Poems
- أخطافة في يدي أم جلمIs it a swallow in my hand, or shears,
- إذا نشرت كانت على دارة البدرIf I shine I shine on the full moon's mansion
- أرى أهل الثراء إذا توفواI see that the wealthy, when they die,
- أساء إلى جفني فؤادي بنارهMy heart has wronged my eyelid with its fire,
- أكابد ليلا لا يزال كأنهI struggle with a night that always seems
- ألا عودة من طيفه فيرى حاليIf only he would return from his apparition and see my state
- إن الذي ولى ففر بنفسهIndeed, he who turned away and fled to save himself
- إن وهب بن مسرهIndeed, Wahb ibn Masarra
- أنا في الصيف راحة للنفوسIn summer, I am a comfort to souls,
- أنظر إلى الشيهم كيف انزوىLook at the porcupine, how it has curled up,
- بمحلة خضراء أفرغ حليهاIn a verdant place, whose adornment was cast
- تترى رؤوسهم عليك كأنهاTheir heads come to you in succession, as though they were
- ترى قطرات الطل كالدر فوقهاYou see the dewdrops like pearls upon her;
- ترى لابسي نسج الحديد كأنهمEnglish translation unavailable
- تعاورتهم نبال عن معابلهاArrows assailed them in turn, striking with their broad heads,
- تعلقن بالأشفار من كل فعبرةThey clung to the lashes of each [eye]; then a tear
- تكاتف حتى الطير حولهEven the birds crowded together around him,
- خليلي ما انفك الأسى منذبينهمMy two friends, since their parting grief has remained
- رب صغير الخلق ذي دهاءMany a small creature with cunning
- روحني عاذلي فقلت لهMy reproacher fanned me, so I said to him:
- سقيا لطيب زماننا وسرورهWatering the goodness of our time and its joy,
- سيقوا إليك فلو سقت قلوبهمThey were driven to you; had you driven their hearts,
- شاهدتهم وأنا أخاف عناقهمI saw them, fearing to embrace them,
- شكا في ظهره حدبهHe complained of a hump on his back.
- صنعت كأجنحة الحمائم خفةIt was fashioned as light as the wings of doves.
- طيلساني طائر من نفسيMy shawl flutters with my breath.
- عرفت بعرف الريح أين تيممواI knew by the wind’s scent where they had headed,
- عقيقة في مهاة في يدي ساقيAn agate in crystal, in a cupbearer’s hands,
- على جيد الغزالة خلق جيديThe gazelle’s neck bears the form of my own neck,
- غنى وفوق جناحيه سقيط ندىIt sang, with drops of dew upon its wings.
- فأول ما يبدو فخلق سبيكةSo what first appears is the form of an ingot,
- فتى بارد الأشعار يفظع لفظهA youth whose verses are cold, whose wording is appalling
- فصلن ممحضا تجد بين فكيSo do befriend a sincere man; between his jaws you will find
- فكأنما فيه بقية روحهSo it is as though a remnant of his soul remains within him,
- في جانبي ليل وفي الثاني ضحىOn one side of me is night, and on the other, morning light.
- في خضرة مفترة في غرةIn green, smiling within a white blaze,
- في نصفها من خجلها حمرةIn half of her is a blush from her shyness,
- قام على اليسرى خطيبا بهاHe stood on his left leg, preaching there,
- قامت على يدها قيام وصيفIt stood upon her hand like a young attendant,
- قد أحوجت أيدي الملوك إلى فميThe hands of kings have been made to need my mouth.
