نهت الكواشح عنه والعذالا — Ibn Hamdis

نَهَتِ الكواشحَ عنه والعُذّالا

فَكَأنَّما ملأتْ يديه وصالا

She kept the spiteful and the reproachers away from him,

as though she had filled his hands with union.

أَتَظُنّها رَحِمَتْهُ من أَلمِ الجَوَى

بِمُخَلخَلٍ يَستَرحِمُ الخِلخَالا

Do you think she pitied him for the pain of consuming love,

with an ankleted leg that begs its anklet for mercy?

ظَمآنُ يَستسقي أُجاجَ دموعِهِ

من عارِضِ البَرِد الشنيبِ زلالا

Thirsty, he begs water for the bitter brine of his tears,

clear water from the cloud of her cool, pearly mouth.

حَتّى إذا لَذَعَ الغَرامُ فؤادَهُ

شربَ الغليلَ وأُشرِبَ البِلبالا

Until, when passion scorched his heart,

he drank burning thirst and was given anguish to drink.

مُضْنىً أزارتْهُ خيالاً عائداً

فكأنّما زارَ الخيالُ خيالا

To him, wasted, she sent a phantom to visit,

as though a phantom had visited a phantom.

لا يستجيبُ لسائلٍ فكأنّهُ

طَلَلٌ وهل طللٌ يجيبُ سُؤالا

He does not answer a questioner, as though he were

a ruin—and can a ruin answer a question?

كَم سامِعٍ بِالعَينِ مِن آلامِهِ

قِيلاً بأفواهِ الدموعِ وقالا

Many a listener has heard with the eye, from his pains,

speech and discourse through the mouths of tears.

إِنّي طُرِفْتُ بِأَعينٍ في طَرفِها

سِحْرٌ يَحُلُّ مِنَ العقولِ عِقالا

I have been dazzled by eyes whose gaze

holds magic that loosens the tether of reason.

وَفَحَصتُ عَن سَببٍ عَصَيتُ بِهِ النّهى

فَوَجدتُهُ ذُلّاً يُطيعُ دلالا

And I searched for the cause through which I defied reason,

and found it abasement bowing to coquetry.

وَأَنا الَّذي صَيَّرْتُ عِلْقَ صبابتي

بصبابَتي للغانِيات مُذالا

And I am the one who made my yearning's treasure,

through my yearning, a thing cheapened for beautiful women.

فتَصيَّدَتنِي ظبيةٌ إنسِيّةٌ

وَأَنا الَّذي أَتَصَيَّدُ الرّئبالا

So a human gazelle made me her prey,

though I am the one who hunts the lion.

تُجري الأراكَ على الأقاح وظَلمُها

ريقٌ أذُقْتَ الشَّهدَ والجِريالا

She draws an arak twig across her daisies; her teeth's luster

is saliva—you are given honey and red wine to taste.

وتريكَ ليلاً في الذوائب يجتلي

نوراً عليك ظلامُهُ وصقالا

And she shows you a night in her tresses, revealing

light and luster to you through its darkness.

وإذا تداولتِ الولائدُ مَشْطَهُ

عَرُضَ السُّرى بالمشطِ فيه وطالا

When the handmaids take turns with its comb,

the comb's night journey through it grows broad and long.

وتَنَفَّسَتْ بِالندِّ فيهِ فَخَيَّمتْ

نَارٌ مواصِلَةٌ بِهِ الإِشعالا

And she breathed fragrant incense into it, until there settled

a fire that kept its burning alive within it.

يا هَذِهِ لَقَدِ انفَرَدتِ بِصورَةٍ

لِلحُسنِ صُوِّرَ خَلقُها تِمثالا

O you, you are unique in a form

of beauty whose shape was fashioned as a statue.

أمّا الجفونُ فقد خَلَقْنَ مقَاتِلاً

مِنّي فَكَيفَ خَلَقْنَ مِنكِ نِبالا

As for eyelids, they have fashioned mortal targets

from me; how have they fashioned arrows from you?

هَل تطلعينَ عليَّ بدراً عن رضىً

فأراكِ عن غضَبٍ طلعتِ هلالا

Will you rise upon me, pleased, as a full moon?

For I see you, angry, rising as a crescent.

ألفيتُ بَرْقَكِ في المَخِيلَةَ خُلّباً

ويمينَ عَهدكِ في الوفاءِ شمالا

I found your lightning in the raincloud brought no rain,

and your pledge's right hand proved a left in keeping faith.

ما هذه الفتكات في مهجاتنا

هَل كانَ عِندَكِ قَتلهنَّ حلالا

What are these murderous assaults upon our souls?

Was killing them lawful in your eyes?

لِم لا ترقُّ لَنا بِقَلبِكَ قَسوَة

أَخُلِقْتِ إِلّا غادَة مِكسالا

Why will the hardness in your heart not soften toward us?

Were you created as anything but a languid, tender maiden?

