جم لها الوادي وعز الذائد — Mihyar Al Daylami

جَمَّ لها الوادي وعزَّ الذائدُ

وطاب ما حدَّثَ عنها الرائدُ

The valley brims for her, and her defender is mighty.

Pleasing is what the scout has told of her.

فخلِّها راتعةً مجرورةً

وراءها الأرسانُ والمَقاودُ

So leave her grazing freely, trailing

halters and reins behind her.

يُخلِفُ ما استُسلفَ من جِرَّاتها

كهلٌ أثيثٌ ومَعينٌ باردُ

What was drawn in advance from her cud is replenished by

mature, luxuriant herbage and cool running water.

حيثُ المغيرُ لا ينالُ فرصةً

منها ولا يطمعُ فيها الطاردُ

There the raider finds no opportunity

against her, nor does the pursuer covet her.

تذبُّ عنها من سِماتِ ربّها

صوارمٌ ليس لها مَغامدُ

Defending her, among her master's brands, are

keen swords that have no sheaths.

إذا بدت في عُنُقٍ أو حارِكٍ

فهي عليها أعينٌ رواصدُ

When they appear on neck or withers,

they are watchful eyes upon her.

ونَمْ فقد حرَّمَها هذا الحمى

وضمَّها وهي دُخَان شاردُ

And sleep: this sanctuary has made her inviolable,

and gathered her in when she was scattered smoke.

وأعجزَ الناسَ جميعاَ رَعْيُها

فاليومَ يرعاها جميعاً واحدُ

Tending her defeated all men together;

today one man tends her wholly.

أَرْوَعُ لا يغلِبُه المكرُ ولا

تدِبُّ في حريمه المَكايدُ

A gallant man whom cunning cannot overcome, nor

can stratagems creep into his sanctuary.

أعارها عيناً فكانت عُوذَةً

لها وشيطانُ الزمان ماردُ

He lent her an eye, which became a protective charm

for her, though Time's devil is rebellious.

أفرشَها كافي الكفاةِ أمنَهُ

فالظلُّ سَكْبٌ والنسيمُ باردُ

Kafi al-Kufat spread his security beneath her;

the shade is abundant and the breeze cool.

دانَ بتاجِ الحضرةِ الدهرُ لها

وحلَّ حبلَ الذلِّ عنها العاقدُ

Through the crown of the court, Time bowed to her,

and the binder untied from her the cord of abasement.

وصدَّقَتْ أَن الربيعَ بعدَها

بوارقٌ من يده رواعدُ

She confirmed that the spring to follow her

is lightning flashes and thunder from his hand.

غاصتْ غصونُ المجد تحتَ مائها

فأورقَ الذاوِي وقام المائدُ

The branches of glory sank beneath her waters;

the withered sprouted leaves, and the drooping stood upright.

وضَحِكَ القاطبُ من وجه الثرى

وسالَ وادي المكرُماتِ الجامدُ

The frown on the face of the earth broke into laughter,

and the frozen valley of noble deeds began to flow.

وبشَّر الفضلُ بقايا أهلِهِ

لا تقنطوا في الناسِ بعدُ ماجدُ

Merit brought glad tidings to its surviving people:

Do not despair: a noble man remains among mankind.

نقل لأبناء الطِّلاب والمنى

والحاجِ ضاقتْ بهم المَقاصدُ

He conveyed this to the sons of seeking and hopes,

and needs, whose paths had narrowed about them:

يتاجرون المجدَ فتخيسُ في

أيديهم البضائعُ الكواسدُ

they trade in glory, only for

their unsold wares to spoil in their hands.

تضمُّكم حَنوَتُهُ وأنتُمُ

عِزُونَ في الآفاق أو بدائدُ

His tenderness embraces you, though you are

bands across the horizons, or scattered individuals.

زَمَّ الأمور فلَوَى أعنافَها

ساعٍ إلى الغايات وهو قاعدُ

He reined in affairs and subdued their harshness,

striving toward the goals while seated.

ودبَّر الدنيا على عِلاَّتها

فصَلَحَتْ والدهرُ دهرٌ فاسدُ

He governed the world despite her flaws;

she was set right, though the age was corrupt.

ماضٍ له من عزمه مجرَّدٌ

يذُبُّ من جهلِ الزمانِ غامدُ

Resolute, he has a naked blade of determination,

a covering shield that wards off Time's ignorance.

