها عرَفَتْهُ بعْدَ توهّمِ

She did not fail to recognize the encamped tribe; rather,

through her consuming love she knew it, after uncertainty.

وعقيلةُ الحَيَّيْنِ تُوقِفُ ركْبَها

فالقوْمُ بينَ تأمُّلٍ وتألّمِ

And the noble lady of the two tribes halts her caravan,

so the people are between reflection and pain.

مالُوا على الأقْتابِ حين تأمّلوا

فالرّكبُ بين توسّدٍ وتوسّمِ

They leaned upon the camel-saddles when they reflected,

so the riders are between resting their heads and searching for signs.

أتْبَعْتُها نظَري غَداةَ تمنّعَتْ

فالطّرْفُ بينَ تمنّعٍ وتنعُّمِ

I followed her with my gaze the morning she held aloof,

so my gaze is between restraint and delight.

يُذْكي بمُحْمَرِّ الدموعِ صَبابَتي

فالقَلبُ بينَ تضرُّجٍ وتضرُّمِ

With reddened tears it kindles my longing,

so the heart is between crimson staining and blazing.

كم وقْفَةٍ حتَمتْ عليهِ بالهَوى

فالوجْدُ بيْنَ تحتّمٍ وتحكُّمِ

How many a halt has sentenced it to love,

so yearning lies between inevitability and domination.

والشّمْسُ تبْدو في السّحابِ وتخْتَفي

فالأفْقُ بينَ تغيُّبٍ وتغيُّمِ

And the sun appears among the clouds and disappears,

so the horizon is between concealment and clouding.

والطّيرُ تشْدو والحدائِقُ تنثَني

فالدّوحُ بينَ ترنُّحٍ وترنّمِ

And the birds sing, and the gardens sway,

so the great trees are between swaying and singing.

والغيثُ يسحَبُ ذيلَهُ فوقَ الرُبى

فالسّحْبُ بين تجمّعٍ وتجهّمِ

And the rain trails its skirt over the hills,

so the clouds are between gathering and frowning.

والزَّهْرُ قد شقّ النسيمُ جُيوبَهُ

فالرّوضُ بين تبسّمٍ وتنَسُّمِ

And the breeze has torn open the flowers' bosoms,

so the garden is between smiling and breathing the breeze.

كثَناءِ يوسُفٍ الذي شرعَ النّدى

فالجودُ بيْنَ مؤمَّلٍ وميمَّمِ

Like praise of Yusuf, who ordained generosity,

so bounty is both hoped for and sought out.

ملِكٌ إذا تُلِيتْ مآثِرُ مُلكِه

فالدُّرُّ بيْنَ منضَّدٍ ومنظَّمِ

A king—when the great deeds of his reign are recited,

the pearls are now arrayed, now strung.

يُسْتَفتَحُ النادي بذِكْرِ خِلالِه

فالوصْفُ بينَ مقدّسٍ ومُقدَّمِ

The assembly opens with mention of his virtues,

so his praise is hallowed and given precedence.

كمْ حِكْمَةٍ نادَتْ سيوفَ جِهادِهِ

هَذي العِدى قد أجْهَدَتْ فتحَكَّمي

How many a wise judgment has called to the swords of his jihad:

These foes have spent their strength; take command!

كمْ همّةٍ نحْو الكواكِبِ ترْتَقي

يومَ الطِّعانِ وللمَواكِبِ ترْتَمي

How many a lofty resolve rises toward the stars

on the day of spear-fighting, and hurls itself at the battle ranks,

بمَروعِ غَرْبٍ للسّوابِقِ ينْتَهي

ومُثيرِ حرْبٍ للبَوارِقِ ينْتَمي

with fearsome mettle that reaches the swift steeds,

and a stirrer of war that belongs to the lightning-flashes,

من سائِقٍ يهْدي العُداةَ إلى الرّدى

أو سابِقٍ فذِّ الشِّياتِ مطهّمِ

whether a driver guiding the foes to death,

or a racing steed, unmatched in markings, finely formed.

فإذا استَنارَت للسّيوفِ بَوارقٌ

في الرّوْعِ أجْلَتْ كلَّ خطْبٍ مُظْلِمِ

So when the swords' lightning-flashes shine forth

amid terror, they dispel every dark calamity.

وإذا تجلّتْ للأسنّةِ أنجُمٌ

في النّقْعِ أبْدَتْ كُلَّ معْنىً مُبْهَمِ

And when stars shine from the spearheads

amid the battle-dust, they reveal every obscure meaning.

والحربُ إن عُقِدَتْ لها راياتُهُ

للكُفْرِ حلّتْ كُلَّ عهدٍ مُبْرَمِ

And war, when his banners are raised for it,

undoes every firmly bound covenant of unbelief.

يقضي بأمْرٍ في المُلوكِ مُحكَّمٍ

يمْضي بعزْمٍ كالحُسامِ مُصمِّمِ

He rules by a command authoritative among kings,

and advances with resolve, decisive as a keen sword.

ما ظُلّلتْ لُجَجُ السّوابِغِ في الوَغى

إلا بأدْواحِ القَنا المُتحطّمِ

The deep seas of ample mail were never shaded in battle

except by groves of shattered spears.

