أجررت حبل خليع في الصبا غزل — Muslim Ibn Al Walid

أُجرِرتُ حَبلَ خَليعٍ في الصِبا غَزِلِ

وَشَمَّرَت هِمَمُ العُذّالِ في العَذَلِ

I was given a libertine's loose rein, amorous in youthful folly,

and the reproachers' resolve girded itself for reproach.

هاجَ البُكاءُ عَلى العَينِ الطَموحِ هَوَىً

مُفَرَّقٌ بَينَ تَوديعٍ وَمُحتَمَلِ

Tears were stirred in the far-roaming eye by a love

divided between farewell and departure.

كَيفَ السُلُوُّ لِقَلبٍ راحَ مُختَبَلاً

يَهذي بِصاحِبِ قَلبٍ غَيرَ مُختَبَلِ

How can a heart find forgetfulness when it has gone distracted,

raving over one whose heart is not distracted?

عاصى العَزاءَ غَداةَ البَينِ مُنهَمِلٌ

مِنَ الدُموعِ جَرى في إِثرِ مُنهَمِلِ

On the morning of parting, consolation was defied by a stream

of tears that flowed in the wake of another stream.

لَولا مُداراةُ دَمعِ العَينِ لَاِنكَشَفَت

مِنّي سَرائِرُ لَم تَظهَر وَلَم تُخَلِ

Had I not restrained my eye's tears, there would have been revealed

secrets of mine never shown nor suspected.

أَما كَفى البَينُ أَن أُرمى بِأَسهُمِهِ

حَتّى رَماني بِلَحظِ الأَعيُنِ النُجُلِ

Was it not enough for parting that I be struck by its arrows,

that it also struck me with the gaze of wide eyes?

مِمّا جَنى لي وَإِن كانَت مُنىً صَدَقَت

صَبابَةً خُلَسُ التَسليمِ بِالمُقَلِ

Among what brought me—though they were wishes fulfilled—

longing were stolen greetings exchanged with the eyes.

ماذا عَلى الدَهرِ لَو لانَت عَريكَتُهُ

وَرَدَّ في الرَأسِ مِنّي سَكرَةَ الغَزَلِ

What harm to Time if its temper softened

and restored to my head the intoxication of love?

جُرمُ الحَوادِثِ عِندي أَنَّها اِختَلَسَت

مِنّي بَناتِ غِذاءِ الكَرمِ وَالكِلَلِ

The crime I charge against misfortunes is that they stole

from me the daughters nurtured by vines and curtained bowers.

وَرُبَّ يَومٍ مِنَ اللَذّاتِ مُحتَضَرٍ

قَصَّرتُهُ بِلِقاءِ الراحِ وَالخُلَلِ

And many a day thronged with pleasures

I shortened with wine and the company of intimates.

وَلَيلَةٍ خُلِسَت لِلعَينِ مِن سِنَةٍ

هَتَكتُ فيها الصِبا عَن بَيضَةِ الحَجَلِ

And a night stolen for the eye from drowsiness,

in which I laid a partridge's egg bare in youthful folly.

قَد كانَ دَهري وَما بي اليَومَ مِن كِبَرٍ

شُربَ المُدامِ وَعَزفَ القَينَةِ العُطُلِ

My life once was—though old age has not touched me today—

drinking wine and the music of an unadorned singing girl.

إِذا شَكَوتُ إِلَيها الحُبَّ خَفَّرَها

شَكوايَ فَاِحمَرَّ خَدّاها مِنَ الخَجَلِ

When I complained to her of love, she was made bashful

by my complaint, and her cheeks reddened with shame.

كَم قَد قَطَعتُ وَعَينُ الدَهرِ راقِدَةٌ

أَيّامَهُ بِالصِبا في اللَهوِ وَالجَذَلِ

How often I passed, while Time's eye slept,

its days in youthful folly, amusement, and delight!

وَطَيِّبِ الفَرعِ أَصفاني مَوَدَّتَهُ

كافَأتُهُ بِمَديحٍ فيهِ مُنتَخَلِ

And one of noble stock gave me his unclouded affection;

I repaid him with praise carefully chosen for him.

وَبَلدَةٍ لِمَطايا الرَكبِ مُنضِيَةٍ

أَنضَيتُها بِوَجيفِ الأَينُقِ الذُلُلِ

And many a land that exhausted the caravan's mounts

I wore out with the trotting of docile she-camels.

