Sol 6.1

  1. تَعَزَّ فَقَد ماتَ الهَوى وَاِنتَهى الجَهلُ

    فَرَدَّ عَلَيكَ الحِلمَ ما قَدَّمَ العَذلُ

    Take comfort: passion has died, and folly has ended.

    The counsel offered by reproach has restored your self-restraint.

  2. أَحينَ طَوى عَن شِرَّةِ اللَهوِ شِرَّةً

    يُطيعُ سَوادَ الرَأسِ إِن قالَ لا تَسلُ

    Now that he has folded his ardor away from pleasure's frenzy,

    does he obey his hair's blackness when it says, "Do not forget"?

  3. حَماهُ عَلى سَبعٍ وَعِشرينَ حِجَّةً

    شَبابٌ فَتِيُّ الغَيبِ شاهِدُهُ كَهلُ

    He was protected through twenty-seven years

    by youth—young within, yet mature in its outward aspect.

  4. أَلا نادِيَ اليَومَ الَّذي أَعجَلَ النَوى

    نَلبُثَها حَتّى اِنطَوى مَعَها الوَصلُ

    Ah, call upon the day when separation came in haste;

    we linger through it until union is folded away with it.

  5. لَعَلَّ وُجوهَ اللَيلِ تَثنى صُدورَهُ

    فَيَخرُجَ مِن حَدِّ السُهادِ بِنا الأَصلُ

    Perhaps night's faces will fold back its breasts,

    so evening may carry us beyond the bounds of sleeplessness.

  6. تَفَرَّقُ في العَينِ الدُموعُ وَتارَةً

    يُؤَلِّفُها الإِلفُ الَّذي حَلَّفَت جُملُ

    Tears scatter within the eye, and sometimes

    the beloved whom Juml made swear an oath gathers them.

  7. هُوَ الشَوقُ مَصروفُ السُلُوِّ وَدونَهُ

    أَحاديثُ إِذكارِ الفُؤادِ بِها خَبلُ

    It is longing, denied forgetfulness; before it lie

    tales that reawaken the heart and bring it madness.

  8. فَدَع قَلبَهُ وَالنَأيَ لا يَذكُرُ الهَوى

    لَيالِيَ يَلقاهُ بِأَترابِهِ الشَملُ

    Leave his heart to separation; let him not recall passion

    on nights when reunion meets him among his companions.

  9. خَرَجنَ خُروجَ الأَنجُمِ الزُهرِ وَاِلتَقَت

    عَلَيهِنَّ مِنهُنَّ المَلاحَةُ وَالشَكلُ

    They emerged as radiant stars emerge, and there converged

    upon them, from within them, loveliness and coquetry.

  10. تَبَسَّمنَ فَاِستَضحَكنَ طامِسَةَ الدُجا

    عَنِ الصُبحِ وَالظَلماءُ أَوجُهُها طُحلُ

    They smiled, making darkness's obscuring veil laugh

    to reveal dawn, though night's faces were dusky.

  11. خَفينَ عَلى غَيبِ الظُنونِ وَغَصَّتِ ال

    بُرَينُ فَلَم يَنطِق بِأَسرارِها حِجلُ

    They hid beyond conjecture's unseen reach, and the

    rings were choked tight, so no anklet spoke her secrets.

  12. وَلَمّا تَلاقَينا قَضى اللَيلُ نَحبَهُ

    بِوَجهٍ لِوَجهِ الشَمسِ مِن مائِهِ المَحلُ

    When we met, night breathed its last

    before a face whose freshness left the sun's face parched.

  13. أَرِبنا بِأَلحاظِ العُيونِ وَبَينَنا

    عَفافٌ وَتَكذيبٌ لِمّا يَأثُرُ المَحلُ

    We expressed desire through glances, while between us

    stood chastity, refuting what the slanderer relates.

  14. كَأَنَّ الثُرَيّا فَورَها وَسُكونَها

    نُجومٌ جَلاها الفَجرُ فَاِحتازَها أَفلُ

    As though the Pleiades, in their surging and their stillness,

    were stars disclosed by dawn, then gathered by setting.

  15. طَوَيتُ بِها شَرخَ الشَبابِ فَحاجَزَت

    قَريباً وَجِلبابُ الصِبا خَلَقٌ رَذلُ

    With her I folded up youth's prime; then she drew apart

    soon, with youth's mantle worn and threadbare.

  16. وَخَضراءَ يَدعو شَجوَ مُكِّيِّها الصَدى

    إِذا نَسَفَتها الريحُ ريحانُها شُعلُ

    And a green meadow where echo calls forth its lark's lament—

    when wind tosses it, its fragrant herbs are flames.

