Poems
- أأحبابنا ما لي إذا ما ذكرتكمO our beloved ones, why is it that whenever I recall you—
- أبى الله إلا أن تعان وتنصراGod willed only that you be aided and granted victory,
- أترى بأي وسيلة أتوسلI wonder, by what means may I plead?
- إذا احرقت في القلب موضع سكناهاIf she burns the place in the heart where she dwells,
- إذا صلت قال الدين والعدل منصفWhen you charge, Faith and Justice declare: “Just!”
- إذا قابلته ملوك البلادWhen the kings of the lands meet him,
- أعلمت حين تجاور الحيانDid you know, when the two tribes became neighbors,
- أغارت علينا باللحاظ عيونThe eyes beneath the veils lie in ambush for us,
- أغنى عيان معانيه النواظر عنThe sight of his virtues has spared beholders the need for
- أقصر فديتك عن لومي وعن عذليDesist, may I be your ransom, from blaming and reproaching me,
- الخلق دونك في الفعالCreation is inferior to You in deeds
- أمير المؤمنين وخير ملجاO Commander of the Faithful, and best refuge
- أيا صاحبي سجن الخزانة خلياO you two keepers of the treasury prison, let
- أيا صاحبي سجن الخزانة خلياO you two keepers of the treasury prison, let in
- بالله يا ريح الشمالBy God, O north wind,
- بأي بلاد غير أرضي أخيمIn what land other than my own shall I pitch my tent?
- بليت برفاء لواحظ طرفهI am afflicted by a darner; the glances of his eye
- بنفسي من أبكى السموات موتهMy life be ransom for him whose death made the heavens weep
- تريك بروقا في الأكف تدلناIt shows you flashes of lightning in the palms, revealing to us
- جمع الفضائل كلها فكأنماHe gathered all the virtues, as though
- خليلى إن ضاقت بلاد برحبهاMy two friends, if lands, for all their breadth, have grown narrow
- خيرة الله في العباد ومن يعضدGod's chosen among His servants, and those among whom
- ربع الفؤاد خلال تلك الأربعThe heart dwelt among those abodes,
- عضدت الندى بالبأس تقضى على العداYou bolstered generosity with might; the foes are vanquished
- فإن تك قد غاضت بجود أكفكمSo if the generosity of your hands has drained
- فدع التمدح بالقديم فكم عفاSo cease boasting of the past, for how many have vanished—
- فقلت وقد سئلت بلا احتشامSo I said, when asked without reserve:
- فلأكسون علاك كل غريبةSo I shall surely clothe your eminence in every wondrous verse
- كأن قدودهم أنبتتAs though their figures had put forth
- كأني وقد فاضت سيول مدامعىIt is as though I, the torrents of my tears having overflowed
- كم كنت أسمع أن الدهر ذو غيرHow often I used to hear that time is full of reversals.
- لا ترج ذا نقص ولو أصبحتDo not place your hopes in one who is flawed, even if
- لا تطمعن فى أرض أن أقيم بهاLet no land ever hope that I will settle in it,
- لا تنكرن من الأنام تفاوتاNever deny the differences among humankind,
- لحقت الماخضين الشعر قبليI caught up with those who churned verse before me, though they emptied the skins of their butter.
- لقد جرد الإسلام منك مهنداIslam has indeed unsheathed from you an Indian-forged sword,
- لقد شك طرفي والركائب جنحMy gaze was indeed unsure, while the riding camels leaned:
- لقد طال هذا الليل بعد فراقهThis night has indeed grown long after parting from him;
- لكم خيال فى الجفون ممثلYour image is pictured within the eyelids,
- لم تنل بالسيوف في الحرب إلاYou won with swords in war no more
- ليت شعرى كيف أنتم بعدناIf only I knew how you fare now that we are gone.
- لئن زادني قرب المزار تشوقاIf indeed the nearness of the place of visitation has heightened my longing
- ماله من فتك راحتهHis wealth, because of his palm’s deadly assault,
- هم نصب عيني أنجدوا أوغارواThey are before my eyes, whether they go upland or down to the lowlands,
- هو الدهر فانظر أى قرن تحاربهIt is Time—consider what an adversary you fight,
- وافى فأردى رجالا بعدما نعمواHe arrived and slew men after they had lived in ease
- وإن أمير المؤمنين وذكرهAnd indeed the Commander of the Faithful and mention of him
- وتلقى الدهر منه بليث غابAnd through him you face Fate with a lion of the thicket,
- وخاصمني بدر السما فخصمتهThe full moon of the sky disputed with me, and I bested it
- وذي هيف يدعى بموسى بطرفهAnd a slender-waisted one called Mūsā—in his gaze
- وسمر عوال زينتها أكفهمAnd tall, brown spears their palms have adorned;
- وشادن ما مثله في الجنانAnd a young gazelle with no equal in Paradise,
- وغر على غر جياد كأنماAnd noble riders on fine, white-blazed steeds, as though
- وقبل كفك لا زالت مقبلةAnd before your palm—may it ever be kissed—
- وقد أنكروا قتلي بسيف لحاظهAnd they have denied my being slain by the sword of his glances;
- وما لي إلى ماء سوى النيل غلةNo water but the Nile can slake my thirst,
- ومرنح الأعطاف تحسب أنهAnd one with swaying flanks, whom you would think
- ومصفرة لا عن هوى غير أنهاWith yellowness not from passion, yet she
- ومن نكد الأيام أني كما ترىAnd among the miseries of the days is that, as you see, I
- ومهفهف أسياف مقلتهAnd a slender one, whose eye’s swords
- ويا عجبا حتى النسيم يخوننىAnd oh, what a wonder—even the breeze betrays me,
- وينجده إن خانه الدهر أوسطاAnd if time betrays or assails him, he is aided
- يا أيها الملك الذي أوصافهO noble company, whose qualities are
- يا ربع أين ترى الأحبة يممواO dwelling, where do you think the beloved have headed?
- يعنفني من لو تحقق ما الهوىThe one who rebukes me, if he truly knew what love is,
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