فيمَ المُقامُ وَهَذا النَجمُ مُعتَرِضاً

دَنا النَجاءُ وَحانَ السَيرُ فَاِرتَحِلِ

Why remain, with this star lying athwart the sky?

Swift departure is near; travel's hour has come, so depart.

يا مائِلَ الرَأسِ إِنَّ اللَيثَ مُفتَرِسٌ

ميلَ الجَماجِمِ وَالأَعناقِ فَاِعتَدِلِ

O you who incline your head, the lion devours

the leaning skulls and necks—so stand straight!

حَذارٍ مِن أَسَدٍ ضِرغامَةٍ بَطَلٍ

لا يولِغُ السَيفَ إِلّا مُهجَةَ البَطَلِ

Beware a lion, fierce and heroic,

who lets his sword lap only a hero's lifeblood.

لَولا يَزيدُ لَأَضحى المُلكُ مُطَّرَحاً

أَو مائِلَ السَمكِ أَو مُستَرخيَ الطِوَلِ

Were it not for Yazid, kingship would lie cast aside,

or its roof would lean, or its tether hang slack.

سَلَّ الخَليفَةُ سَيفاً مِن بَنى مَطَرٍ

أَقامَ قائِمُهُ مَن كانَ ذا مَيَلِ

The caliph drew a sword from Banu Matar,

whose hilt set straight whoever was inclined.

كَم صائِلٍ في ذَرا تَمهيدِ مَملَكَةٍ

لَولا يَزيدُ بَني شَيبانَ لَم يَصُلِ

How many a fighter sheltered by an established kingdom

would never have charged but for Yazid of Banu Shayban!

نابُ الإِمامِ الَّذي يَفتَرُّ عَنهُ إِذا

ما اِفتَرَت الحَربُ عَن أَنيابِها العُصُلِ

He is the Imam's fang, which he bares when

war bares its crooked fangs.

مَن كانَ يَختِلُ قِرناً عِندَ مَوقِفِهِ

فَإِنَّ قِرنَ يَزيدٍ غَيرُ مُختَتَلِ

Whoever may take an opponent by guile at the encounter,

Yazid's opponent is not one taken by guile.

سَدَّ الثُغورَ يَزيدٌ بَعدَما اِنفَرَجَت

بِقائِمِ السَيفِ لا بِالخَتلِ وَالحِيَلِ

Yazid closed the frontier gaps after they had opened,

with the sword's hilt, not deceit and stratagems.

كَم أَذاقَ حِمامَ المَوتِ مِن بَطَلٍ

حامي الحَقيقَةِ لا يُؤتى مِنَ الوَهَلِ

How many a hero he made taste the doom of death,

a defender of his honor, not vulnerable through panic!

أَغَرُّ أَبيَضُ يُغشى البَيضَ أَبيَضُ لا

يَرضى لِمَولاهُ يَومَ الرَوعِ بِالفَشَلِ

Bright-browed and noble, he lays a gleaming blade upon helmets, and will not

accept failure for his lord on the day of terror.

يَغشى الوَغى وَشِهابُ المَوتِ في يَدِهِ

يَرمي الفَوارِسَ وَالأَبطالَ بِالشُعَلِ

He enters battle with death's meteor in his hand,

pelting horsemen and champions with flames.

يَفتَرُّ عِندَ اِفتِرارِ الحَربِ مُبتَسِماً

إِذا تَغَيَّرَ وَجهُ الفارِسِ البَطَلِ

He bares his teeth in a smile when war bares hers,

when the heroic horseman's face changes.

موفٍ عَلى مُهجٍ في يَومِ ذي رَهَجٍ

كَأَنَّهُ أَجَلٌ يَسعى إِلى أَمَلِ

Poised above men's lifeblood on a dust-filled day,

as though he were appointed death hastening toward hope.

يَنالُ بِالرِفقِ ما يَعيا الرِجالُ بِهِ

كَالمَوتِ مُستَعجِلاً يَأتي عَلى مَهَلِ

With gentleness he achieves what other men cannot accomplish,

like death: hastening, yet coming at leisure.