وظُباكِ تصرعُ دائباً أهلَ الهَوى

وَظُبا عليٍّ تَصرَع الأبطالا

And your blades ceaselessly strike down lovers,

while Ali's blades strike down champions.

مَلكٌ لِنصر اللَّه سَلَّ مجاهداً

عَضْباً تَوَقّدَ بالمتونِ وسالا

A king who drew, striving to aid God's cause,

a keen sword that blazed over backs and flowed.

وإذا شدا في الهام خلتَ صليلَهُ

عمَلاً وَهَزّ غِرارِهِ استِهلالا

And when it sings among heads, you take its ringing

for music, and the shaking of its edge for a prelude.

وَكَأنَّهُ مِن كُلِّ دِرعٍ قَدَّها

يُغْري بأحداقِ الجرادِ نَمالا

As though, from every coat of mail it cleaves,

it sets ants upon the eyes of locusts.

مَلكٌ إِذا نَظَمَ المِكارِمَ مَثَّلتْ

يدُهُ بها التتميمَ والإيغالا

A king who, when he strings noble deeds together,

has his hand exemplify their completion and consummation.

فَدَعِ الهبات إِذا ذَكَرْتَ هِباته

تُنْسي البحورُ بِذِكرها الأوشالا

Set other gifts aside whenever you mention his gifts;

the mention of oceans makes one forget trickles.

ماضٍ على هَوْلِ الوقائعِ مُقْدِمٌ

كَالسيفِ صَمّمَ وَالغَضَنفرِ صالا

He advances through the terror of battles, bold,

like a sword cutting through and a lion charging.

يرمي بثالثَةِ الأثافي قِرْنَهُ

فَالأَرْضُ مِنها تَشتَكي الزلزالا

He hurls the third hearthstone at his opponent,

and the earth complains of the earthquake it causes.

فَبِأَيِّ شَيءٍ تَتَّقي من بأسِهِ

ما لو رَمَى جبلاً به لانهالا

With what, then, can you guard against his might—

that which, hurled at a mountain, would make it crumble?

يصْلى حرورَ الموْت مَنْ مَدّتْ له

يمناهُ من وَرَقِ الحديدِ ظلالا

He burns in death's scorching heat, the one for whom

his right hand spreads shadows from leaves of iron.

هَدّ الضّلالَ فلم تقُمْ عُمُدٌ له

وأقامَ من عمد الهدى ما مالا

He demolished error, leaving no pillar of it standing,

and set upright the pillars of guidance that had tilted.

من سادةٍ أخلاقُهُمْ وحلومُهُمْ

تتعرّضانِ بسائطاً وجبالا

Of lords whose virtues and forbearance

appear as open plains and mountains.

أقْيَالُ حِمْيَرَ لا يَرُدّ زمانُهُمْ

لَهمُ بما أمرُوا بِه أقْوَالا

Princes of Himyar, whose age returns no

words of contradiction to the commands they give.

وإذا الكريهةُ بالحتوفِ تسعّرَتْ

وغدتْ نواجذُها قناً ونصالا

And when battle blazes with deadly fates,

and its teeth become spears and blades,

واستَحضَرَ اللَّيلُ النّهارَ بظلمةٍ

طلعتْ بها زُهْرُ النجوم إلالا

and night summons day into a darkness

where bright stars rise as spearheads,

نَبذوا الدّروعَ وقاربت أعمارهم

نيل اللّهاذم والظُّبا الآجالا

they cast away their armor; their lives draw close,

within reach of keen spears and blades, to their appointed ends.

حَتّى كَأَنَّهُمُ بِهَجرِ حَياتِهمْ

يَجِدونَ مِنها بالحِمامِ وِصالا

So it is as though, by forsaking their lives,

they find through death a reunion with life.

فهمُ همُ أُسْدُ الأسود براثناً

وأرقّ أبناءِ الملوكِ نِعالا

They are the very lions of lions in their claws,

and the most delicate of kings' sons in their sandals.

يا مَنْ تَضَمّنَ فضْلُهُ إفْضالَهُ

والفضلُ ما يَتَضَمّنُ الإفضالا

O you whose excellence embraces your generosity,

and excellence is what embraces generosity.

عَيّدْتَ بالإسْلامِ مُهْتبِلاً لهُ

في زينةٍ خلعتْ عليه جمالا

You celebrated the feast for Islam, honoring it,

in finery that draped it in beauty.

ولبستَ فيه على شِعارِكَ بالتُّقى

من ربّكَ الإعظامَ والإجْلالا

And at it, over your inner garb of piety, you wore

high esteem and honor from your Lord.

قدّمْتَ عدّ بنيك فيه لمن يَرى

ليثَ الكفاح يُرَشّحُ الأشبالا

You brought your sons' company forward there for the onlooker:

a lion of combat training his cubs.

في جحفلٍ ملأ الهواءَ خوافقاً

والسّمْعَ رِكْزاً والفَضاءَ رعالا

In a vast host that filled the air with fluttering banners,

the ears with murmurs, and the expanse with squadrons.

