هل آجل مما أؤمل عاجل — Ibn Hani Andalusia

هل آجِلٌ ممّا أُؤمِّلُ عاجِلُ

أرجو زماناً والزمانُ حُلاحِل

Will any distant hope of mine come soon?

I hope for a time, though Time is a mighty lord.

وأعَزُّ مفْقُودٍ شبابٌ عائِدٌ

من بعدِ ما ولّى وإلْفٌ واصلُ

The dearest lost thing is youth returned

after it has gone, and a loved companion reunited.

ما أحسَنَ الدّنْيا بشَمْلٍ جامِعٍ

لكنّها أُمُّ البَنينَ الثّاكِلُ

How lovely the world is with everyone gathered together!

Yet she is the bereaved mother of sons.

جرَتِ اللّيالي والتّنائي بينَنَا

أُمُّ الليّالي والتّنائي هابِلُ

The nights passed, with separation between us;

the mother of nights and separation is bereaved.

فكأنّمَا يوْمٌ ليومٍ طاردٌ

وكأنّمَا دَهْرٌ لدَهْرٍ آكل

As though each day were chasing another day,

and each age were devouring another age.

أعَلى الشّبابِ أم الخليطِ تَلَدُّدي

هذا يُفارِقُني وذاك يُزايِل

Is my anguish for youth or for my companions?

This leaves me, and that departs.

في كلِّ يوْمٍ أسْتَزيدُ تجارِباً

كم عالمٍ بالشيءِ وهو يُسائِلُ

Each day I seek still more experience;

how many know a thing, yet keep asking!

ما العِيسُ ترحلُ بالقِبابِ حميدةً

لكنّهَا عَصْرُ الشبابِ الراحلُ

The pale camels win no praise as they carry the canopied litters away;

rather, they are youth's departing season.

ما الخمْرُ إلاّ ما تُعَتِّقُهُ النّوَى

أوْ أُختُهَا ممّا تُعَتِّقُ بابل

Wine is only what separation ages,

or its sister, which Babylon ages.

فمزاجُ كأسِ البابِلِيّةِ أوْلَقٌ

ومِزاجُ تلك دمُ الأفاعي القاتل

The blend in a cup of Babylonian wine is madness;

the blend in that other wine is the deadly blood of vipers.

ولقد مَرَرْتُ على الدّيارِ بمَنْعِجٍ

وبها الذي بي غيرَ أنّي السّائل

I passed the dwellings at Man'ij;

they suffer what I suffer, except that I am the one who asks.

فَتَوافَقَ الطَّلَلانِ هذا دارسٌ

في بُرْدَتَيْ عَصْبٍ وهذا ماثل

The two ruins matched: this one effaced,

wearing two striped mantles, and this one still standing.

فَمَحا مَعالمَ ذا نجيعٌ سافكٌ

ومحا مَعالِمَ ذا مُلِثٌّ وابل

Flowing blood erased this one's features,

and incessant, torrential rain erased the other's.

يا دارُ أشبَهَتِ المها فيكِ المَهَا

والسِّرْبَ إلاّ أنّهُنَّ مَطافل

O dwelling, the oryx within you resembled the oryx-like beauties,

and the herd their company—except that these have calves.

نَضَحَتْ جوانحَكِ الرّياحُ بلؤلؤ

للطَّلِّ فيه رَدْعُ مِسْكٍ جائل

The winds sprinkled your flanks with pearls

of dew, bearing a drifting trace of musk.

وغَدَتْ بجْيبٍ فيكِ مشقوقٍ لها

نَفَسٌ تُرَدِّدُهُ ودَمْعٌ هامل

They came with their bosom torn within you, with

a breath they kept repeating and tears pouring down.

هَلاّ كعهدِكِ والأراكُ أرائِكٌ

والأثلُ بانٌ والطُّلُولُ خمائل

Why are you not as before, when the arak trees were couches,

the tamarisks were ban trees, and the ruins were thickets?

إذ ذلك الوادي قَناً وأسِنّةٌ

وإذِ الدّيارُ مَشاهدٌ ومحافل

When that valley was all spear-shafts and spearheads,

and the dwellings were gatherings and assemblies,

وعوابسٌ وقَوانِسٌ وفَوارِسٌ

وكوانسٌ وأوانسٌ وعقائل

with grim warriors, helmets, and horsemen,

gazelles in their coverts, lovely companions, and noblewomen.

