بانَ الخَليطُ فَشَطّوا بِالرَعابيبِ
وَهُنَّ يُؤبَنَّ بَعدَ الحُسنِ بِالطيبِ
The youths mingled, flirting with maidens,
Who exude perfume after beauty.
فَهَيَّجوا الشَوقَ إِذ حَفَّت نَعامَتُهُم
وَأَورَثوا القَلبَ صَدعاً غَيرَ مَشعوبِ
They provoked longing when their ostriches gathered,
And bequeathed hearts with unhealed cracks.
فَهُم حَزائِقُ ساروا نِيَّةً قُذُفاً
لَم يُنظِروكَ سِراعاً نَحوَ مَلحوبِ
They are neglected ruins who set out with intent
And did not wait for you, hastening to Malhub.
بَتّوا القَرينَةَ فَاِنصاعَ الحُداةُ بِهِم
وَهُم ذَوو زَجَلٍ عالٍ وَتَطريبِ
They spent the night with the beloved, so the jealous bowed to them.
They are owners of glory, might, and coquetry.
مِنهُ أَراجيزُ تَزفي العِيسَ إِذ حُدِيَت
وَفي المَزاميرِ أَصواتُ الصَلابيبِ
From it are ballads that drive the camels when they are led,
And in the zithers are sounds of clappers.
وَالعيسُ مِنهُ كَأَنَّ الذُعرَ خالَطَها
أَو نالَها طائِفٌ مِن ذي المَخاليبِ
And the camels among them are as if fear mixed with them
Or a blow from a curved sword afflicted them.
زانَ السُدولَ عَلَيها الرِقمُ إِذ حُدِجَت
بِكُلِّ زَوجٍ مِن الديباجِ مَحجوبِ
The litters are covered with every kind of brocade curtain,
And in the howdahs are pampered virgins,
وَفي الهَوادِجِ أَبكارٌ مُنعَّمَةٌ
مِثلُ الدُمى هِجنَ شَوقاً في المَجاريبِ
Like statues, passionate with longing under the canopies.
Whenever their veils are unveiled, their faces
كَأَنَّها كُلَّما اِبتُزَّت مَباذِلُها
دُرٌّ بَدارين صافٍ غَيرُ مَثقوبِ
Are like flawless round pearls, not pierced.
They have the curves of gazelles, and their faces
لَها سَوالِفُ غُزلانٍ وَأَوجُهُها
مِثلُ الدَنانيرِ حُرّاتُ الأَشانيبِ
Are like golden dinars with moving pupils.
As if the gold coins are placed between emeralds
كَأَنَّما الذَهَبُ العِقيانُ تَجعَلُهُ
بَينَ الزُمُرُّدِ أَوساطُ اليَعاسيبِ
In the middle of chokers by the dressers.
On the necks, soft as dove eggs, delicate,
عَلى نُحورٍ كَغِرقي البَيضِ ناعِمَةٍ
يَعلُلنَها بِمَجاميرٍ وَتَطييبِ
Adorned with necklaces and perfume.
Their breasts, harder than mirrors, swell out
لَها مَعاصِمُ غَصَّ اليارِقاتُ بِها
وَفي الخَلاخيلِ خَلقٌ غَيرُ مَعصوبِ
With every unconstrained movement in their anklets.
Their beauties shine, smooth,
تَزهو المَحاسِنُ مِنها وَهِيَ ناعِمَةٌ
بِكُلِّ جَثلٍ غُدافِ اللَونِ غِربيبِ
With every curl of brown hue, dyed.
The yellowness of their curves from the perfume on them
صُفرُ السَوالِفِ مِن نَضخِ العَبيرِ بِها
تَبدو لَها غُرَرٌ دونَ الجَلابيبِ
Shows them to have moles without veils.
They show palms that hunt hearts when they smile,
تُبدي أَكُفّاً تَصيدُ العاشِقينَ بِها
مِنها خَضيبٌ وَمِنها غَيرُ مَخضوبِ
Some rouged, some without rouge.
Their grinning mouths, when they smile,
كَأَنَّ أَفواهَها الإِغريضُ إِذ بَسَمَت
أَو أُقحُوانُ رَبيعٍ ذي أَهاضيبِ
Are like meadows of springtime with bushes.
In a garden of the gardens of sorrow, smooth,
في رَوضَةٍ مِن رِياضِ الحَزنِ ناعِمَةٍ
تَجري الطِلالُ عَلَيها بَعدَ شُؤبوبِ
The shadows flow over it after being watered.