  17. سَقاها الثَرى ماءَ النَدى وَأَسَرَّها

    مِنَ القَيظِ حَتّى أَمرَعَ السارِحَ الرَبلُ

    The soil watered it with dew and sheltered it

    from summer's heat, until fresh growth enriched the grazing herd.

  18. إِذا دَرَجَت فيها الجَنوبُ تَعانَقَت

    بِها سامِقاتُ الزَهرِ وَاِصطَحَبَ البَقلُ

    When the south wind moves through it, there embrace

    the tall flowers, and the herbs keep company.

  19. كَساها الخَلا الرَسمِيُّ مِن كُلِّ جانِبٍ

    طَرائِقَ حَتّى سودُ حَوزاتِها شُهلُ

    Spring-rain grass clothed it on every side

    in bands, until even its dark hollows became grey-tinged.

  20. تَحَلَّبَ مِنها مُستَسِرٌّ مِنَ النَدى

    بِريحِ الصِبا وَالرَوضُ أَعيُنُهُ خُضلُ

    Hidden dew oozed from it

    in the east wind, and the meadow's eyes were moist.

  21. أَنَختُ بِها وَالشَمسُ تَنعِقُ بِالضُحى

    وَما صاحِبي إِلّا المُدامَةُ وَالجَحلُ

    I made my mount kneel there, the sun crying out at forenoon,

    with no companion but wine and the great wine-jar.

  22. إِذا شِئتُ حَيّاني الثَرى بِنَباتِهِ

    وَطالَعَني في رَوضِهِ العُصُمُ العُقلُ

    Whenever I wished, the earth greeted me with its plants,

    and white-marked, dark-legged antelopes appeared before me in its meadow.

  23. تَراخَينَ دوني ثُمَّ أَوجَسنَ وَطأَةً

    فَأَتلَعنَ كُحلاً مُستَراباً لَها الكُحلُ

    They loitered before me, then sensed a footfall,

    and the dark-eyed ones stretched their necks, their kohl-dark eyes wary.

  24. وَغَبراءَ لا يُسقي عَلى الخِمسِ رَكبُها

    قَطَعتُ وَريقُ الشَمسِ يَغلي بِهِ السَجلُ

    And a dusty waste where riders cannot water at the five-day interval—

    I crossed it while the sun's spittle made a bucketful boil.

  25. تَجاوَزتُها وَالآلُ مُستَنقِعٌ بِها

    كَنَّشرِ القَباطيِّ اِنتَضى ماءَها الغُسلُ

    I passed through it, with mirage pooled within it

    like outspread Coptic linen stripped of water by washing.

  26. وَمُلتَجِبٍ بِالنَأيِ قَلبُ دَليلِها

    يَبيتُ بِها عَن بَيتِهِ الجابُ وَالصَعلُ

    And a waste whose guide's heart clamors at its remoteness,

    where the wild ass and small-headed ostrich spend the night far from home.

  27. لَقَيتُ الدُجى فيها وَلِلأَصلِ قُلعَةٌ

    وَمُحتَنِكُ الإِمساءِ مُقتَضَبٌ طِفلُ

    I met darkness there, while evening was ready to depart,

    and the all-enfolding dusk was freshly begun and tender.

  28. وَلَمّا تَعالى اللَيلُ شَقَّت بِنا السُرى

    جَلابيبَهُ حَتّى رَأى دُبرَهُ القُبلُ

    When night rose high, night-travel cleft for us

    its cloaks, until its front could see its back.

  29. إِذا شِئتُ خَلَّفتُ الصَبا أَو صَحِبتُها

    بِوَجناءَ مَوصولٍ بِغارِبِها الرَحلُ

    Whenever I wished, I left the east wind behind or kept pace with it

    on a stout-cheeked she-camel, her saddle bound to her withers.

  30. أَتَتكَ المَطايا تَهتَدي بِمَطِيَّةٍ

    عَلَيها فَتاً كَالنَصلِ يُؤنِسُهُ النَصلُ

    The mounts came to you, guided by a mount

    bearing a youth like a blade, kept company by a blade.

  31. وَرَدنَ خِلافَ اللَيلِ وَاللَيلُ مُصدِرٌ

    أَواخِرُهُ وَالفَجرُ عُريانُ أَو فُضلُ

    They came to water in night's wake, while night sent away

    its last hours, and dawn stood naked or lightly clad.

