تظلم منا الحب والحب ظالم — Ibn Hani Andalusia

تَظَلّمَ مِنّا الحِبٌّ والحُبُّ ظالِمُ

فهل بينَ ظَلاّمَينِ قاضٍ وحاكمُ

The beloved complained of us, though love is unjust.

Is there between two tyrants a judge and an arbiter?

وفي البَينِ حَرْفٌ مُعجَمٌ قد قرأتُهُ

على خدّهَا لو أنّني منه سالم

In separation there is a dotted letter I have read

upon her cheek—if only I were safe from it!

وقد كانَ فيما أثّر المِسكُ فوقَهُ

دلِيلٌ ومن خَلْفِ الحِدادِ المآتم

In what the musk had traced upon it

there was a sign; behind mourning black lie funeral rites.

لَياليَ لا آوي إلى غَيرِ ساجِعٍ

ببَينِكِ حتى كلُّ شيءٍ حَمائم

Nights when I shelter with none but a cooing mourner

over parting from you, until all things are doves.

ولمّا التَقَتْ ألحاظُنا ووُشاتُنا

وأعلَنَ سِرُّ الوَشيِ ما الوَشيُ كاتم

And when our glances and our tale-bearers met,

and tale-bearing's secret revealed what tale-bearing concealed,

تأوّهَ إنْسِيٌّ منَ الخِدْرِ ناشِجٌ

فأسْعَدَ وَحْشيٌّ من السِّدْرِ باغم

a sobbing human sighed from the curtained chamber;

a lowing wild creature from the lote trees joined the lament.

وقالت قَطاً سارٍ سمعتُ حَفيفَهُ

فقلتُ قلوبُ العاشِقينَ الحوائم

She said, 'Passing sandgrouse—I heard their rustling.'

I said, 'The hovering hearts of lovers.'

سَلُوا بانَةَ الوادي أأسماءُ بانَةٌ

بجَرعائِهِ أمْ عانِكٌ مُتَراكم

Ask the valley's ban-tree: is Asma a ban-tree

upon its sandy ground, or a heaped-up sandhill?

وما عَذُبَ المِسواكُ إلاّ لأنّهُ

يُقبّلُهَا دُوني وإنّي لَراغِم

The tooth-stick grew sweet only because

it kisses her instead of me, while I am truly humbled.

وقلتُ له صِفْ لي جَنى رَشَفاتِها

فألثَمَني فاها بما هو زاعم

I said to it, 'Describe for me the fruit of her sipping kisses.'

Then, through what it claimed, it let me kiss her mouth.

إذا خُلّةٌ بانَتْ لَهَوْنا بذِكْرِهَا

وإنْ أقفَرَتْ دارٌ كَفَتنا المَعالم

When a beloved departs, we console ourselves with her memory;

if a dwelling is deserted, its traces suffice us.

وقد يَستفِيقُ الشوْقُ بعد لَجاجِهِ

وتَعْدَى على البُهم العِتاقِ الرواسم

Longing may come to its senses after its obstinacy,

and swift-trotting camels are urged against dark thoroughbreds.

خليليّ هُبّا فانصُراها على الدّجى

كتائبَ حتى يَهزِمَ الليْلَ هازم

My two friends, arise and help them against the darkness,

as battalions, until a conqueror routs the night;

وحتى أرى الجَوزاءَ تنثُر عِقدَهَا

وتَسقُطُ من كفّ الثريّا الخواتم

until I see Orion scattering her necklace,

and rings falling from the hand of the Pleiades;

وتغْدُو على يحيَى الوُفودُ ببابِهِ

كما ابْتَدَرَتْ أُمَّ الحَطيم المَواسم

and delegations coming at dawn to Yahya, at his gate,

as pilgrimage gatherings rushed to the Mother of al-Hatim.

فتى المُلْكِ يُغْنِيهِ عن السيْفِ رأيُهُ

ويَكفِيهِ من قَودِ الجيوش العَزائم

The champion of kingship: his judgment spares him the sword,

and his firm resolves suffice him instead of leading armies.

فلا جُودَ إلاّ بالجَزيلِ لآمِلٍ

ولا عَفْوَ إلاّ أن تَجِلّ الجَرائم

There is no generosity but lavish giving to one who hopes,

and no pardon unless the crimes are grave.

أخو الحْربِ وابنُ الحرْبِ جرّ نجادَه

إليها وما قُدّتْ عليه التّمائم

War's brother and war's son, he dragged his sword-belt

to her before his amulets had been cut away.

أُمَثّلُهُ في ناظِرٍ غَيرِ ناظِري

كأنّيَ فيما قد أرى منه حالم

I picture him in an eye other than my own,

as though I were dreaming of what I see of him.

وليس كما قالوا المنيّةُ كاسمِها

ولكنّها في كفّهِ اليومَ صارم

Death is not, as they said, what its name suggests;

rather, today in his hand it is a keen sword.

ويَعدِلُ في شَرْقِ البِلادِ وغَربها

على أنّهُ للبِيضِ والسُّمْرِ ظالم

He rules justly in the lands' east and west,

although he wrongs the white blades and brown spears.

