هو البرق ممَّا راعها وشجاها

فهيَّج منها داءها وأساها

It was the lightning that startled and stirred her,

That aggravated her sickness and pains.

وممَّا جوًى تطوي عليه ضلوعها

بكت بدمٍ قان فطال بكاها

And from the burning thirst that consumed her sides,

She wept blood, so long was her weeping.

حكت بلسان الحال حتَّى وددتني

أقبِّل من تلك المطيَّة فاها

She spoke with the tongue of her condition, making me wish

To kiss the mouth of that riding beast.

جوًى مثل ما بي أو يزيد بزعمها

وهيهات منِّي وجدها وعناها

Burning with a fire equal to or more than mine, she claimed,

Yet far from me was her passion and yearning.

فقلتُ لها لا فاتك الوِرد صافياً

ولا حبست عنك السَّماء حياها

So I said: no rose was denied its brilliance,

No cloud barred from you the rain of its life.

وروّضت من أكناف نجد رياضها

وحقّ لنفس الحرّ عنك رضاها

The meadows of Nejd have been tamed for you

And the noble soul merits its peace with you.

سقاها من النجب الكرائم ناقةً

وأكرم منها أُمَّها وأباها

Watered for you by the generous clouds, a she-camel

Who honoured her dam and sire by her generosity.

تعاف النمير العذب يمزج بالقذى

وتختار في ريّ الهوان صداها

She disdains the pure, sweet water, mixing it with grit,

Choosing in her watering place only the echoes.

تجافت عن الدار الَّتي تنبت الأَذى

وها قد نأتْ عن مثلها لسواها

She turned away from the abode growing harm

And here she moves far from the like of it.

لقد سرَّها أن لا تساء فأرقلت

إلى حيث مثوى الأَكرمين حماها

She was gladdened that no ill occurred, so she swerved

To where the most noble have their refuge.

فجاوزت البيداء غير مروعة

كأَنَّ المنايا قصدها ومناها

She crossed the arid land without fear

As if death itself sought her out and beckoned.

تباعد ما بين الخطا فكأَنَّما

تَبوعُ الفلا أخفاقها بخطاها

Putting great distances between halting places, as though

She hurried the sand grouse with her steps.

تهيم بأعلام المحصّب من مِنًى

وآفة نفس المستهام هواها

She wanders with the banners of Muḥaṣṣab

And for the passionate soul, passion is her guide.

عليها من الفتيان من لا تروعه

مكابدة الأَهوال حين يراها

Of the youths, she fears none,

Enduring terrors whenever she sees them.

رماه إباء الضَّيم في كل مهمة

يروع العفرنى أن يجسَّ ثراها

Spurning tyranny, she moves into every fray,

Frightening the goose should it flap its wings.

من الصيد لا يستصعب الحتف إنْ دنا

ولا باتَ يشكو للخطوب أذاها

Of the hunt, she does not shun death if it draws near,

Nor does she complain to misfortunes of their harm.

ويأنف أنْ يُلقي القياد لنكبة

يرى فرج الله القريب وراها

She disdains to cast the lead rope in defeat,

Seeing the near deliverance of God behind it.

إذا همَّ لا تنبو مضارب عزمه

ولا فل أحداث الزَّمان شباها

When she desires, the resolve of her pace goes unchecked

By the caprices of time or anything like them.

تَصَفَّحَ يرتاد المنازل في اللّوى

ويطلب فيها مرتعاً ومياها

She traveled the districts seeking pasturage and water

And she did not refuse the abode of disengagement.

ولم ينأ عن دار القلى باختياره

ولكن جَفَتْهُ أهلها فجفاها

But its people spurned her, so she spurned them

Little welcoming the eyelid after the blow of fate.

قليل ائتلاف الجفن من سنة الكرى

فلو راودته مرَّةً لعصاها

Nor caring much for her who, in times past,

Turned away from it, deeming its honour precious.

ولا بكثير الالتفات إلى الَّتي

نأى ماضياً عنها فعزَّ عزاها

She sensed lightning in the fever that brought no rain,

So she turned away from its varieties and intentions.

لقد شامَ برقاً بالحمى غير ممطر

فأعرض عن أنوائها بنواها

And she sniffed at it while night revealed its darkness,

To the seeing eye of one who loses his sight.