  32. فَلَمّا نَحَينَ النورَ خَرَّينَ تَحتَهُ

    عَلى أَمَلٍ يُشجى بِهِ اليَأسُ وَالمَطلُ

    When they headed toward the light, they fell beneath it,

    upon a hope that grieves despair and delay.

  33. وَرَدنَ رِواقَ الفَضلِ فَضلِ بنِ جَعفَرٍ

    فَحَطَّ الثَناءَ الجَزلَ نائِلُهُ الجَزلُ

    They reached al-Fadl's pavilion—Fadl ibn Ja'far's—

    and his lavish bounty diminished even lavish praise.

  34. فَتىً تَرتَعي الآمالُ مُزنَةَ جودِهِ

    إِذا كانَ مَرعاها الأَمانِيُّ وَالبُطلُ

    A youth whose cloud of generosity is pasture for hopes

    when their pasture is only wishes and emptiness.

  35. تُساقِطُ يُمناهُ نَدىً وَشِمالُهُ

    رَدىً وَعُيونُ القَولِ مَنطِقُهُ الفَضلُ

    His right hand showers bounty, and his left

    death; his excellent utterance is the choicest of speech.

  36. أَلَحَّ عَلى الأَيّامِ يَفري خُطوبَها

    عَلى مَنهَجٍ أَلفى أَباهُ بِهِ قَبلُ

    He persists against the days, cutting through their calamities,

    on a path where he found his father before him.

  37. عَجولٌ إِلى ما يودِعُ الحَمدَ مالَهُ

    يَعُدُّ النَدى غُنماً إِذا اِغتُنِمَ البُخلُ

    Swift to whatever entrusts his wealth to praise,

    he counts bounty as gain when stinginess is reckoned profit.

  38. كَأَنَّ نَعَم في فيهِ يَجري مَكانَها

    سُلالَةُ ما مَجَّت لِأَفراخِها النَحلُ

    As though, where "yes" would pass through his mouth, there flowed

    the essence of what bees disgorge for their young.

  39. جَرى مُذ حَواهُ المَهدُ في شَأوِ جَعفَرٍ

    إِلى غايَةٍ يَتلو المِثالَ الَّذي يَتلو

    Since the cradle held him, he has run Ja'far's course

    toward a goal, following the model he follows.

  40. حَمولاً لِعِبوِ الدَهرِ يَنهَضُ عَفوُهُ

    بِهِ مُستَقِلّاً حينَ لا يُحمَلُ الثِقلُ

    Bearing time's burden, his unforced strength lifts

    it unaided when that weight cannot be carried.

  41. إِذا أَغمَدَت هِمّاتُهُ خَطباً اِغتَدَت

    عَلى مُنتَضى رَأيٍ مُمَرٍّ بِهِ السَحلُ

    When his resolves have sheathed a crisis, they go forth at dawn

    with unsheathed judgment that twists loose cord firmly.

  42. كَأَنَّ مَجالَ العَينِ مِنهُ وَقَلبَهُ

    وَغُرَّتَهُ نَصلٌ حَماهُ الصَدى الصَقلُ

    As though the range of his gaze, and his heart,

    and his brow were a blade that polish guards from rust.

  43. أَنافَ بِهِ العَلياءَ يَحيى وَجَعفَرٌ

    فَلَيسَ لَهُ مِثلٌ وَلا لَهُما مِثلُ

    Yahya and Ja'far raised him to the heights,

    so he has no equal, nor have they any equal.

  44. فُروعٌ تَلَقَّتها المَغارِسُ فَاِعتَلى

    بِها عاطِفاً أَعناقَها قَصدَهُ الأَصلُ

    Branches embraced by their planting-grounds; up rose

    with them the root, turning their necks toward itself.

  45. لَهُم هَضبَةٌ تَأوي إِلى ظِلِّ بَرمَكٍ

    مَنوطاً بِها الآمالُ أَطنابُها السُبلُ

    They have a highland sheltered beneath Barmak's shade,

    hopes suspended upon it, its tent-ropes the roads.

  46. أَقَرَّت عَلَيهِم نِعمَةَ اللَهِ نِعمَةٌ

    لَهُم في رِقابِ الناسِ لَيسَ لَها نَقلُ

    A favor secured God's favor upon them:

    their favor upon people's necks, never to be transferred.

  47. وَقَوا حُرَمَ الأَعراضِ بِالبيضِ وَالنَدى

    فَأَموالُهُم نَهبٌ وَأَعراضُهُم بَسلُ

    They guarded honor's sanctuaries with white blades and bounty;

    their wealth is free spoil, but their honor is forbidden ground.