- قد اختفى بين أغصان وأوراقHe has hidden among branches and leaves,
- قصور إذا قامت ترى كل قائمPalaces—when they rise, you see every upright thing
- قل لهذا الحمام إن جهل الحبSay to this dove, if he is ignorant of love:
- قلق الفرند مشطب فكانماIts watered pattern quivers; it is grooved, as though
- كأن الدروع البيض والبيض فوقهاAs though the white coats of mail, with gleaming swords above them,
- كأن حناياها جناها مصفقAs though its arches were a flapping bird’s two wings [probable reading],
- كأن عيونهن عيون عينTheir eyes are like the eyes of a deer,
- كأن ليلى مما طال جانبهAs though my night, with its span grown so long,
- كأن ليلى وفي إعادة أنجمهAs though my night, with the return of its stars,
- كأن نؤادي في يدي خفقانهAs though my heart, in the hands of its throbbing,
- كأنا من الإجلال تحت عمايةAs though, out of reverence, we were shrouded in blindness,
- كأنما الخيل أوله ضوارمهاAs though the horses—its foremost, their fiery steeds—
- كأنه طبق الدنيا إذا انبسطتAs if it were a platter of the world when his horsemen deployed
- كأني من فرط الصبابة عاشقAs if from extreme youth I'm a lover
- كلفتها طول السهاد فراقبتI made her endure long sleeplessness, so she watched
- لا تلم هائما قد استحسن الوجدDo not blame a lovesick wanderer who has found passion sweet;
- لا تلمني على البكاء بدارDo not blame me for weeping over a dwelling;
- لحق السها في جذعه فكأنهIts shaft reached even Alcor, so that it seemed
- لعبت بأيام الزمان وطاولتIt has toyed with the days of time and rivaled
- للصبا منة على الروض هادتهThe east breeze has done the garden a favor, presenting
- لم تبق في الكفار الا هارباYou left none among the unbelievers but a fugitive,
- لم يرحلوا إلا وفوق رحالهمThey did not depart but over their saddles hung
- لما رأت شعري تنير لونهWhen she saw my hair, its color grown bright,
- لما وضعت على قلبي يدي بيديWhen I placed my hands upon my heart
- له لسانان من قرن إلى قدمIt has two tongues, from crown to foot,
- مالت على يده كأس فملت لهاA cup tilted in his hand, and I leaned toward it—
- متوسط جوز الغلاة كأنهTraversing the heart of the wilderness, as though he were
- محمد هل جوادك في الجيادMuhammad, is your steed among the steeds,
- مخزومة في ثبج شختNose-ringed, with a slender back,
- مرأى بديع في مصانع مجلسA wondrous sight in the structures of a hall,
- مروا كما محبوبي فمال تعجThey passed, as my beloved [did]; he leaned amid clamor [wording unclear].
- مشين إلى الركاب وقد أنيختThey walked toward the riding camels, already made to kneel,
- مطوقة يغدو الندى في جناحهاRoaming with morning dew in her wings
- من أين أقبلت يا من لا شبيه لهWhere have you come from, O you who have no equal,
- من بنات الكروم ليس لها خمسA daughter of the vines, not yet five
- من كل ضافية الغدير ترى لهاEach one, with its brimming pool, shows you
- هبت لنا ريح الصبا فتعانقتThe east wind blew upon us, and they embraced.
- وأرى بقية منرتي قد فرقتAnd I see what remains of my [hair] scattered,
- وأغضف يلغي أنفه فكانماAnd a drooping-eared hound disregards his nose, as though
- والأرض عاطرة النواحي غضةAnd the earth is fragrant in its reaches, fresh and tender,
- والثريا دنت من البدر حتىAnd the Pleiades drew so near the full moon that
- وأنت ابتدعت لناعورتينAnd you devised for two waterwheels
- وانظر إلى ملك النصارى كلهاAnd behold the king of all the Christians:
- وبيني وبين المستقلة بالنوىAnd between me and her who departs into the distance
- وتشفق الدرع أن تنساب خائفةAnd the coat of mail fears to slip—afraid
- وتلك الأساطيل المسخرة التيAnd those fleets, harnessed for service, which
- وثقيلة الأوصال تحسب أنهاAnd a heavy-limbed one—you think she is
- وجاثمة بين أيدي الملوكAnd one crouching before the kings,
- وجه أغر كأنه بدر الدجىA radiant face, as though it were the full moon in the darkness;
- وحانية من غير رحمى على طفلAnd one who bends over a child without pity,
- وحنانة في الجو كدراء أقلبتAnd a rumbling, dusky cloud turned in the sky,
- ودنت في هبوبها مشية النشوانAnd in her stirring she drew near with the gait of a drunkard,
- وذو خضرة مقسومة شق بينهاAnd one whose green hue is divided, cleft through its midst
- وراقصة أسبلت لمةAnd a dancer let a tress fall
- ورب سوسنة قبلتها كلفاAnd many a lily have I kissed in ardent love,
- وسابغات كأنما نسجتAnd full-length coats of mail, as though woven
- وسخية تعطيك أقصى جهدهاGenerous, she gives you the utmost of her strength;
- وضعنا على جمر الفراق خدودناWe laid our cheeks upon the embers of parting.