يَرَى بوجهِ اليوم صدرَ غدِهِ

تُعطيه ما في المَصدرِ المواردُ

In today's face he sees the beginning of his tomorrow;

the points of arrival yield him what the departure holds.

لا يأخذ التدبيرَ إلا مِن عَلٍ

فالناسُ ينحطُّون وهو صاعدُ

He draws his plans only from on high;

men descend while he ascends.

رأى انتهاءَ مجدِهِ مبتدَأً

لَمّا أعانَ الكفَّ منه الساعدُ

He saw the culmination of his glory as a beginning

when his forearm came to his hand's aid.

أسهرَهُ حبُّ العلا منفرِداً

وهو على ظنِّ العيون راقدُ

Love of the heights kept him awake alone,

though, in the eyes' belief, he was asleep.

جَدَّ وقاراً والزمانُ هازلٌ

وجادَ عفواً والسحابُ جامدُ

He was earnest and dignified while Time jested,

and gave freely while the clouds stood still.

ولاحَ في المُلك شِهاباً فوَرَى

زنادُهُ والمُلكُ نجمٌ خامدُ

He appeared in kingship as a meteor, and struck fire

from his fire-steel while kingship was an extinguished star,

منتصراً بنفسه لنفسه

كالليث يشرَى ما لَهُ مساعدُ

winning victory by himself, for himself,

like a raging lion with no helper.

لا يَملكُ الحفظُ عليه أمرَهُ

ولا تُفرِّي حِلمَه الشدائدُ

Caution does not take command of his conduct,

nor do hardships rend his forbearance.

يُنهضِه الكمالُ من أثقالِهِ

بأوسُقٍ تلفِظها الجلامدُ

Perfection raises him under its burdens,

loads that massive rocks would cast off.

مدَّ على الدولةِ من جناحه

ما مدَّ عطْفاً لبنيه الوالدُ

He spread his wing over the dynasty

as a father spreads tenderness over his sons,

حتى استقامتْ وهي بَلهاءُ الخُطَا

عمياءُ ما بين يديها قائدُ

until she stood straight, though foolish in her steps,

blind, with no guide before her.

كم قدَمٍ قبلَك قد زَلَّتْ بها

ضُعفاً وكفٍّ لم يُطِعها الساعدُ

How many feet before yours had slipped with her

through weakness, and hands whose forearms would not obey!

وضابطٍ لم يُغنِهِ لَمّا طغتْ

أدواؤُها التجريبُ والعوائدُ

How many governors were not helped, when

her maladies ran rampant, by experience or customary methods!

يَحرُسها وليس من حُماتِها

مثلُ الشَّغَا ينقُصُ وهو زائدُ

He guards her, yet is not among her protectors,

like a protruding tooth: detracting though added.

جاءت على الفَتْرةِ منه آيةٌ

معجِزةٌ قامت بها الشواهدُ

After the lull, a sign came from him,

a miracle borne out by witnesses.

مَوهِبةٌ فاجئةٌ لم تُحتَسَبْ

ولم تسوِّفْه بها المَواعدُ

An unexpected gift, never anticipated,

nor did promises defer it for him.

كنتَ خبيئاً ترقُبُ الأيامُ في

إِظهارِه المِيقاتَ أو تراصِدُ

You were a hidden treasure; the days watched for

the appointed time to reveal it, or lay in wait.

كالنارِ في الزّند تكون شَرَراً

بالأمس وهو اليومَ جمرٌ واقدُ

Like fire in the fire-stick, which was sparks

yesterday, but today is a blazing coal.

فأبرزتْك للعيونِ كوكباً

يَزهَرُ لم تَجرِ به العوائدُ

Then they brought you before the eyes as a star,

shining, such as custom had never known.

يَفديك محظوظون وجهُ عجزِهم

بِغَلَطِ النّعمة فيهم شاهدُ

May fortune's favorites ransom you; their evident helplessness

bears witness that favor chose them by mistake.

قد سَرَق الدهرُ لهم سيادةً

ليس لها من المَساعي عاضدُ

Time stole leadership for them,

unsupported by any striving.

تَنافَرُ الأقلامُ عن أَيمانهم

وتَقشعِرُّ منهم الوسائدُ

Pens recoil from their right hands,

and cushions shudder at them.

لم يَنظِموا المجدَ كما نَظَمتَهُ

ولا حلَتْ عندهم المحَامدُ

They did not string glory together as you did,

nor did praiseworthy deeds grow sweet with them.