لا يُلقِحُ الحَربَ إِلّا رَيثَ يُنتِجُها

مِن هالِكٍ وَأَسيرِ غَيرِ مُختَتَلِ

He impregnates war only long enough to bring her offspring forth:

slain men and captives taken without deceit.

إِن شيمَ بارِقُهُ حالَت خَلائِقُهُ

بَينَ العَطِيَّةِ وَالإِمساكِ وَالعِلَلِ

If his lightning is watched for, his virtues come

between the gift and withholding or excuses.

يَغشى المَنايا المَنايا ثُمَّ يَفرُجُها

عَنِ النُفوسِ مُطِلّاتٍ عَلى الهَبَلِ

He confronts death upon death, then dispels them

from souls hovering on the brink of bereavement.

لا يَرحَلُ الناسُ إِلّا نَحوَ حُجرَتِهِ

كَالبَيتِ يُضحي إِلَيهِ مُلتَقى السُبُلِ

People journey nowhere but toward his dwelling,

which, like the House, becomes the meeting place of roads.

يَقري المَنِيَّةَ أَرواحُ الكُماةِ كَما

يَقري الضُيوفَ شُحومَ الكُومِ وَالبُزُلِ

He entertains death with the souls of armored warriors, just as

he entertains guests with the fat of high-humped and mature camels.

يَكسو السُيوفَ دِماءَ الناكِثينَ بِهِ

وَيَجعَلُ الهامَ تيجانَ القَنا الذُبُلِ

He clothes swords in the blood of those who break faith with him,

and makes heads crowns for slender spears.

يَغدو فَتَغدو المَنايا في أَسِنَّتِهِ

شَوارِعاً تَتَحَدّى الناسَ بِالأَجَلِ

He sets forth, and deaths set forth upon his spearheads,

outstretched, challenging people with their appointed end.

إِذا طَغَت فِئَةٌ عَن غِبِّ طاعَتِها

عَبّا لَها المَوتَ بَينَ البيضِ وَالأَسَلِ

When a faction rebels after its obedience,

he arrays death for it among swords and spears.

قَد عَوَّدَ الطَيرَ عاداتٍ وَثِقنَ بِها

فَهُنَّ يَتبَعنَهُ في كُلِّ مُرتَحَلِ

He has accustomed the birds to habits they trust,

so they follow him on every journey.

تَراهُ في الأَمنِ في دِرعٍ مُضاعَفَةٍ

لا يَأمَنُ الدَهرَ أَن يُدعى عَلى عَجَلِ

You see him, even in safety, in doubled armor;

he trusts not Time, lest he be summoned in haste.

صافي العِيانِ طَموحُ العَينِ هِمَّتُهُ

فَكُّ العُناةِ وَأَسرُ الفاتِكِ الخَطِلِ

Clear of aspect, aspiring of gaze, his ambition is

to free captives and capture the reckless killer.

لا يَعبَقُ الطيبُ خَدَّيهِ وَمَفرِقَهُ

وَلا يُمَسِّحُ عَينَيهِ مِنَ الكُحُلِ

Perfume does not cling to his cheeks or the part in his hair,

nor does he smear his eyes with kohl.

إِذا اِنتَضى سَيفَهُ كانَت مَسالِكُهُ

مَسالِكَ المَوتِ في الأَبدانِ وَالقُلَلِ

When he draws his sword, its paths become

the paths of death through bodies and crowns of heads.

وَإِن خَلَت بِحَديثِ النَفسِ فِكرَتُهُ

حَيى الرَجاءُ وَماتَ الخَوفُ مِن وَجَلِ

And if his thought withdraws into the soul's inner speech,

hope comes alive and fear dies of dread.

كَاللَيثِ إِن هِجتَهُ فَالمَوتُ راحَتُهُ

لا يَستَريحُ إِلى الأَيّامِ وَالدُوَلِ

Like the lion: if you rouse him, death is his repose;

he finds no comfort in days or turns of fortune.

إِنَّ الحَوادِثَ لَمّا رُمنَ هَضبَتَهُ

أَزمَعنَ عَن جارِ شَيبانٍ بِمُنتَقَلِ

When calamities sought his mountain height,

they resolved to depart from Shayban's neighbor.

فَالدَهرُ يَغبِطُ أُولاهُ أَواخِرَهُ

إِذ لَم يَكُن كانَ في أَعصارِهِ الأُوَلِ

Time's earlier ages envy its later ones,

since he had not existed in its earliest ages.

