مواعيدنا يشفى بهن غليل — Ibn Nabata Al Saadi

مواعيدنُا يُشفَى بهنَّ غليلُ

لُوِيْنَ ووعدُ الغَانياتِ مَطُولُ

Our promised trysts, through which a burning thirst is quenched,

are deferred; fair women's promises are long delayed.

وما لامني فيهنَّ اِلاَّ عَصيتُهُ

بصبحٍ يُريني النصرَ وهو خَذُولُ

No one reproached me over them without my defying him,

at a dawn that shows me victory, yet grants no aid.

ولم يدرِ أَنَّ الحُبَّ من قبلِ تُبَّعٍ

تَوَرَّطَ فيهِ حَازمٌ وجهُولُ

Nor did he know that love, long before Tubbaʿ,

had entangled prudent men and fools.

كدأَبِ ابنةِ السَّعْدِيِّ يوم تعرضتْ

بوجهٍ عليه نَضرةٌ وقَبُولُ

As was the way of al-Saʿdi's daughter when she appeared,

with a face radiant and charming.

تعجبَ في شيءٍ ويعلم أَنَّه

مآلٌ اليه في الحياةِ يَؤولُ

One marvels at a thing, yet knows that it is

a destination to which one comes in life.

وما نُكرِتْ من صارمٍ طالَ عهدُه

به من قِراعِ النائباتِ فُلُولُ

Nor are they strange in a keen blade long in service—

the nicks it bears from clashing with calamities.

فان يكُ جسْمي يا ابنةَ القومِ ناحلاً

فانَّ الحسامَ المشرفيَّ نَحِيلُ

If my body is wasted, O daughter of the tribe,

the keen Mashrafi sword is slender too.

أَلم يأتها أني غنيتُ عن الغنى

وما فَضَلَ الحَاجاتِ فهو فَضُولُ

Has she not heard that I have no need of wealth?

Whatever exceeds one's needs is superfluous.

وللهِ دَرُّ الشيبِ لو أَنَّ كونَهُ

يحولُ كما لونُ الشبابِ يَحُولُ

God bless gray hair—if only its presence

would change as the hue of youth changes!

أَخٌ لكَ مأمونُ الجَريرِة وامقٌ

اذا قطَع الخُلانُ فهو وصولُ

A loving brother to you, trusted never to do you wrong:

when friends sever their bonds, he keeps them.

وبدَّلَ وُدَّ الغَانياتِ جلالُه

فليس الى البابِهِنَّ سَبِيلُ

Yet its dignity has changed the fair women's affection,

so there is no way into their hearts.

هَداهُنَّ فتيانٌ من الشَّعر فاحم

وما كل هادٍ في الضَّلالِ دَلِيلُ

Young men with jet-black hair have guided them;

not every leader amid error is a true guide.

لحَا اللهُ دَهْراً يَستردُ عَطَاءَهُ

ودَااً بها طولُ المقَامِ رَحِيلُ

God curse an age that takes back its gifts,

and [an abode] where long residence is departure!

اذا كانَ نُقصانُ الفتى في تمامهِ

فكلُّ صَحيحٍ في الأنامِ عليلُ

If a young man's decline lies in his maturity,

then every healthy person among mortals is ailing.

عليهِ غريمٌ يقتضيهِ نَفَادَه

كما يقتضي ضوءَ الصباحِ أَصِيلُ

A creditor stands over him, exacting his end,

as late afternoon claims the morning's light.

ولا خيرَ في شربٍ يُكَدرُ صفوُه

ولا في نَعِيمٍ ينقضي ويَزُولُ

There is no good in a draught whose clarity is muddied,

nor in bliss that ends and vanishes.

بفارسَ من جنّاتها الصُّمّ منطوٍ

له بينَ أَضغانِ الهِضابِ مَقِيلُ

In Persia, one of its deaf jinn lies coiled,

with a resting place amid the hills' grudges.

تَمرُّ الليالي لا تَملُّ حياتَه

وطولُ الليالي للنفوسِ مَلُولُ

The nights pass, never tiring of its life,

though the length of nights is wearisome to souls.