ولا أَعان طارفاً من حظّهم

مجدُ أبٍ مثلِ أبيك تالدُ

Nor was their newly acquired fortune supported by

a father's ancient glory, like your father's.

وخيرُ من شاد الفخارَ رافعٌ

أُسرَتُهُ لِمَا بَنَى قواعِدُ

The best builder of pride is one who raises it

with his family as foundations for what he builds.

وبعضُ علياءِ الفتى مَكاسبٌ

بنفسه وبعضُها مَوالدُ

Some of a young man's eminence is gained

by himself, and some comes from his birth.

وليهنِكَ الأمرُ الذي ذلَّ به

لك العزيزُ وأقرّ الجاحدُ

May the authority gladden you through which

the mighty submitted to you and the denier acknowledged you.

ولاَنَ في يديك منهُ مرِسٌ

مُلاوِذٌ مَن رامَهُ مُحايدُ

Its stubborn part grew pliant in your hands,

though it eluded and avoided whoever sought it.

يَنقُصُ من قدرِك وهو فاضلٌ

على وِسيعات الأماني زائدُ

It falls short of your worth, though it surpasses

the broadest hopes and goes beyond them.

ومُشرِفاتٌ فُضُلٌ لبِستَها

تَزْلُقُ عنها المُقَلُ الحدائدُ

And lofty, ample robes that you have donned,

off which keen eyes slip,

كلِبدةِ الليثِ وَسَطاً وحسنُها

كالوشي تُكساهُ الدُّمَى الخرائدُ

like a lion's mane at the middle, while their beauty

is like brocade clothing lovely maiden figures.

لو كانت الأفلاكُ أجساداً لَمَا

كان لها من مثلها مَجاسِدُ

If the celestial spheres were bodies, they would not

have such garments next to their skin.

باطِنة وظاهر جمالُها

فالحسنُ منها غائبٌ وشاهدُ

Worn within, yet outward in their beauty,

their loveliness is both unseen and visible.

تَسحَبها في الأرض ولفخْرها

مَعالِقٌ في الجوّ أو مَعاقدُ

You trail them upon the earth, while their glory

has hanging places or moorings in the air.

وكالسماء عِمّةٌ صِبْغَتُها

قد جاءها من الزمان وافدُ

And a turban, sky-like in its coloring,

to which an envoy has come from Time,

مقدودةٌ منها ومن نجومها

في طَرَفَيْها سائرٌ وراكدُ

cut from it, and from its stars,

one moving and one still, at its two ends.

إن لم تكن تاجاً فقد أكسبَهَا

نورُك ما لم يُكسَ تاجاً عاقدُ

If it is not a crown, still it has been given

by your radiance what no binder ever gave a crown.

وضاربٌ إلى الوجيهِ عِرْقُهُ

بأربع تَشقَى بها الأوابدُ

And a steed whose lineage reaches al-Wajih,

with four feet that weary the wild beasts,

من اللواتي نَصَرَتْ آباءَها

في السبق أمّهاتُها الردائدُ

of those whose sires were supported

in racing by their dams, the repeatedly bred mares.

وصَبَحَتْها بالصريفِ عُلَباً

قبلَ عِيالِ ربِّها الولائدُ

And they were served wooden bowls of fresh milk at dawn

by maidservants, before their master's household.

خاضَ الظلامَ فاهتد بغُرّةٍ

كوكبُها لمقلتيه قائدُ

He plunged through darkness; take guidance from his white blaze,

whose star leads his two eyes.

يجاذبُ الريحَ على الأرض ومِن

قلائدِ الأفْقِ له قلائدُ

He vies with the wind upon the earth, and from

the horizon's necklaces he has necklaces:

حَلْيٌ من التبرِ إذا خَفَّ بها

أُثقِلَ فهو تحتها مُجاهدُ

jewels of gold; when he hastens lightly with them,

he is burdened, struggling beneath them.

ينصاعُ كالمرّيخ في التهابِهِ

وأنت فوق ظهره عُطاردُ

He darts like Mars in his fiery glow,

while you upon his back are Mercury.

غرائبٌ من الحِباءِ جُمِعَتْ

بها لك الفوارِكُ الشوارِدُ

Rare gifts, gathered together,

uniting for you the estranged and the straying.

تبرَّعَ المَلْكُ بها مبتدئاً

وكلُّ بادٍ بالجميل عائدُ

The king freely bestowed them, taking the initiative,

and everyone who begins with kindness returns to it.