وكأنّ أطراف الذوابلِ فوقَه

تُذْكي لإطفاءِ النّفوس ذُبَالا

And it is as though the slender spearpoints above it

kindle wicks to extinguish souls.

بالخَيْلِ جُرداً والسيوف قواضباً

والبزْلِ قُوداً والرماح طوالا

With horses sleek and swords keen-cutting,

with mature camels long-necked and spears long,

وبعارِضِ الموتِ الذي في طيِّهِ

وَبْلٌ يَصُبُّ على عِداكَ وبالا

and with death's cloud, bearing in its folds

a downpour pouring calamity upon your enemies.

تَرَكَتْ ثَعابينُ القفارِ شِعابَها

وأُسودُها الآجام والأغيالا

The serpents of the wastelands left their ravines,

and their lions the thickets and dense woods,

وأتت معوّلةً على جيفِ العدى

وحسبنَ سِلْمَكَ بالعجاج قتالا

and came counting on the corpses of the enemy,

and, amid the dust, mistook your peace for battle.

خَفَقَتْ بنودٌ ظَلَّلت عَذَباتها

بُهَماً سيوفُها الضُّلّالا

Banners fluttered, their streamers shading

dauntless warriors, whose swords overshadowed the misguided.

من كلّ جسمٍ يَحتْسي من ريحِهِ

روحاً يقُيم بخلقهِ أشكالا

Every body drinks from its breeze

a spirit that sets forms upright in its likeness.

وكأنّ أجياداً حباك جيادَهُ

فكسوتَهُنّ من الجَلالِ جُلالا

And it is as though Ajyad had gifted you its steeds,

and you clothed them with caparisons of majesty.

من كلّ وَرْدٍ رائقٍ كسميِّهِ

فتخالُ من شَفَقٍ له سربالا

Each rose-red steed, as lovely as its namesake,

you fancy wearing a robe of twilight's glow.

أَو أَشقَرٍ كَالصبحِ يَعقِلُ رادعاً

هَيْقَ الفلاةِ وجأبها الذيّالا

Or a chestnut like dawn, that hobbles and holds back

the desert's ostrich and its long-tailed wild ass.

أو أشعلٍ كالسّيد عَرّضَ سابحاً

فحسبته بالأيطلَينِ غزالا

Or a white-tailed steed like a wolf, presenting itself at a gallop,

which you take, by its two flanks, for a gazelle.

أو مُشْبِهٍ لعس الشفاهِ فكُلَّما

رَشَفَتْهُ بالنّظَرِ العيونُ أحالا

Or one resembling the dusky tint of lips—whenever

eyes sip it with their gaze, it changes hue.

أو لابسٍ ثوباً عليه مُرَيَّشاً

وصلتْ قوائمه به أذيالا

Or one wearing a feather-patterned robe,

its legs joined to it as trailing hems.

أَو أَدهَمٍ كاللَّيلِ أَمّا لونه

فَلَكَم تَمنّى الحسنُ منه خيالا

Or a black steed like night—as for its color,

how often beauty has wished for an image of it!

يَطَأُ الصفا بالجزع منه زبرجدٌ

فيثيرهُ في جوّه قَسْطالا

An emerald treads smooth stone with its onyx,

raising it as a dust cloud in the air around it.

والبُزْلُ تجنحُ بالقِبابِ كأنّها

سُفُنٌ مدافعةٌ صَباً وشمالا

And the mature camels sway with their canopies, as though

they were ships contending with east and north winds.

وكأنّما حملت رُبى قد نوّرَتْ

وَسُقِينَ من صَوْبِ الربيع سجالا

As though they carried hillocks that had flowered,

and been watered with bucketfuls of spring's pouring rain.

وَكَأَنَّما زُفَّتْ لَهُنَّ عَرائِساً

لِتَحلّ مَغْنَى عِزِّك المحلالا

And as though they were brought to them as brides,

to alight in the welcoming abode of your glory.

بَكَرَت تَعالى للهِلالِ وما انثَنَتْ

حَتّى رَأيتَ لَها الهلالَ تَعالى

They set out early, rising toward the crescent, and did not turn back

until you saw the crescent rise for them.

صَلّيتَ ثمَّ نحرتَ في سُنَنِ الهدى

بُدْناً كنحرِكَ في الوغى الأقتالا

You prayed, then slaughtered, following the ways of guidance,

sacrificial camels, as you slaughter foes in battle.

وَتَبِعتَ سُنَّةَ أَحمدٍ وأريتنا

مِنْ فِعْلِهِ في الفعلِ منك مثالا

And you followed Ahmad's practice and showed us

in your own actions an example of his actions.

ثمَّ انصرفتَ إلى قصورك تبتني

مجداً وتهدمُ بالمكارمِ مالا

Then you returned to your palaces, building

glory and demolishing wealth through noble deeds.

وتؤكّد الأسماءَ في ما تشتهي

من هِمَةٍّ وَتُصَرِّفُ الأفعالا

And you affirm names in whatever you desire

of high ambition, and conjugate the verbs.