وحَثْحَثَها واللَّيل يبدي ظلامه

إلى عين هادي من يضلّ عماها

And she traveled with it then into every dangerous place

And she moved toward nothing but the heights.

وسارَ بها إذ ذاك في كلِّ مهمه

وليسَ إلى غير العلاء سراها

It reminds her of the two hillsides, dwellings,

Her pastures, their landmarks, and her nurture.

يذكّرها بالرقمتين منازلاً

مراتعها أعلامها ورباها

She grazed on their meadows and won their waters,

Watered by the streams of life and watched over.

رعتْ من خزاماها وفازت بمائها

سقاها شآبيب الحيا ورعاها

Come, O she-camel, let us remember what is past

And weep over affairs from which tears bring no profit.

هلُمِّي بنا يا ناق نذكر ما مضى

ونبكي شؤوناً لا يفيد بكاها

Our days in Middle camp and Dhū Qār are ruined.

Alas for those bygone days and oh their sorrow!

وأيَّامنا في الربع والربع آهل

فواهاً لتلك الماضيات وآها

They passed and vanished, the era of loved ones in Qinān,

Even their herd has bolted and scattered.

مضى وانقضى عهد الأَحبَّة في القنا

وقد نفرت أسرابها ومهاها

How then, O she-camel, can a neighbor return

Whose appearance would delight my eyes?

فكيف إذنْ يا ناق ترجع جيرة

يقرُّ لعيني أنْ يلُوح سناها

Through your life, do you know who I am, desiring,

And do you not know toward what my limit tends?

بعيشك هل تدرين من أنا طالبٌ

ولم تدرِ في ماذا يكون حداها

I seek open plains which may be guided by the light

Of their torches and the fires of their dwellings.

أرومُ ربوعاً يهتدى لبيوتها

بنور محيَّاها ونار قراها

I have never felt poverty toward anyone whose hand,

If it belonged to the wealthy servant, has given me wealth.

وما افتقرت في النَّاس من أحدٍ يدٌ

إذا كانَ من عبد الغنيّ غناها

For him, goodness is innate; for every goodness

And the best of mankind are those who hoped in him forever.

له الخير مجبول على الخير كلّه

وخير الورى من لم يزل لرجاها

No glory achieved by the noble ancestors remains

Which surpasses their glories and what they have attained.

قلم يبقَ من أكرومة ما أجادها

ومنقبةٍ ما حازها وحواها

The buildings of the generous early ones have crumbled.

So he built over their glories and erected their structure.

مباني الكرام الأَوَّلين تهدَّمت

فأَعلى مبانيها وشادَ بناها

Dear one, dear of soul, if his neighbor is oppressed,

His soul ransoms and protects him.

عزيزٌ عزيز النَّفس إنْ ضيمَ جاره

فداها إذَنْ في نفسه ووقاها

The virgin raids bear witness that he

Is their disentangler, known for his nobility.

له الفتكات البكرُ تشهَدُ أنَّه

عصاميُّها المعروف وابنُ جلاها

He has taken on a resolve like Afrand’s rage

When disasters beset him face-to-face.

تقلَّد عزماً مثلَ إفرندِ عضبه

إذا اعترضته النائبات براها

He is a raincloud in time of generosity and a lion in battle.

His raincloud stopped the lion and extinguished its burning anger.

هو الغيث يوم الجود واللَّيث في الوغى

فغيث نداها كفَّ ليث وغاها

If the affair was serious, he was its pillar.

If it was war, he was the axis of its spear.

إذا كانَ كجد كانَ منه عماده

وإن كانَ حربٌ كلن قطب رحاها

When he wished, he pierced its knights

And drank from the swords of courageous men.

متى شاءَ أوراها وأثقبَ زندها

وشبَّت بفرسان الرِّجال لظاها

Delightful to song are memories of him.

But the mention of generous souls is their adornment.

أحلي بذكراه القوافي أصوغها

ألا إنَّما ذكر الكرام حُلاها

In the assembly, his beautiful mention exudes fragrance

Even if the blowing winds carried his renown.

تأرج في النَّادي بذكر جميله

وإنْ كانَ ندي النسيم شذاها

And I direct it toward the best triumphant one.

Yes! He is its lantern and its guide.