قد كنتُعيَّفتُ لك الطيرَ بها

مستيقِظاً والحظُّ بعدُ هاجدُ

I had already read the birds' omens of them for you,

awake while fortune still slept.

وبَرَقَتْ لي في المنى سيوفُها

من قبلِ أن تُبرِزها المَغامدُ

Their swords flashed for me in my hopes

before their sheaths brought them forth,

عِلْماً بما عندَك من أَداتِها

وأَنها سيفٌ وأنت ساعدُ

knowing the equipment you possessed for them,

and that they are a sword, and you the forearm.

فلم يَخُنِّي فارسُ الظنِّ ولا

غَرَّتْنِيَ المَخَايِلُ الشواهدُ

The knight of conjecture did not betray me, nor

did the telling signs deceive me.

وبعدُ لي فيك رجاءٌ ناظرٌ

إلى السماء وحسابٌ زائدُ

And still I have a hope in you that looks

to the sky, and a growing reckoning,

حتى يُشَقَّ للزمان رمسُهُ

وأنت باقٍ والعلاءُ خالدُ

until Time's grave is dug open,

while you endure and high honor is immortal.

بك استقاد الفضلُ ودماؤه

مطلولةٌ وعَزَّ وهو كاسدُ

Through you Merit gained blood-vengeance, though its blood

had gone unavenged, and honor, though it was unsought.

نصرتَهُ والناسُ إمّا جاهلٌ

بحقِّه او عارفٌ مُعاندُ

You championed it, while men were either ignorant

of its right, or knowingly opposed it.

ورِشْتَ من أبنائه أجنِحةً

طار حَصيصاً ريشُهُ البدائدُ

And you feathered wings among its sons

whose scattered feathers had flown away, shorn off.

تعطِي وأنت مُعدِمٌ وإنما

يُعطِي أخوك البحرُ وهو واجدُ

You give while penniless, whereas

your brother, the sea, gives while wealthy.

زرعتَ عندي نعمةً سالفةً

أنت لهذا الشكر منها حاصدُ

You planted an earlier favor with me;

from it you harvest this gratitude.

عَطفاً على ذكرى ووصفاً فخرُهُ

باقٍ عليَّ والزمانُ بائدُ

With affection toward my remembrance, and praise whose glory

abides with me while Time perishes;

ونَظَراً بَدأْتَني برأيه

لو أن باديه إليّ عائدُ

and a consideration you first offered me as counsel—

would that its initiator would return to me!

لكن أردتَ الخيرَ لي ودونه

حوائلٌ من زمني حوائدُ

But you wished me good, and before it stood

obstacles from my time, turning it aside.

فهل لأرضي لك أن تَبُلَّها

على الجُدوب سُحْبُك الجوائدُ

Then may my land, with your leave, be moistened,

despite drought, by your generous clouds?

غَرَسْتُ منك بالولاء والهوى

غرْساً فماذا أنا منه حاصدُ

With loyalty and love I planted from you

a planting; what, then, shall I harvest from it?

اُنظرْ فقد قدَرتَ في مَظْلَمةٍ

كنتَ على إنصافها تعاهدُ

Consider, now that you have power, a wrong

whose redress you used to pledge.

واقضِ ديونَ المجد فيها وارعَ لي

ما تقتضي الأواصرُ التوالدُ

Discharge glory's debts in it, and honor for me

what the bonds of shared birth require.

ولا تكن حاشاك من معاشِرٍ

تَخذُلُ أقوالَهم العقائدُ

Do not be—far be it from you—among people

whose convictions betray their words.

كانوا يدي وريحُهم راكدةٌ

وأُسرتي والحظُّ عنهم عاصد

They were my helping hand when their wind lay still,

and my family when fortune turned away from them.

فحين هبّت عاصفاً رياحُهم

قلَّ الوفيُّ ونَأَى المساعدُ

But when their winds blew tempestuously,

the faithful grew scarce and the helper withdrew.

غَنيَّتُ أَنْ أسكرَني جفاؤهم

وفي غِنائي لَهُمُ عَرابدُ

I sang because their coldness made me drunk,

and my singing for them contains drunken outbursts.

وبخُلاء لا تُهنَّا نعمةٌ

هُمُ إليها السُّبْلُ والمَقاصدُ

And misers: no blessing can be enjoyed

when they are the roads and destinations leading to it.

إذا كَرُمتَ لؤموا سَفارَةً

وإن قرُبتَ فَهُمُ أباعدُ

When you are generous, they are base intermediaries;

and when you draw near, they remain distant.