- وقائمة تسبي العقول بحسنهاA standing beauty, whose loveliness captivates minds—
- وقائمة فى يدي قائمAnd an upright one in the two hands of one standing,
- وقصيرِ الظهر مرفوعِ الخطاAnd a short-backed, high-stepping steed,
- وقفت على الغصن الجديد كأنماShe stood upon the new bough, as though
- وقفت على عباء والجزع بينناI stood at ʿAbāʾ, with the valley bend between us,
- وكأن البنود أجنته الطيرAnd as though the banners were birds’ wings,
- وكأن الرايات وهي مع الريحAnd the banners, moving with the wind, seem like
- وكأن المقاتل اغتاظ حتىAnd it is as though the warrior grew enraged until
- وكأن درعك أنشئت من مزنةAnd your coat of mail seems fashioned from a rain cloud,
- ولي الشيب بعد عزل الشبابGray hair took charge once youth had been deposed,
- وليس انبساطي في علاك مثقلاAnd my familiarity before your exalted stature is not burdensome,
- وليل بغى فيه الغراب جناحهIn a night when the raven folded its wings
- وماء كمثلِ الراح جارِ يزيدنيAnd water, flowing like wine, gives me
- وماجنٍ معشوق إذا اجتمعتThe melody of a beautiful beloved, when heard
- وماذا عليهم لو أجابوا فسلمواWhat harm would it do them to answer and offer a greeting,
- ومحجل حر كأن أديمهAnd a noble, white-stockinged steed, whose coat is like
- ومحدوبة في كل وقت ظهورهاAnd a thing whose backs are forever hunched—
- ومد ضبعيه في أعلى مزاحمةAnd he stretched out both upper arms in the loftiest rivalry
- ومدركات ولم تلب وليس لهاThey overtake, yet never linger, and possess no
- ومرنة بعد الرواح كأنماAnd a resounding one after the evening departure, as though
- ومرنة والدجن ينسج فوقهاAnd a plaintive bird, with the overcast sky weaving above her
- ومرهفات كأنها شهبAnd keen-edged blades, as though they were shooting stars,
- ومصروفة عن خلقها إن صرفتهاAnd a thing turned from its natural form, if you turn it
- ومضمومة في الخيزران كأنهاAnd a bundle held within bamboo, as though it were
- ومطرد الأعلام خال سرابهAnd a deserted expanse with hills in succession—its mirage
- ومما يقطع الحيزوم عنديAnd among the things that cleave my chest
- ومهتبل بالجو والأرض مسرعRushing with ardour through the air and earth
- ومؤلف الأوصال يختلف الصدىAnd one with joined limbs—the echo varies
- وناحلة صفراء من غير علةAnd a slender, yellow one, with no illness,
- ونأخذ منه جوده تحت هيبةAnd we receive his bounty from him amid awe;
- ويسل فيه من العنب الغضAnd [in a basket?] are some fresh grapes,
- ويعيرك القلم المعلى واعياAnd the exalted pen, attentive, lends you
- ويل كفكر في إقامة دولةWoe, like pondering the founding of a state;
- ويوما بدارات العقيق لو أنهAnd a day in the hollows of al-ʿAqīq—if it
- يا فرجة للحادث المتكشفO relief from the calamity now lifting,
- يخالف العهد في تصرفهHe breaks the covenant in his conduct,
- يرنو وقد ألف الكرى فكأنماHe gazes, having grown accustomed to slumber, as though
No poems found.