إِذا الشَريكِيُّ لَم يَفخَر عَلى أَحَدٍ

تَكَلَّمَ الفَخرُ عَنهُ غَيرَ مُنتَحِلِ

If al-Shariki boasts over no one,

Glory speaks for him without false claims.

لا تُكذِبَنَّ فَإِنَّ الحِلمَ مَعدِنُهُ

وِراثَةٌ في بَني شَيبانَ لَم تَزَلِ

Never deny it, for forbearance has its source

in an inheritance among Banu Shayban that has never ceased.

سَلّوا السُيوفَ فَأَغشَوا مَن يُحارِبُهُم

خَبطاً بِها غَيرَ ما نُكلٍ وَلا وُكُلِ

They drew their swords and overwhelmed those who fought them,

striking with them, neither cowards nor men who rely on others.

الزائِدِيّونَ قَومٌ في رِماحِهِمُ

خَوفُ المُخيفِ وَأَمنُ الخائِفِ الوَجِلِ

The Za'idis are a people whose spears hold

fear for the intimidator and safety for the fearful and trembling.

كَبيرُهُم لا تَقومُ الراسِياتُ لَهُ

حِلماً وَطِفلُهُمُ في هَدى مُكتَهِلِ

Their elder is unmatched by the firm-set mountains

in forbearance, and their child has a mature man's bearing.

إِسلَم يَزيدُ فَما في الدينِ مِن أَودٍ

إِذا سَلِمتَ وَما في المُلكِ مِن خَلَلِ

Stay safe, Yazid, for there is no crookedness in religion

if you are safe, and no defect in kingship.

أَثبَتَّ سوقَ بَني الإِسلامِ فَاِطَّأَدَت

يَومَ الخَليجِ وَقَد قامَت عَلى زَلَلِ

You steadied the legs of Islam's sons, and they stood firm

on the day of al-Khalij, though they had stood on slippery ground.

لَولا دِفاعُكَ بَأسَ الرومِ إِذ بَكَرَت

عَن عِترَةِ الدينِ لَم تَأمَن مِنَ الثَكَلِ

Had you not warded off the Romans' might when they came at dawn

from religion's kindred, that kin would not have escaped bereavement.

وَيوسُفُ البَرمَ قَد صَبَّحتَ عَسكَرَهُ

بِعَسكَرٍ يَلفِظُ الأَقدارَ ذي زَجَلِ

And Yusuf al-Barm—you attacked his army at dawn

with a clamorous army spewing forth destinies.

غافَصتَهُ يَومَ عَبرِ النَهرِ مُهلَتَهُ

وَكانَ مُحتَجَزاً في الحَربِ بِالمُهَلِ

You surprised him during his respite, on the day beyond the river,

when in war he had sheltered himself behind delays.

وَالمارِقَ اِبنَ طَريفٍ قَد دَلَفتَ لَهُ

بِعَسكَرٍ لِلمَنايا مُسبِلٍ هَطِلِ

And the renegade Ibn Tarif—you advanced against him

with an army pouring down deaths in torrents.

لَمّا رَآكَ مُجِدّاً في مَنِيَّتِهِ

وَأَنَّ دَفعَكَ لا يُسطاعُ بِالحِيَلِ

When he saw you earnest in bringing his death,

and that repelling you was impossible through stratagems,

شامَ النِزالَ فَأَبرَقتَ اللِقاءَ لَهُ

مُقدِّمَ الخَطوِ فيها غَيرَ مُتَّكِلِ

he surveyed the combat, and you flashed the encounter before him,

stepping forward into it, relying on no one.

ماتوا وَأَنتَ غَليلٌ في صُدورِهِمُ

وَكانَ سَيفُكَ يُستَشفى مِنَ الغُلَلِ

They died with you a burning rancor in their breasts,

while your sword was sought to cure burning rancor.

لَو أَنَّ غَيرَ شَريكي أَطافَ بِهِ

فازَ الوَليدُ بِقَدحِ الناضِلِ الخَصِلِ

Had anyone other than a Shariki closed around him,

al-Walid would have won the successful marksman's prize-arrow.