وإذِ العِراصُ تبيتُ يَسحَبُ لأمَةً

فيها ابنُ هَيْجاءٍ ويصفِنُ صاهل

When the courtyards spent the night with armor trailing

behind a son of battle, and a neighing horse standing poised,

وتَضِجُّ أيْسارٌ ويَصْدَحُ شاربٌ

وتَرِنُّ سُمّارٌ ويَهْدِرُ جامل

gamblers clamoring and a drinker singing,

night companions raising their voices and a camel herd bellowing.

بُعْداً للَيْلاتٍ لنا أفِدَتْ ولا

بَعُدَتْ لَيالٍ بالغميمِ قلائل

Away with nights of ours that hastened on; may not

those few nights at al-Ghamim ever be distant!

إذ عيْشُنَا في مثْلِ دولَةِ جَعفَرٍ

والعَدْلُ فيها ضاحكٌ والنّائل

When our life was like the reign of Ja'far,

and justice and bounty smiled within it.

ندعوهُ سيْفاً والمنيّةُ حَدُّهُ

وسِنانَ حَرْبٍ والكتيبةُ عامل

We call him a sword, with death for its edge,

and a spearhead of war, with the battalion for its shaft.

هذا الذي لولا بقيّة عدلِهِ

ما كان في الدنيا قضاءٌ عادل

This is he without whose remaining justice

there would be no just judgment in the world.

لو أشْرَبَ اللّهُ القلوبَ حَنانَهُ

أو رِفْقَهُ أحْيا القتيلَ القاتل

If God steeped hearts in his tenderness

or his gentleness, the killer would restore the slain to life.

ولوَ انّ كلَّ مُطاعِ قومٍ مثلُه

ما غَيّرَ الدَّوْلاتِ دَهرٌ دائل

If every leader obeyed by his people were like him,

no turn of Time would overturn dynasties.

إن كان يعْلَمُ جَعْفَراً عِلمي بِهِ

بَشَرٌ فليس على البسيطَةِ جاهل

If any human knows Ja'far as I know him,

there is no ignorant person on the earth.

يَوْماهُ طَعْنٌ في الكريهةِ فَيصَلٌ

أبداً وحُكْمٌ في المَقامَةِ فاصل

His two days are a decisive thrust in battle,

always, and a conclusive judgment in assembly.

بطَلٌ إذا ما شاءَ حَلّى رُمْحَهُ

بدَمٍ وقُرِّبَ منْهُ رُمحٌ عاطل

A hero who, whenever he wishes, adorns his lance

with blood, though the lance brought him was unadorned.

أعطى فأكثرَ واستَقَلَّ هِباتِهِ

فاسْتَحْيَتِ الأنواءُ وهي هوامل

He gave lavishly, yet deemed his gifts small;

the rain-stars grew ashamed, though pouring down.

فاسمُ الغمامِ لديه وهو كَنَهْوَرٌ

آلٌ وأسماءُ البحورِ جداول

Beside him, the name of a cloud, even a towering one,

is 'mirage,' and the seas are named 'streams.'

لولا اتّساعُ مذاهبِ الآفاقِ مَا

وسِعَتْ له فيها لُهىً وفواضل

Were the reaches of the horizons not so vast,

they could not contain his gifts and abundant favors.

إن لَجّ هذا الوَدْقُ منه ولم يُفِقْ

عمّا أرى هذا الصَّبيرُ الوابل

If this rain of his persists and does not abate—

this torrent-pouring cloud, from what I see—

فسينقضي طَلَبٌ ويُفقَدُ طالبٌ

وتَقِلُّ آمالٌ ويُعْدَمُ آملُ

requests will end, and no petitioner will remain;

hopes will dwindle, and no hopeful soul will be found.

شِيَمٌ مَخِيلَتُها السَّماحُ وقَلّما

تَهْمي سحابٌ ما لهنَّ مَخايل

Traits whose promise is generosity; seldom

do clouds pour when they show no signs of rain.

هّبتْ قَبُولاً والرّياحُ رَوَاكِدٌ

وأتَتْ سماءً والغيومُ غَوافل

They blew as an east wind while the winds stood still,

and came as rain while the clouds were heedless.