  48. حُبّاً لا يَطيرُ الجَهلُ في عَذَباتِها

    إِذا هِيَ حَلَّت لَم يَفُت حَلَّها ذَحلُ

    Knotted wraps in whose fringes folly never takes flight;

    when they are untied, no blood-feud escapes their undoing.

  49. جَرى آخِذاً يَحيى مُقَلَّدَ جَعفَرٍ

    وَصَلّى إِمامُ السابِقينَ اِبنُهُ الفَضلُ

    Yahya ran, taking hold of Ja'far's collar,

    and his son al-Fadl followed close, leader of the frontrunners.

  50. بِكَفِّ أَبي العَباسِ يُستَمطَرُ الغِنى

    وَتُستَنزَلُ النُعمى وَيُستَرعَفُ النَصلُ

    At Abu al-'Abbas's hand, wealth is sought as rain,

    blessings are called down, and the blade is made to bleed.

  51. وَيُستَعطَفُ الأَمرُ الأَبِيُّ بِحَزمِهِ

    إِذا الأَمرُ لَم يَعطِفهُ نَقضٌ وَلا فَتلُ

    By his firmness the stubborn affair is brought to bend,

    when neither unraveling nor twisting can bend it.

  52. لَهُ سَطَواتٌ غِبُّها العَفوُ بَينَها

    فَوائِدُ يُحصى قَبلَ إِحصائِها الرَملُ

    His assaults are followed by pardon; between them

    are gifts: sand could be counted before they could.

  53. تُسَلُّ سَخيماتُ الأَيّامِ مِن نَشرِ نِعمَةٍ

    تَراءَت لَهُ فيها صَنائِعُ ما تَخلو

    The days' rancors are drawn out through the spreading of a blessing;

    benefactions appear to him within them, never absent.

  54. إِذا خَلَتِ الأَيّامُ مِن نَشرِ نِعمَةٍ

    تَراءَت لَهُ فيها صَنائِعُ ما تَخلو

    When the days are empty of the spreading of a blessing,

    benefactions appear to him within them, never absent.

  55. مَواهِبُ لَم تُغصَب فَتُعقَل بِمِثلِها

    وَلَكِن بَقِيّاتُ الثَناءِ لَها عَقلُ

    Gifts not extorted, to be bound by gifts like them;

    instead, enduring praise is their tether.

  56. يُلَبّى مُنادي جَعفَرٍ وَاِبنِ جَعفَرٍ

    إِذا اِعتَرَتِ النَكباءُ وَاِحتَجنَ الوَيلُ

    Ja'far's herald, and Ja'far's son's, is answered

    when the crosswind strikes and woe ensnares.

  57. بِعَينَيكَ آمالٌ تَروحُ وَتَغتَدى

    عَلى جودِهِ يَقتادُها القَولُ وَالفِعلُ

    Before your eyes, hopes set out at evening and at morning

    toward his bounty, led by word and deed.

  58. إِذا ما أَبو العَبّاسِ حَلَّ بِبَلدَةٍ

    كَفاها الحَيا وَاِستَجهَلَ الخَوفُ وَالمَحلُ

    Whenever Abu al-'Abbas settles in a town,

    he makes rain needless, and fear and drought seem foolish.

  59. أَتَتكَ الأَمانِيُّ اِعتِباداً وَرَغبَةً

    بِرِجلٍ مِنَ الآمالِ يَتبَعُها رِجلُ

    Wishes came to you in service and longing,

    with one troop of hopes followed by another troop.

  60. تَبَسَّمَ عَنكَ المَهلُ في غايَةِ النَدى

    كَذَلِكَ يَحيى كانَ قَدَّمَهُ المَهلُ

    Leisure smiled, revealing you at generosity's utmost goal;

    thus leisure had once brought Yahya to the fore.

  61. أَسَرَّتكَ آمالٌ فَنالَت بِكَ الغِنى

    وَجاءَتكَ أُخرى عَلُّها أَبَداً نَهلُ

    Hopes took you captive and through you gained wealth;

    others came to you, their second draught forever a first.

  62. وَما خَوَّلَتكَ المَكرُماتُ سَجِيَّةً

    حُبيتَ بِها إِلّا وَأَنتَ لَها أَهلُ

    No noble deeds endowed you with a trait

    bestowed upon you unless you were worthy of it.

  63. أَبوكَ اِستَرَدَّ الشامَ إِذ نَفَرَت بِهِ

    مُلَقَّحَةً شَعواءَ لَيسَ لَها بَعلُ

    Your father recovered al-Sham when it rebelled against him,

    pregnant and raging, with no husband,

  64. بِجَيشٍ كَأَنَّ اللَيلَ بَعضُ حَديدِهِ

    تَهادى الرَدى فيهِ الفَوارِسُ وَالرَجلُ

    with an army, as though night were part of its iron,

    whose horsemen and footmen traded gifts of death within it.