وإنِّي لأهديها إلى خير ماجدٍ

نعم إنَّه مصباحها وهداها

To the furthest extreme! And what extreme

Has transcended its scope and eminence?

إلى الغاية القصوى وأيَّة غاية

علا مستطيلاً شأوها وذراها

He ascended smoothly to every pleasing summit.

Even if he wished to ascend to the heavens, his ascent would carry him.

سما غير ممنوع إلى كلِّ سؤددٍ

فلو رامَ أنْ يرقى السَّماء رقاها

To where do you seek with sublime fatherhood?

You are higher than all mankind except Him.

إلى أينَ تبغي بالأُبوَّة والعلى

بنفس جميع النَّاس دون علاها

You have become so lofty that beneath you all peoples

Become base while you are their chieftain and sun of prosperity.

تعاليت حتَّى انحطَّ من دونك الورى

فكنت ثرياها وشمسُ ضحاها

May a servant ransom you! You own his being

Through the hands of a generous one whose gifts ever flow.

فداؤك عبدٌ أنتَ مالكُ رقِّهِ

بأيدي كريمٍ يستفاض نداها

So I thank you for the blessings I was given

Through which I gained a wealth of gifts and position from you.

فشكراً لما أوليت من نعمة بها

توليتُ مالاً من نداك وجاها

I fault this world which confused my ways.

The children of this age do not rouse to face it.

وَجَدْتُ على دنياً أضاعت عوارفي

وما انتاش أبناءَ الزَّمان لقاها

I fault the stupidity of this age

And reproach on its wicked people their stupidity.

ووجدي على هذا الزَّمان سفاهةً

وعتبي على القوم اللّئام سفاها

If days had minds, they would not have come

With this; minds would have barred the way against them.

ولو كانت الأيام تعقل ما أتتْ

إذَنْ لنهاها عقلها ونُهاها

Fortune smiles on the likes of me and my generosity toward the likes of them

While my fortune with them is estrangement and paucity.

لها الحظّ من مثلي وجودي بمثلها

وحظِّي منها هجرها وقلاها

To you, Abū Maḥmūd, I complain of events

That have greatly pained the noble soul.

إليك أبا محمود أشكو حوادثاً

كثيراً على الحرِّ الكريم أذاها

With them, desires mislead the soul.

They deny me return and closeness.

أمنِّي بها النفس الأَماني ضَلَّةً

وتمنعني من عودها وجناها

In them, calamities scourge me, dreadful events

Which tender hearts do not know how to soothe.

وتلسعني فيها أفاعٍ قوارعٌ

وما عرف الرَّاقون كيف رقاها

I see that this lower world belongs

To whoever is most submissive, even the rebellious one could master it.

أرى هذه الدُّنيا لمن ذلّ أصبحَتْ

ذَلولاً ولو كانَ الأَبيُّ أباها

And we used to see beneath it one who now

Sits atop its heights.

تسنّمها من كانَ من دون خفّها

وكنَّا نراه تحتها فعلاها

I do not complain of treachery—in me remains

A remnant of patience, though it expires and runs out.

وما بحتُ بالشكوى وفيَّ بقيَّةٌ

من الصَّبر إلاَّ وانتهت وتناهى

You know me; events inform you about me, so of what

Can I speak regarding my circumstances when you see them?

وعلمك بي يخبرك عنِّي فما الَّذي

أقول بأحوالي وأنْتَ تراها

What are they but words echoed by the mountains

When they ask your gifts to water them?

وما هي إلاَّ مهجة شفَّها الصَّدى

إذا هي تستسقي نداك سقاها

If not for your gentleness that would suffice me

The harbingers of my fortune would hardly stir or roam.

وإلاّ تلافاني بلطفك لم تكد

بوادر حظِّي أن تروح تجاها

May you have the full rewards of bounty from a benefactor

Whose hopes called him and he answered the call!

جزتك جوازي الخير من متفضِّلٍ

دَعَته الأَماني فاستجاب دعاها

For in an age not devoid of you and your people,

You were suited to sublime traits and possessed them.

فأنت بعصرٍ لا خلت منك أهله

خليق السَّجايا بالجميل خلاها

You spread through it pages of generosity and dew

And after you enfolded and concealed it.

نَشَرْت به صُحفَ المكارم والنَّدى

ومن بعد ما قد لفَّها وطواها