تَسْمو به العَينُ الطَّموحُ إلى التي

تَفنى الرِّقابُ بها ويَفْنى النائل

The aspiring eye raises him toward that height

where necks perish and bounty is exhausted.

نَظَرَتْ إلى الأعداءِ أوّلَ نَظْرَةٍ

فَتَزَايَلَتْ منْهُ طُلىً ومَفاصل

It cast its first glance upon the enemies,

and throats and joints were sundered by him.

وثَنَتْ إلى الدنيا بأُخرى مثلِها

فتقسَّمَتْ في النّاسِ وهي نَوافل

It turned toward the world with another glance like it,

and the world was shared among people as gifts.

لم تَخْلُ أرضٌ من نَداهُ ولا خلا

من شكْرِ ما يولي لسانٌ قائل

No land was empty of his bounty, nor was

any speaking tongue empty of thanks for what he bestows.

وطىءَ المحُولَ فلم يُقدِّمْ خطوةً

إلاّ وأكنْافُ البِلادِ خَمائِل

He trod the barren lands; he took no step

but the country's outskirts became thickets.

ورأى العُفاةَ فلمْ يَزِدْهُمْ لحظَةً

إلاّ وكِيرانُ المَطِيِّ وذائل

He saw the petitioners; no further glance was needed

before the camel saddles became silver ingots.

تأتي له خَلفَ الخُطوبِ عزائِمٌ

تُذكَى لها خلفَ الصّباحِ مشاعل

Resolves come to him from beyond calamities,

for which torches are lit beyond daylight.

فكأنّهُنّ على العُيونِ غَياهِبٌ

وكأنّهُنّ على النّفوسِ حبائل

As though they were darkness upon the eyes,

and snares upon souls.

المُدركاتُ عدُوَّهُ ولوَ انّهُ

قَمَرُ السّماءِ لَهُ النُّجومُ مَعاقِل

They reach his enemy, even were he

the moon of heaven, with the stars as his strongholds.

وإذا عُقابُ الجَوِّ هَدْهَدَ رِيشَها

صَعِقَتْ شواهِينٌ لها وأجادل

When the eagle of the sky shakes her feathers,

peregrines and falcons are thunderstruck before her.

مَلِكٌ إذا صَدِئَتْ عليهِ دروعُهُ

فلها من الهَيجاء يومٌ صاقل

A king whose armor, when it rusts upon him,

has a day of battle to polish it.

وإذا الدّماءُ جَرَتْ على أطْواقها

فمن الدِّماءِ لها طَهورٌ غاسل

When blood runs over its collars,

blood supplies it with a cleansing wash.

مُلِئَتْ قلوبُ الإنسِ منه مهابَةً

وأطاعَهُ جِنُّ الصَّريمِ الخابل

Human hearts were filled with awe of him,

and the maddening jinn of the thicket obeyed him.

فإذا سمِعتَ على البِعادِ زَئِيرَهُ

فاذهَبْ فقد طَرَقَ الهِزَبْرُ الباسل

If you hear his roar from afar,

go, for the valiant lion has come by night.

لو يَدَّعِيهِ غيرُ حيٍّ ناطِقٍ

لَغَدَتْ أسودُ الغَابِ فيه تجادل

Were any but a speaking race to claim him,

the lions of the forest would dispute over him.

تَنْسَى له فُرسانَها قَيسٌ ولمْ

تَظلِمْ وتُعرِضُ عن كُلَيبٍ وائل

For him Qays forgets its horsemen, without

injustice, and Wa'il turns away from Kulayb.

هَجَماتُ عَزْمٍ ما لهُنّ مُقابلٌ

وجِهاتُ عَزْمٍ ما لهُنّ مُخاتِل

Onslaughts of resolve that none can oppose,

courses of resolve against which none can scheme.

فانهَض بأعْباءِ الخِلافَةِ كلِّهَا

إنّ المُحَمَّلَهُنَّ عَودٌ بازل

Rise, then, with all the burdens of the caliphate:

the one charged with them is a seasoned, full-grown camel.

ولقد تكونُ لكَ الأسِنّةُ مَضْجَعاً

حتى كأنّكَ من حِمامِك غافل

Spearheads may indeed become your bed,

as though you were heedless of your death.