  65. وَلَمّا تَناءَت بِالقَراباتِ مِنهُمُ

    حَوادِثُ تَمريها الوَقائِعُ وَالأَزلُ

    And when kinships among them were scattered far apart

    by calamities milked forth by battles and hardship,

  66. وَمالَت قَناةُ الدينِ فيهِم وَثُقِّفَت

    قَناةُ الرَدى وَاِستَعذَبَ المُهَجَ القَتلُ

    and faith's spear bent among them, while straightened was

    death's spear, and killing found souls sweet,

  67. نَضى سَيفُهُ فيهِم بِحَقنِ دِمائِهِم

    وَسَفكِ دِماءٍ عِندَها ضَحِكَ التَبلُ

    his sword was drawn among them to spare their blood

    and spill blood at which vengeance laughed.

  68. أَقامَ عَلى أَقطارِها شاهِدُ الرَدى

    طَلَيعَةَ رَأيٍ غِبُّهُ العَفوُ وَالبَذلُ

    Death's visible presence stood upon its borders,

    the vanguard of a judgment followed by pardon and giving.

  69. إِذا شاءَ أَعطَتهُ الأُنوفَ مَقودَةً

    صَوارِمُ بيضٍ أَو رُدَينِيَّةٌ ذُبلُ

    When he wished, noses were handed to him to be led

    by sharp white blades or slender Rudayni spears.

  70. هُنالِكَ أَضحَكنَ العِدى عَن نُفوسِها

    وَقَد ضَحِكَت دَهياءُ أَنيابُها عُصلُ

    There they made the foes grin away their lives,

    while a dark calamity grinned with crooked fangs.

  71. مَرى لَهُمُ خِلفَينِ بِالحَتفِ وَالنَدى

    لِكُلِّ يَدٍ مِن نَزعِ ساعِدِها سَجلُ

    He milked two teats for them, yielding death and bounty;

    for each hand, its forearm's pull brought a bucketful.

  72. بَعيدُ الرِضى لا يَستَميلُ بِهِ الهَوى

    وَلا يَتَعاطى الجِدَّ مِن رَأيِهِ الهَزلُ

    Hard to please, he is not swayed by desire,

    nor does jest lay hands on his judgment's earnestness.

  73. إِذا اِفتَرَّتِ الثَغرَ الخُطوبُ اِنبَرى لَها

    بِعابِسَةٍ مُفتَرُّها الأَسرُ وَالقَتلُ

    When calamities bare their teeth, he rises against them

    with a grim assault whose grin is captivity and killing.

  74. وَتَستَغرِقُ الشورى بَديهَةُ رَأيِهِ

    وَإِن كانَ مَضروباً عَلى قَلبِهِ الشُغلُ

    His spontaneous judgment encompasses all deliberation,

    even when work lies heavy upon his heart.

  75. شِهابُ أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ الَّذي بِهِ

    أَضاءَ عَمودُ القَصدِ وَاِحتَزَبَ العَدلُ

    A blazing star of the Commander of the Faithful, through whom

    the pillar of right purpose shone, and justice found allies.

  76. إِذا ضُيِّعَ الرَأيُ اِستَشَفَّ كَأَنَّهُ

    شَواهِقُ رَضوى لَيسَ في خُلقِهِ دَخلُ

    When judgment is squandered, he sees clearly, as though he were

    Radwa's lofty peaks; no flaw lies in his character.

  77. رَقيبٌ عَلى غَيبِ الأُمورِ وَرَجمِها

    بِرَأيٍ قَويمٍ مِنهُ ما الغَصبُ وَالخَتلُ

    Watchful over affairs' unseen depths and conjectures,

    with sound judgment of his, not coercion or deceit.

  78. يَقومُ بِباغي الدينِ يَحيى وَجَعفَرٌ

    إِذا لُحِيَ الإِسلامُ وَاِضطَرَبَ الحَبلُ

    Yahya and Ja'far stand against the aggressor upon faith

    when Islam is reviled and its bond is shaken.

  79. مَتّى شِئتَ رَفَّعتَ الرِواقَ عَلى الغِنى

    إِذا أَنتَ زُرتَ الفَضلَ أَو أَذِنَ الفَضلُ

    Whenever you wish, you may raise your pavilion over wealth,

    if you visit al-Fadl, or al-Fadl gives leave.