تُغالِقُ الأرزاقَ أيمانُهُمُ

تَضجُّ من مطلِهم المَواعدُ

Their right hands lock up livelihoods;

promises cry out against their delays.

لا يُرتَجى حُكمُ القريض بينهم

ولا يُخاف اللَّغْو والعَرابدُ

Among them, no judgment of poetry is hoped for,

nor is idle talk or drunken abuse feared.

وكيف أبغِي في النَّبيطِ منهُمُ

والعُجمِ أن تنفَعني القصائدُ

How can I seek, among their Nabataeans

and non-Arabs, benefit from my poems?

تلافَ بالفضلِ الوسيعِ ما جَنَى

مُسلِمُهم عليّ والمُعاهدُ

Make good, through your ample generosity, the harm

their Muslim and their covenant-holder have done me.

حاشاك يشقَى واحدٌ بفضلِهِ

على زمانٍ أنتَ فيهِ واحدُ

Far be it from you that one should suffer for his merit

in an age in which you are peerless.

قد طال صوني سمعَك المشغولَ عن

بثِّك ما ألقى وما أكابدُ

Long have I shielded your busy hearing from

telling you what I encounter and endure.

ونَقَبَتْ جسمي وقلبي صابرٌ

من زمني نيوبُهُ الحدائدُ

They pierced my body, while my heart remained steadfast:

my Time's sharp fangs.

ولم يدعْ تحت الخطوب فَضْلةً

فيّ تدبُّ نحوها الأوابدُ

And Time left, beneath calamities, no remnant

in me toward which wild beasts might creep.

وأَعوزَ المُقامُ أن أَسْطيعَهُ

وسُدِّدَتْ عن سيريَ المَقاصدُ

Remaining has become beyond my power,

and the destinations have been barred to my journey.

أيقتُلُ الزمانُ مثلي هَدَراً

وأنت ثأري والزمانُ عامدُ

Will Time kill a man like me with his blood unavenged,

while you are my avenger and Time acts deliberately?

أنت بفضلي شاهدٌ فلا أمتْ

هَزْلاً وتضييعاً وأنت شاهدُ

You bear witness to my merit; let me not die

through levity and neglect, while you bear witness.

أعدْ مع الإثقالِ نحوي نظرةً

تَنعِشني لحاظُها الردائدُ

Despite my burdening you, turn toward me another glance;

its returning looks revive me.

لعلّها يا خيرَ مَن يُدعَى لها

تَصلُحُ شيئاً هذه المفاسدُ

Perhaps it, O best of those called upon for it,

will set these disorders somewhat right.

وابتعْ بها الشكرَ فعندي عَوضٌ

تَضْمَنُهُ القواطنُ الشواردُ

Purchase gratitude with it: I have recompense,

guaranteed by verses that stay and verses that roam.

كلّ مطاعٍ أمرُها مسلِّطٌ

في الشعر ملقاة لها المَقالدُ

Each obeyed, its command sovereign

in poetry, with the keys laid before it,

سائرة تنشرها الركبانُ أو

عامرة بذكرها المَشاهدُ

traveling, spread abroad by riders, or

filling gatherings with its mention.

تَرى الكلامَ عَجُزاً وطَرَفاً

وكلُّها وسائطٌ فرائدُ

You see speech as tails and fringes,

but all of these are central, peerless jewels.

إذا رأتْ عِرض كريمٍ عاطلاً

فهي له العقودُ والقلائدُ

If they see a noble man's honor unadorned,

they are his necklaces and collars.

تحمِلُ من وصفك ما يحمِلُهُ

عن روضة الحَزْنِ النسيمُ الباردُ

They carry from your qualities what is carried

from an upland meadow by the cool breeze.

طالعة بها التهاني أنجماً

ما كرَّ نوروزٌ وعيدٌ عائدُ

Through them congratulations rise like stars,

whenever Nowruz returns and a festival comes again.

يفنى بنو الدنيا وأنت مَعَها

باقٍ على مرّ الزمان خالدُ

The sons of this world perish, while you, with them,

endure through Time's passage, immortal.

تَبقَى عليك والذي نأخذهُ

من الجزاءِ مضمحِلٌ بائدُ

They remain upon you, while what we receive

in recompense dwindles and perishes.

مَحامِدٌ يحسُدُك الناسُ لها

والناسُ إما حامدٌ أو حاسدُ

Praises for which men envy you,

and men are either praisers or enviers.