وَقُمتَ بِالدينِ يَومَ الرَّسِّ فَاِعتَدَلَت

مِنهُ قَوائِمُ قَد أَوفَت عَلى مَيَلِ

You upheld religion on the day of al-Rass, and straightened

its supports, which had been on the verge of leaning.

ما كانَ جَمعُهُمُ لَمّا لَقيتَهُمُ

إِلّا كَمِثلِ نُعامٍ ريعَ مُنجَفِلِ

When you met them, their host was nothing

but startled ostriches fleeing.

تابوا وَلَو لَم يَتوبوا مِن ذُنوبِهِمُ

لابَ جَيشُكَ بِالأَسرى وَبِالنَفَلِ

They repented; had they not repented of their sins,

your army would have returned with captives and spoils.

كَم آمِنٍ لَكَ نائِيَ الدارِ مُمتَنِعٍ

أَخرَجتَهُ مِن حُصونِ المُلكِ وَالخَوَلِ

How many a man who felt safe from you, distant in his dwelling and defended,

you drove out of the fortresses of kingship and retainers!

يَأبى لَكَ الذَمَّ في يَومَيكَ إِن ذُكِرا

عَضبٌ حُسامٌ وَعِرضٌ غَيرُ مُبتَذَلِ

Blame is denied you, when your two days are recalled, by

a sharp, cutting sword and honor never debased.

وَمارِقينَ غُزاةٍ مِن بُيوتِهِمُ

لا يَنكُلونَ وَلا يُؤتونَ مِن نَكَلِ

And rebels who went raiding from their homes,

neither shrinking nor vulnerable through cowardice,

خَلَّفتَ أَجسادَهُم وَالطَيرُ عاكِفَةٌ

فيها وَأَقفَلتَهُم هاماً مَعَ القَفَلِ

you left their bodies behind, with the birds clustered

over them, and sent them back as heads with the homeward-bound.

فَاِفخَر فَمالَكَ في شَيبانَ مِن مَثَلٍ

كَذاكَ ما لِبنى شَيبانَ مِن مَثَلِ

So boast, for you have no equal in Shayban;

likewise, Banu Shayban have no equal.

كَم مَشهَدٍ لَكَ لا تُحصى مَآثِرُهُ

قَسَمتَ فيهِ كَرِزقِ الإِنسِ وَالخَبَلِ

How many an encounter of yours, whose exploits cannot be counted,

in which you apportioned shares like the sustenance of men and jinn!

لِلَّهِ مِن هاشِمٍ في أَرضِهِ جَبَلٌ

وَأَنتَ وَاِبنُكَ رُكنا ذَلِكَ الجَبَلِ

God has a mountain from Hashim upon His earth,

and you and your son are the two supports of that mountain.

قَد أَعظَموكَ فَما تُدعى لِهَيِّنَةٍ

إِلّا لِمُعضِلَةٍ تُستَنُّ بِالعَضَلِ

They have held you great, so you are not summoned for an easy task,

only for a stubborn difficulty that runs amid hardships.

يا رُبَّ مَكرُمَةٍ أَصبَحتَ واحِدَها

أَعيَت صَناديدَ راموها فَلَم تُنَلِ

Ah, how many a noble deed you have become its sole achiever,

which exhausted champions who sought it but could not attain it!

تَشاغَلَ الناسُ بِالدُنيا وَزُخرُفِها

وَأَنتَ مَن بِذَلِكَ المَعروفَ في شُغُلِ

People have busied themselves with the world and its glitter,

while you are one occupied with that kindness.

أَقسَمتُ ما ذُبَّ عَن جَدواكَ طالِبُها

وَلا دَفَعتَ اِعتِزامَ الجِدِّ بِالهَزَلِ

I swear: no seeker of your bounty has been driven away,

nor have you repelled earnest resolve with jest.

يَأبى لِسانُكَ مَنعَ الجودِ سائِلُهُ

فَما يُلَجلِجُ بَينَ الجودِ وَالبُخلِ

Your tongue refuses to deny generosity to its seeker,

so it never stammers between generosity and avarice.

صَدَّقتَ ظَنّي وَصَدَّقتَ الظُنونَ بِهِ

وَحَطَّ جودُكَ عَقدَ الرَحلِ عَن جَمَلي

You fulfilled my expectation, and fulfilled others' expectations through it,

and your generosity removed the saddle-knot from my camel.