أَبَيتَ فَما تُسعِفُ
وَجُرتَ فَما تنصِفُ
You refuse—and grant no favor;
you act unjustly—and deal no justice.
وَتَحلِفُ لي بِالهَوى
وَتَنكُثُ ما تَحلِفُ
You swear to me by God,
then break the oath you swear.
حِبالُكَ مُنحَلَةٌ
وَوُدُّكَ مُستَطرَفُ
Your bonds are all undone,
your affection merely a novelty.
وَتَهجُرُني واثِقاً
فَثِق فَأَنا المُدنَفُ
You forsake me, sure of yourself—
then rest assured: I am the lovesick one.
سَأَعطِفُ مِن حَيثُ لا
تَلينُ وَلا تَعطِفُ
I shall show tenderness where you do not
soften, nor show tenderness.
وَأَسكُت لا أَشتَكي
وَأَعرِفُ ما تَعرِفُ
And I shall keep silent, never complaining,
and know what you know.
تَجاوَزتَ أَقصى المُنى
فَخَلقُكَ لا يوصَفُ
You have surpassed desire’s furthest reach;
for your form is beyond description:
فَما تَحتَه مُثقَلٌ
وَما فَوقَهُ أَهيَفُ
whatever falls short of it is heavy,
and whatever exceeds it is slender.
حُمَيدٌ أَبو غانِمٍ
لَهُ الشَرَفُ الأَشرَفُ
Ḥumayd, Abū Ghānim—
his is honor at its noblest.
مَكارِمُهُ تَنتَمي
وَأَموالُهُ تَتلَفُ
His noble deeds trace their lineage;
his riches are spent away.
شَحيحٌ عَلى عِرضِهِ
وَفي مالِهِ مُسرِفُ
Jealously protective of his honor,
yet lavish with his wealth.
لَهُ كَنَفٌ ضامِنٌ
عَلى الأَرضِ مَن يَكنُفُ
His is a shelter that guarantees safety
to whoever on earth it shelters.
وَقَحطانُ تَبهى بِهِ
وَتَبهى بِهِ خِندِفُ
Qaḥṭān takes pride in him,
and Khindif glories in him;
وَتُضحى بِهِ طَيىءٌ
عَلى غَيرِها تَشرُفُ
through him, Ṭayyiʾ comes to stand
ennobled above all others.
Sol 5.6