تَشَكَّينَ أن لاقَينَ منه تَقَصُّداً

فأينَ الذي يَلقَى الليوثُ الضراغم

They complain of suffering breakage from him—

but how does that compare with what the mighty lions endure?

ولو أنّ هذا الأخرسَ الحيَّ ناطِقٌ

لَصَلّتْ عليكَ المُقْرَباتُ الصَّلادم

If this living, speechless creature could speak,

the prized, sturdy steeds would invoke blessings upon you.

وما تِلكَ أوضاحٌ عليها وإن بَدَتْ

ولكنّما حَيّتْكَ عنها المَباسم

Those are not white markings upon them, though they appear;

rather, smiling mouths have greeted you on their behalf.

تمشّتْ شموسٌ طَلْقَةٌ في جُلودهَا

وضَمّتْ على هُوجِ الرياح الشكائم

Radiant suns moved within their hides,

and the bits clamped down upon raging winds.

تُعرِّضُها للطّعْنِ حتى كأنّها

لها مِنْ عِداهَا أضلُعٌ وحَيازم

You expose them to spear-thrusts, until it is as though

they had ribs and chests taken from their enemies.

وتطعنهم لم تَعْدُ نحراً ولَبّةً

كأنّكَ في عِقْدٍ من الدُّرّ ناظم

You spear them, never straying beyond throat and upper breast,

as though you were stringing a necklace of pearls.

وكم جَحفلٍ مَجْرٍ قرعتَ صَفاتَهُ

بصاعقَةٍ يَصْلى بها وهي جاحم

How many a vast, teeming army's hard rock have you struck

with a thunderbolt that scorches it—a raging fire!

أتَتْكَ به الآسادُ تُبْدي زئيرَهَا

فطارَتْ به عن جانبَيكَ القشاعم

Lions brought it to you, displaying their roaring;

then great vultures flew off with it from either side of you.

أتَوكَ فما خَرّوا إلى البِيض سُجّداً

ولكنّما كانَتْ تَخِرُّ الجماجم

They came to you, but did not fall prostrate before the white blades;

rather, it was their skulls that fell.

ولو حاربتْكَ الشمسُ دونَ لقائِهم

لأعْجَلَها جُنْدٌ من اللّهِ هازم

Had the sun fought you, barring your meeting them,

a conquering host from God would swiftly have routed her.

سبقْتَ المَنَايا واقعاً بنفوسِهِم

كما وقعَتْ قبلَ الخوافي القوادم

You outstripped death, falling upon their souls,

as the primary wing-feathers fall before the secondary ones.

تَقودُ الكُماةَ المُعْلِمينَ إلى الوَغَى

لهمْ فوقَ أصْواتِ الحديدِ هَماهم

You lead the battle-marked, armored warriors into the fray;

their murmurs rise above the sounds of iron.

غَدَوْا في الدّروعِ السابغاتِ كأنّما

تُديرُ عُيوناً فوقهُنّ الأراقم

They went forth in ample coats of mail, as though

speckled serpents were rolling eyes above them.

فليسَ لهم إلاّ الدّماءَ مَشَارِبٌ

وليسَ لهمْ إلاّ النفوسَ مطاعم

They have no drink but blood,

and no food but souls.

يَوَدّونَ لوْ صِيغتْ لهم من حِفاظهمْ

وإقدامهم تلكَ السّيوفُ الصّوارِمُ

They wish there were forged for them, out of their honor

and their daring, those keen-edged swords;

ولوْ طَعَنَتْ قبلَ الرّماحِ أكُفُّهُمْ

ولوْ سَبَقَتْ قبل الأكفّ المَعاصمُ

and that their hands could thrust before their spears,

and that their wrists could outrun their hands.

رأى بكَ ليثُ الغابِ كيفَ اختضابُه

من العَلَقِ المُحمَرِّ والنّقعُ قاتِمُ

Through you the forest lion learned how to stain himself

with red clotted blood, while the dust was dark.

وجرّأتَهُ شِبْلاً صغيراً على الطُّلَى

فهل يشكرَنّ اليوْمَ وهوَ ضُبارِمُ

You emboldened him, a little cub, to attack throats;

will he give thanks today, now that he is a mighty lion?

وعلّمتَهُ حتى إذا ما تمَهّرَتْ

بهِ السِّنُّ قلْتَ اذهبْ فإنّك عالم

You taught him until, when he had grown skillful

with age, you said, 'Go, for you are learned.'

ستَفخَرُ أنّ الدّهْرَ ممّنْ أجَرْتَهُ

وأنّ حَيَاةَ الخلْقِ ممّا تُسالم

You will boast that time is among those you have sheltered,

and that the life of creation is among the things you spare;

وأنّكَ عن حَقّ الخلافةِ ذائدٌ

وأنّك عن ثَغْرِ الخلافَةِ باسم

and that you defend the caliphate's right,

and that you are the smile upon the caliphate's lips;

وأنّكَ فُتَّ السابقينَ كأنّما

مَساعِيك في سُوقِ الرّجالِ أداهم

and that you have outstripped the foremost, as though

your exploits were fetters on men's legs.