ما جُرّدَتْ بيضُ الظُّبا في المُلْتَقى

إلا لأن كُسيَتْ بمُحْمَرّ الدّمِ

The bright sword-edges were never drawn in the clash

save to be clothed in the crimson of blood.

يا مُنجِدَ الأمْلاكِ بالعزْمِ الذي

أبْدَى السّبيلَ لمُنجِدٍ ولمُتْهِمِ

O helper of kings, with the resolve that

showed the way to those bound for Najd and Tihama!

هذي العِدى ترْجو نَدَى يدِكَ التي

هيَ مورِدُ الظّامي وكنْزُ المُعْدِمِ

These foes hope for the bounty of your hand, which

is the thirsty one's watering-place and the destitute one's treasure.

لم يجْنَحوا للسّلْمِ إلا بعدَما

ألْقَتْ لك الدُنْيا يدَ المُسْتَسْلِمِ

They did not incline to peace until after

the world offered you the hand of surrender.

كمْ أمّةٍ أمّتْكَ بعْدَ خِلافِها

لتَنالَ عفْوَكَ تحْفَةً في المَقْدَمِ

How many a nation sought you after its defiance,

to gain your pardon as a gift upon arrival!

فأنَلتَها من حِلْمِكَ النعْمى التي

ظفِرتْ بهنّ يدُ المُسيءِ المُجْرِمِ

So you granted it, from your forbearance, the blessings

won by the hand of the guilty wrongdoer.

أمَّنْتَها فالقوْمُ بينَ مُهوّنٍ

للخَطْبِ في دَعَةٍ وبيْنَ مُهَوِّمِ

You made it secure: some of its people make light

of misfortune in comfort, while others doze.

أوْلَيْتَها من جودِكَ النّعَمَ التي

جلّتْ فلا عدِمَتْ وجودَ المُنْعِمِ

You bestowed on it, from your bounty, the favors that

were immense; may it never lack its benefactor's presence!

هذا ويا للهِ وجْهَتُكَ التي

أعلتْ لدينِ اللهِ أشرفَ مَعْلَمِ

All this—and, O God, that journey of yours which

raised the noblest landmark for the faith of God.

أعْمَلتَها طوْعَ السّعودِ رَكائِباً

تسْري وتَنتقِلُ انتِقالَ الأنْجُمِ

You made riding-camels ply it, obedient to auspicious stars,

traveling by night and moving as the stars move.

وحلَلْتَ فوقَ البحْرِ أمْنَعَ مَعْقِلٍ

حيثُ الكواكبُ ترْتَقي أو ترْتَمي

And you alighted above the sea at the most impregnable stronghold,

where the stars rise or shoot downward.

قد قابَلَ الكفَّ الخَضيبَ كأنّه

أبَداً يُشيرُ لها بكفِّ مُسَلّمِ

It faced the Dyed Hand, as though it

were forever signaling to it with a greeter's palm.

وأقَمْتَ بالقَصْرِ الذي بنُجودِهِ

يُلْفَى الأمانُ لمنجِدٍ أو مُتْهِمِ

And you stayed in the palace, upon whose heights

safety is found for one bound for Najd or Tihama.

فتَرى الثّنيّةَ دونَ مظْهَرِ أفْقِهِ

تلْقى رياحَ الجوّ فاغِرَةَ الفمِ

So you see the mountain pass beneath its visible horizon,

meeting the winds of the air with mouth agape.

ثمّ انتقلْتَ لضفّةِ الوادي الذي

منهُ تُمِدُّ البحْرَ راحةُ منْعِمِ

Then you moved to the bank of the river,

from which a benefactor's palm replenishes the sea.

طارَدتَ فيها كُلَّ أطْلَسَ شارِدٍ

متَهَيّبٍ نحْو المنيّةِ مُقْدِمِ

There you pursued every dusky, fleeing wolf,

fearful, yet advancing toward death.

وقدِ انثَنيْتَ لحضْرةِ المُلْكِ التي

ما وصفُ غُرّ خلالِها بمُكتّمِ

And you returned to the royal seat,

the description of whose radiant virtues is no secret.

وافَيْتَها فاهْنأ بأسْعَدِ وِجْهةٍ

وقدِمْتَها فاهْنأ بأسْعَدِ مَقْدَمِ

You reached it; rejoice in the most fortunate destination!

And you came to it; rejoice in the most fortunate arrival!

موْلايَ لا تُحْصى خِلالُكَ في العُلى

إلا بآياتِ الكِتابِ المُحْكَمِ

My lord, your virtues in high honor cannot be counted

except through the verses of the perfected Book.

فإليْكَها طوْعَ البلاغةِ آثرَتْ

حُكْمَ البِدارِ إليْكَ دونَ تلَوُّمِ

So here it is for you: obedient to eloquence, it preferred

the imperative of hastening to you, without delay.

جاءتْكَ منْ حُرِّ الكلامِ بلُؤلُؤٍ

ما بيْنَ فذٍّ للنّظامِ وتوْءَمِ

It came to you with pearls of noble speech,

some single for the string, and others paired.

فبقيتَ ما سارَ الحَجيجُ إلى مِنىً

واحْتَلَ بالبيتِ العَتيقِ وزمْزَمِ

So may you endure as long as pilgrims journey to Mina,

and alight at the Ancient House and Zamzam.