ولا زادَ الا سَمُّهُ ولعابُه

وأَرديةٌ من نسجهِ ونَسِيلُ

It has no provision but its venom and saliva,

and cloaks of its own weaving, and shed skin.

تُصُرِّفَ ما بينَ العِراقِ وفارسٍ

الى الهند كيدٌ ما يكادُ يَفيلُ

Between Iraq and Persia there was set in motion,

as far as India, a stratagem that scarcely ever fails.

بلاد تَحاماها الأوائلُ قبله

بها الأنسُ جنٌّ والوحوشُ فُيُولُ

Lands the ancients had shunned before him,

where humans are jinn, and wild beasts elephants.

ولم يستطعها الأَردَشِيرُ بِحدِّهِ

ولا رأيه الجوَّال حينَ يَجُولُ

Ardashir could not master it with his blade,

nor could his far-ranging judgment, as it ranged.

وأَعيتْ زياداً والخلائف بعدَهُ

حُزونٌ لها ما ترتقى وسُهُولُ

It baffled Ziyad and the caliphs after him—

its unclimbable rugged heights and its plains.

وموضوعة عند النجومِ منيفة

تزولُ الصَّياصِي وهي ليس تَزُولُ

And a lofty place set beside the stars—

strongholds pass away, yet it does not pass away.

فتى لا يغلُ السرَّ في طلب العِدى

وكلُّ سُرىً تحتَ الظلامِ غُلولُ

A youth who hides no secret in pursuing foes;

and every night march beneath darkness is treachery.

مُطِلٌ على الأَعداءِ لا يأمنونَه

ولو أَنهم فوقَ النجومِ نُزولُ

He looms over enemies who cannot feel safe from him,

even were they lodged above the stars.

له حين يُصحى من عُفاةِ نُسُورِهِ

وراياته ظلٌّ عليهِ ظَلِيلُ

When he wakes, his bounty-seeking vultures

and his banners cast a deep shade over him.

وما مصحرٌ بالقاعِ يَحمي عرينَه

له كل يومٍ خطفةٌ وأَكِيلُ

No lion out on the plain, guarding its den,

having each day a snatch and prey to eat,

مخالبُه مملوءةٌ كنيوبهِ

وفي ظهره من لبدتيهِ خَمِيلُ

its claws full, like its fangs,

and a thicket of its twin manes upon its back,

بأَكرمَ منه حينَ يُصْلِحُ شِيْمَةً

وأَعدى على الأعداءِ حين يَميلُ

is nobler than he when he cultivates a virtue,

or fiercer against enemies when he charges.

تأمَّلَهُ الكوحيُّ قبلَ لقائِهِ

وفي العينِ عنه نَبوةٌ ونكُولُ

Al-Kuhi examined him before meeting him,

with aversion and recoil in his gaze.

فلم يرَ الا سانحاً فوقَ ظَهرِهِ

كميُّ عليه بيضةٌ وشَليلُ

He saw only a passing mount, upon whose back

was an armored warrior wearing helmet and mail;

والاَّ وميضاً من ظبىً وأَسِنَّةٍ

لها غَرضٌ في نفعِهِ وألِيلُ

and only flashes from sword-edges and spearpoints,

whose aim is to aid him, with a ringing clash.

لَعَمري لقد أَوفى على الناسِ رائحٌ

له نظرٌ في الثاقباتِ أَصِيلُ

By my life, one setting out at evening has towered above mankind,

with a firmly grounded gaze upon the piercing stars.

رأَى الكاملُ الميمونُ فُرصةَ سؤددٍ

ففاز بها والكاملون قلِيلُ

The accomplished, fortunate man saw an opening for eminence,

and won it; accomplished men are few.

على حين يُطَرى البخلُ وهو مذمم

ويُستقبحُ المعروفُ وهو جمِيلُ

At a time when avarice is praised, though blameworthy,

and kindness deemed ugly, though beautiful.

وما نام عنها في الجلالةِ اِنَّهُ

لأمثالها في المكرماتِ يَعُولُ

He did not sleep through it in his grandeur; indeed,

he shoulders the burden of such noble deeds.