تَغْدو على مُهَج الليوثِ مُجاهِراً

حتى كأنّكَ مِنْ بِدارٍ خاتل

You openly assail the very hearts of lions,

as though your swift onset were a stealthy attack.

تلكَ الخلافَةُ هاشمٌ أربابُهَا

والدِّينُ هاديها وأنتَ الكاهل

That caliphate has Hashim for its masters;

religion is its guide, and you its supporting shoulders.

هل جاءها بالأمسِ منكَ على النوى

يومٌ كيومكَ للمسامع هائل

Did there reach it from you yesterday, across the distance,

a day like yours, terrible to hear of?

وسُرَاكَ لا تَثنيكَ حِدَّةُ مأتَمٍ

رُجُفٌ نَوادِبُهُ وخَبْلٌ خابِل

And your night-march, undeterred by a mourning rite's fury,

its mourners trembling, its madness maddening,

وقد التَقَتْ بِيدٌ وقطرٌ صائبٌ

ومسالكٌ دُعْجٌ وليلٌ لائل

while deserts met falling rain,

and dark paths met a pitch-black night,

وجَرَتْ شِعابٌ ما لهُنَّ مَذانِبٌ

وطَمَتْ بحارٌ ما لهنّ سَواحل

ravines flowed that had no watercourses,

and seas surged that had no shores.

تَمْضي ويَتبَعُكَ الغَمامُ بوَبْلِهِ

فكأنّهُ لك حيثُ كنتَ مُساجل

You advance, and the cloud follows with its downpour,

as though competing with you wherever you are.

سارٍ كأنّ قتيرَ دِرعِكَ فوقَهُ

كُففَاً وجُودُ يَدَيكَ منه هامل

Traveling by night, as though your armor's rings above it

were rounded patches, with your hands' bounty streaming from it.

ووراءَ سيفكَ مُصلَتاً وأمامَهُ

جيشٌ لجيش اللّه فيه منَازل

Behind your drawn sword and before it

stands an army in which God's army has its stations.

مُثْعَنْجَرٌ يَبرينُ فيهِ وعالِجٌ

والأخشَبانِ مُتالِعٌ ومُواسِل

A surging host, with Yabrin and 'Alij within it,

and the two rocky mountains, Mutali' and Muwasil.

فكأنّما الهَضَبَاتُ منه أجارعٌ

وكأنّما البُكراتُ منه أصائِل

Its plateaus seem but sandy flats,

and its mornings seem like late afternoons.

وكأنّما هُوَ منْ سَماءٍ خارجٌ

وكأنّما هو في سَماءٍ داخِل

As though it were emerging from heaven,

and as though it were entering heaven.

تلتَفُّ خُرْصانُ العَوالي فوقَهُ

فكأنّما الآفاقُ منْهُ خَمائِل

The spearheads of tall lances intertwine above it,

as though the horizons were thickets because of it.

والحِيرَةُ البيضاءُ فيه صَوارِمٌ

والخطُّ من غَسّانَ فيه ذوابل

White al-Hirah is sharp swords within it,

and al-Khatt, from Ghassan, is supple lances within it.

والأُسْدُ كلُّ الأُسْدِ فيه فَوارِسٌ

والأرضُ كلُّ الأرضِ فيه قَساطل

The lions—all the lions—are horsemen within it,

and the earth—all the earth—is dust-clouds within it.

تُطْفي له شُعَلَ النُّجوم أسِنّةٌ

ويُغَيِّرُ الآفاقَ منه غَياطل

Its spearheads extinguish the stars' flames for him,

and its dense masses transform the horizons.

كالمُزْنِ يَدلحُ فالرُّعودُ غَماغِمٌ

في حَجرْتَيْهِ والبُروقُ منَاصل

Like rainclouds moving heavily, its thunder is muffled voices

along its two flanks, and its lightning is blades.

فدَمٌ كَقَطْرٍ صائبٍ لكِنّ ذا

بجميعِهِ طَلٌّ وهَذا وابل

Blood falls like rain, but that rain,

all of it, is drizzle, while this is a torrent.

فيه المذاكي كلُّ أجْرَدَ صِلدِمٍ

يَدمَى نَساً منه ويَشْخُبُ فائل

Within it are mature steeds, each sleek and rock-hard,

its sciatic vein bleeding and its hip-vein gushing:

مِنْ طائِراتٍ ما لهُنّ قَوادِمٌ

أو مُقْرَباتٍ ما لهنّ أياطل

flying steeds that have no flight feathers,

or choice steeds that have no flanks.