مَرَيْتَ سِجالاً من عِقابٍ ونائلٍ

كأنّكَ للأعمارِ والرّزقِ قاسم

You drew forth full buckets of punishment and bounty,

as though you apportioned lifespans and sustenance.

وأمّنْتَ من سُبْلِ العُفاةِ فجدَّعتْ

إليك أُنوفَ البِيدِ وهي رواغم

You made the petitioners' paths safe, so they cut off

the deserts' noses in coming to you, leaving them humbled.

وأدْنَيْتَها بالإذْنِ حتى كأنّمَا

تَخَطّتْ إليكَ السيْفَ والسيْفُ قائم

You brought them near by granting leave, until it was as though

they stepped across the sword to you, while it stood upright.

وتنْظُرُ عُلْواً أينَ منكَ وُفودُها

كأنّكَ يومَ الركْبِ للبرقِ شائِم

You look aloft: how far from you are their delegations?

As though, on the caravan's day, you were watching for lightning.

فلا تَخذُلِ البَدْرَ المُنيرَ الّذي بهِ

سَرَوا فله حَقٌّ على الجودِ لازم

Do not fail the shining full moon by whose light

they traveled by night; it has a binding claim upon generosity.

أيأخُذُ منه الفَجرُ والفَجرُ ساطِعٌ

ويثبُتُ فيهِ الليلُ والليلُ فاحم

Does dawn take from it, though dawn is radiant,

while night remains within it, though night is coal-black?

علوتَ فلولا التاجُ فوقك شكَّكتْ

تميمُ بنُ مُرٍّ فيكَ أنّك دارم

You rose high; but for the crown above you, suspicion would arise

in Tamim ibn Murr that you were Darim.

وجُدْتَ فلوْلا أنْ تَشَرّفَ طَيّءٌ

لقد قال بعضُ القوم إنّكَ حاتم

You gave generously; were it not that Tayy was honored,

some of the people would surely have said you were Hatim.

لك البيتُ بيتُ الفخرِ أنْتَ عَمودُهُ

وليس له إلاّ الرّماحَ دعائِم

Yours is the house, the house of glory; you are its central pillar,

and it has no supports but spears.

أنافَ به أنْ ليس فوقكَ بالِغٌ

وشيّدَهُ أنْ ليسَ خلفَكَ هادم

It rose high because no one can reach above you,

and was built firm because behind you stands no destroyer.

وما كانتِ الدّنْيا لتحمِلَ أهلَهَا

ولكنّكُم فيها البحورُ الخَضارم

The world could never have borne its people,

but you within it are the vast seas.

فمَهْلاً فقد أخرستمُونَا كأنّما

صَنائعُكُمْ عُرْبٌ ونحنُ أعاجِم

Gently now! You have struck us dumb, as though

your favors were Arabs, and we were foreigners.

فلا زالَ مُنهَلٌّ من المجدِ ساكبٌ

عليكَ ومُرفَضٌّ من العزّ ساجِمُ

May a torrent of glory never cease pouring

upon you, and scattered sprays of might raining down.

فثَمّ زَمانٌ كالشّبيبَةِ مُذْهَبٌ

وثَمّ لَيالٍ كالقدودِ نواعِمُ

There is a time gilded like youth,

and nights as soft as slender figures.

وللّهِ دَرُّ البَينِ لولا خليفَةٌ

تخلّفني عنكم وحَبْلٌ مُداوِمُ

God bless separation—but for a caliph

who keeps me from you, and an enduring bond.

ودَرُّ القُصورِ البِيضِ يَعمُرُ مُلكَها

ملوكُ بني الدّنيا وهنّ الكَرائِمُ

And bless the white palaces, whose realm is inhabited

by kings of the world's sons; noble are those palaces.

وأنتَ بها فارْدُدْ تحيّةَ بعضنا

إذا قَبّلتْ كَفّيكَ عنّا الغمائمُ

You are there, so return the greeting of some of us

when the clouds kiss your hands on our behalf.

ولوْ أنّني في مُلْحَدٍ ودَعَوتَني

لقامَتْ تُفَدّيكَ العِظامُ الرمائم

Were I in a grave, and you called me,

my crumbling bones would rise to sacrifice themselves for you.

تحَمّلْتَ بالآمالِ إذ أنتَ راحِلٌ

وأقْبَلْتَ بالآلاءِ إذ أنْتَ قادم

You set out laden with hopes as you departed,

and approached with blessings as you arrived.

مَددتَ يداً تَهمي على المُزنِ مِن عَلٍ

فهل لك بحرٌ فوقها مُتلاطِم

You stretched out a hand that rains upon the clouds from on high;

have you a surging sea above it?

هو الحوضُ حوض اللّهِ من يكُ وارداً

لقد صَدَرتْ عنهُ الغيوثُ السّواجم

It is the pool, God's pool; whoever comes to drink—

the pouring rains have already departed from it.

فإن كان هذا فِعْلُ كفّيكَ باللُّهى

لقد أصْبَحَتْ كَلاًّ عليكَ المكارم

If this is what your hands do with lavish gifts,

then noble deeds have indeed become a burden upon you.