وقد كنتُ أعطيتُ الوفاء أَليةً

عليَّ بها رَبُّ العبادِ كِفيلُ

I had sworn an oath to loyalty,

for which the Lord of all servants stands guarantor against me.

وأَقسمتُ لا يَحظى بحَمدي ولا يدي

على نصرهِ الا أَخٌ وخِليلُ

And I swore none would gain my praise, nor my hand

in his support, save a brother and a true friend,

والا كيمٌ لا أُصارفُ ذكرَه

وان كانَ فيه دِقَّةٌ وخُمُولُ

or [a generous man], whose memory I do not barter away,

even if he is lowly and obscure,

والاّ فتىً يمضي عزيمة همّهِ

فيُخشى ويُرجى نَفعُه فَيَنِيلُ

or a youth who carries through his resolute purpose,

so he is feared, his help is hoped for, and he bestows it.

سَلبتُ ابنَ ميكائيلَ نخوةَ عِزِّهِ

ولم أَجزِهِ بالذنبِ وهو ذَلِيلُ

I stripped Ibn Mika'il of the arrogance of his might,

but did not punish him for his offense when he was abased.

وَعَتٌّ الى سِلْمِي وَرمتَ نَصِيْحتَي

ولم يدرِ أَنَّ الذابلاتِ تُدِيلُ

And [you turned] toward peace with me and sought my counsel,

yet he did not know that slender spears can turn fortunes.

وأَصلتَ سيف الدولةِ العضبُ حدَّهُ

على خلقي فأنفلَ وهو كَلِيلُ

And Sayf al-Dawla, the keen sword, bared his edge

against my character, but became notched, being blunt.

وراجعتُ تاجَ الملكِ في عزماتِه

وليس له في العازمينَ عَدِيلُ

I conferred with Taj al-Mulk about his resolutions,

and among resolute men he has no equal.

دعاني الى أَرض الجزيرةِ بعدما

تشاجر فيها عاذرٌ وعذُولُ

He called me to the land of al-Jazira, after

an excuser and a reproacher had quarreled there.

وخبَّرني الركبانُ أَنك عاتب

وأَنك عني بالمغيب سَؤولُ

The riders told me that you were displeased,

and often asked after me in my absence.

وتلك يد للحمدِ عندي حميدةٌ

سأَشكرُ مَسى طولَها فأُطِيلُ

That is a favor I deem worthy of praise;

I shall give thanks for its bounty at evening, and speak at length.

ولو كنت أَسطيع المسيرَ لشَمَّرتْ

بِرِجْلَى فتلاءُ الذراعِ ذَمُولُ

If I could make the journey, she would hasten—

bearing my feet, a sturdy-forelegged, swift-paced she-camel,

من الكاتمات الجهدِ وهي رديةٌ

يشارك فيها شَدقَم وجَدِيلُ

one that conceals its toil, though worn out,

in whom Shadqam and Jadil both have a share.

ووللهِ ما ولّوكَ الا ضرُورةً

ولو كانَ للمضطرِ عنكَ سَبيِلُ

By God, they appointed you only from necessity;

had the desperate man a way to do without you,

اذا وجدوا الاعواضَ عنكَ كثيرةً

ولا استبدلوا لو كانَ عنك بَدِيلُ

they would then have found many replacements for you,

and would have replaced you, had you a substitute.

وقاكَ الرزايا كلُّ ماضٍ لسانُه

ومَضْرِبُه عند اللقاءِ كَلِيلُ

May every man whose tongue is sharp shield you from calamities,

but whose striking edge is blunt in battle.

يُقصر عن سَعي الكرامِ مَرامُه

ويعجز عن أَفعالهم فيقُولُ

His ambition falls short of the endeavors of the noble,

and, unable to match their deeds, he merely talks.

له لقبٌ معناه خالفَ لفظَه

وما كلُّ من يُعطي الخِلالَ خَلِيلُ

He has a title whose meaning contradicts its wording;

not every giver of toothpicks is a true friend.