فكأنّما عَشَمَتْ لهنّ مرافِقٌ

وكأنّما زَفَرَتْ لهُنَّ مَراكِل

As though their elbows had dried hard,

and as though their flanks were panting.

أللاء لا يَعْرِفْنَ إلاّ غَارَةً

شَعْواءَ فهي إلى الكُماةِ صواهل

Those that know nothing but a raid,

fierce and sweeping, neigh toward armored champions.

اللاحِقاتُ وراءَهَا وأمامَها

فكأنّهُنّ جَنائبٌ وشَمائل

The fleet mares behind them and ahead of them

seem like southerly and northerly winds.

مُقْوَرَّةٌ يكْرَعنَ في حوض الردى

وِرْدَ القَطا في البِيدِ وهي نواهل

Hollow-sided, they drink from death's basin,

as sandgrouse drink in the wastes, drinking their fill.

فالنَّجْدُ في لَهَواتِها والغورُ وال

فلَقُ المُلَّمعُ والظّلامُ الحائل

The highland is in their throats, and the lowland, and

the bright-streaked dawn and the passing darkness.

والمجدُ يلقى المجْدَ بين فُرُوجِهَا

ذا راحِلٌ مَعَها وهذا قافل

Glory meets glory between their legs:

this one departing with them, and this one returning.

حتى أنَخْتَ على الخِيامِ إناخَةً

فَغَدَتْ أعالِيهِنَّ وهي أسافل

Until you brought your force to rest upon the tents,

and their tops became their bottoms.

يا رُبَّ وادٍ يومَ ذاكَ تركْتَهُ

وقطينُهُ فيه أتِيٌّ سائلُ

How many a valley you left that day

with its inhabitants a flowing torrent within it!

فاجَأتَهُ مَحْلاً وفجَّرْتَ الطُّلى

فجَرَتْ مَحانٍ تحتَه وجداول

You surprised it in drought and burst open throats,

so river bends and streams flowed beneath it.

ووطِئتَ بينَ كِناسِهِ وعرينِهِ

فأُصيبَ خادِرُهُ ورِيعَ الخاذل

You trod between its gazelle covert and its lion's den;

its lurking lion was struck, and its lone doe alarmed.

غادَرْتَهُ والموتُ في عَرَصاتِهِ

حَقٌّ وتضْليلُ الأماني باطِل

You left it with death in its courtyards

a certainty, and the delusion of hopes false.

تَمْكو عليه فرائصٌ وتَرائِبٌ

وتَرِنُّ فيه سواجِعٌ وثواكل

Flanks and breastbones whistle over it,

and cooing voices and bereaved mothers resound within it.

لا النّارُ أذكَتْ حَجْرَتَيْهِ وإنّما

مَزَعَتْ جيادُكَ فيه وهي جوافل

No fire set its two sides ablaze; rather,

your steeds swept through it, galloping wildly.

لا رأيَ إلاّ ما رأيتَ صَوابَهُ

في المُشكِلاتِ وكلُّ رأيٍ فائِل

There is no counsel but what you judge right

in difficult matters; every other counsel is unsound.

لو كان للغَيْبِ المُستَّرِ مُدرِكٌ

في النّاسِ أدركَهُ اللّبيبُ العاقِل

If anyone among people could perceive

the veiled unseen, the discerning, rational man would perceive it.

والحازمُ الدّاهي يُكابِدُ نفْسَهُ

أعداءَهُ فتراهُ وهو مُجامل

The resolute strategist strains his own soul against

his enemies, yet you see him outwardly gracious.

ويكادُ يَخفَى عن بَناتِ ضميرِهِ

مكتومُ ما هو مُبتَغٍ ومحاول

Even from the daughters of his own mind is almost hidden

the secret of what he seeks and attempts.

إذهَبْ فلا يَعْدمك أبيضُ صارمٌ

تَسْطو به قِدْماً وأسمَرُ ذابل

Go, and may you never lack a bright, cutting sword

with which to strike boldly, and a brown, supple lance.

لا عُرّيَتْ منكَ الليالي إنّهَا

بك حُلِّيَتْ والذّاهباتُ عواطِل

May the nights never be stripped of you: they

are adorned by you, while nights gone by were bare.

ما العُربُ لولا أنْتَ إلاّ أيْنُقٌ

زُمّتْ لِطِيَّتِها وحَيٌّ راحلُ

The Arabs, without you, are only she-camels

haltered for their destination, and a departing tribe.

ما المُلْكُ دونَ يديكَ إلاّ عُرْوَةٌ

مفصُومَةٌ وعَمودُ سَمْكٍ مائل

Sovereignty without your hands is only a loop

broken, and a leaning pillar supporting a roof.

فليتركوا أعلى طريقِكَ إنّهُ

لكَ مَسْلَكٌ بين الكواكبِ سابل

Let them leave the heights of your road alone:

you have an open path among the stars.

قد أُكِرهَ الحافي فمَرّ على الثَّرَى

رَسْفاً وطار على القَتادِ النّاعل

The barefoot man was forced to pass across the soil,

dragging his feet, while the shod flew over thorn-trees.

كلُّ الكِرامِ من البَريّةِ قائِلٌ

في المكرماتِ وأنتَ وحدَكَ فاعل

All noble people among humankind merely speak

of noble deeds, while you alone perform them.

لو أنّ عَدْلكَ للأحِبّةِ لم تَبِتْ

بالعاشقينَ صَبابةٌ وبلابل

If your justice reached the beloved, no

longing or anguish would lodge with lovers overnight.

فتركْتَ أرضَ الزّابِ لا يأسَى أبٌ

لابنٍ ولا تَبْكي البُعولَ حلائلُ

You left the land of al-Zab with no father grieving

for a son, nor wives weeping for husbands.

ولقد شهِدتَ الحرْبَ فيها يافِعاً

إذ لا بنفسِكَ غيرُ نفسكَ صائل

You witnessed war there while still a youth,

when none but yourself fought on your behalf.

والمُلْكُ يومئِذٍ لواءٌ خاِفقٌ

يَلقَى الرّياحَ وليسَ غيرُكَ حامل

Sovereignty that day was a fluttering banner

meeting the winds, with none but you to bear it.

فسَعَيْتَ سَعيَ أبيكَ وهو المُعتَلي

وورِثْتَ سْيفَ أبيكَ وهو القاصل

You pursued your father's course, he being exalted,

and inherited your father's sword, it being a severing blade.

أيّامَ لم تُضْمَم إليكَ مَضارِبٌ

منه ولم تَقْلُصْ عليك حَمائل

In days when its cutting edges had not been shortened for you,

nor its sword-straps shortened to fit you,

فخضَبْتَهُ إذ لا تَكادُ تَهُزُّهُ

حتى تَنُوءَ بهِ يَدٌ وأنامِل

you stained it with blood when you could scarcely brandish it

without hand and fingers straining beneath it.

وافَى بنانَ الكفِّ وهي أصاغِرٌ

فسَطَتْ به الهِمّاتُ وهي جلائل

It reached the hand's fingers while they were small,

and great ambitions wielded it.

من كان يَكفُلُ شُعْبَةً من قومهِ

كرَماً فأنْتَ لكُلِّ شَعْبٍ كافل

Whoever supports a branch of his people

out of generosity—you are the guardian of every people.

فإذا حللت فكل واد ممرع

وإذا ظعنت فكل شِعب ماحل

When you settle, every valley is lush;

when you depart, every mountain pass is barren.

وإذا بَعُدْتَ فكلُّ شيءٍ ناقِصٌ

وإذا قَرُبْتَ فكلُّ شيءٍ كامل

When you are distant, everything is lacking;

when you are near, everything is complete.

خَلَقَ الإلهُ الأرضَ وهي بلاقعٌ

ومكانُ مَا تَطَأونَ منها آهِل

God created the earth as desolate wastes,

but the places you tread upon are inhabited.

وبرا الملوكَ فجادَ منهم جعفَرٌ

وبنو أبِيهِ وكلُّ حَيٍّ باخل

He created kings, and Ja'far was generous among them,

as were his father's sons, while every other being was miserly.

لو لم تَطِيبُوا لم يَقِلَّ عَديدُكُم

وكذاكَ أفْرادُ النُّجومِ قلائل

Were you not so excellent, your number would not be small;

likewise, outstanding stars are few.