As if I, drunk on the mention of them, am sated
كَأَنَّني شارِبٌ مِن ذِكرِهِم ثَمِلٌ
لَذٌّ يُعَلُّ بِخَمرِ الطاسِ وَالكوبِ
With a pleasure decorated by cups and wine.
A brother of chaste, noble revellers visited them
أَخو نَدامى كِرامٍ حَلَّ ضَيفُهُمُ
بِرَيَّةٍ باتَ يُسقى غَيرَ مَسلوبِ
In a meadow where he passed the night watered without being robbed.
Their camels wander in it after they drank
تَدِبُّ فيها حُمَيّاها وَقَد شَرِبوا
مِنها قِطابٌ وَمِنها غَيرُ مَقطوبِ
Some pure, some not yet drawn.
A drink at which they sing, with basil between them
شَربٌ يُغَنّونَ وَالريحانُ بَينَهُمُ
وَكُلُّ جَحلٍ مِنَ الخُرطومِ مَسحوبِ
And each bucket-skin drawn from the hose.
You see the legs of the wine, bending
تَرى القَوائِمَ مِنهُ وَهيَ شائِلَةٌ
مِن كُلِّ ذي مُشعَرٍ بِالقارمَربوبِ
From every drunken tall, long-necked one.
Their spirits flow from it when filled
تَسيلُ أَرواحُها مِنها إِذا مُلِئَت
حَتّى تُفَرَّغُ في مَوتي الأَكاويبِ
Until poured into the vessels of my companions.
The drinking-holes are all crowded, torment
إِنَّ المَناهَلَ جَمٌّ لَن تُساعِفَنا
مِنها العِذابُ وَمِنها غَيرُ مَشروبِ
And lack of drink will not increase for us.
They incline toward every curvy gazelle, my brother,
تَحنو إِلى كُلِّ فِينانٍ أَخي غَزَلٍ
صَوادِفٌ عَن ذَوي الأَسنانِ وَالشيبِ
Flirts not concerned with gray hair or old age.
Youth passes, and old age takes away its joy,
يَبلى الشَبابُ وَيَنفي الشَيبُ بَهجَتَهُ
وَالدَهرُ ذو العَوصِ يَأتي بِالأَعاجيبِ
And fate, crooked, brings wonders.
What fate seeks, its claws attain,
ما يَطلُبِ الدَهرُ تُدرِكهُ مَخالِبُهُ
وَالدَهرُ بِالوِترِ ناجٍ غَيرُ مَطلوبِ
And fate pierces with the bowstring when unsought.
Are there any eminent, glorious people
هَل مِن أُناسٍ أُولي مَجدٍ وَمَأثُرَةٍ
إِلّا يَشُدُّ عَلَيهِمُ شَدَّةَ الذيبِ
Except the blows of fate have seized them?
Until deliberately its best ones are struck
حَتّى يُصيبَ عَلى عَمدٍ خِيارَهُمُ
بِالنافِذاتِ مِنَ النُبلِ المَصائيبِ
By arrows of death, calamities.
I have found that the place of origin of the arrows of death
إِنّي وَجَدتُ سِهامَ المَوتِ مَعدَنُها
بِكُلِّ حَتمٍ مِنَ الآجالِ مَكتوبِ
In every decree of fate is inscribed.
Whoever faces affliction, then relief comes after it,
مَن يَلقَ بِلَوى يَنُبهُ بَعدَها فَرَجٌ
وَالناسُ بَينَ ذَوي روحٍ وَمَكروبِ
And people are between those with spirit and those troubled.
And between one calling to guidance, his companions.
وَبَينَ داعٍ إِلى رُشدٍ صَحابَتَهُ
وَبَينَ غاوٍ وَذي مالٍ وَمَحروبِ
And between one astray and owning wealth and warred upon.
A good life is goodness whose seeker prospers,
وَالعَيشُ طُبيانِ طُبيٌ ثَرَّ حالِبُهُ
وَطُبيُ جَدّاءُ ذاوٍ غَيرُ مَحلوبِ
And the good life of the miserly is austereness without sweetness.
Do not praise a man until you test him,
وَما طِلابُكَ شَيئاً لَستَ نائِلَهُ
وَسَبُّكَ الناسَ ظُلماً غَيرَ تَعذيبِ
And do not blame him without testing.
A boy obeys one who disciplines him,
عاتِب أَخاكَ وَلا تُكثِر مَلامَتَه
وَزُر صَديقَكَ رِسلاً بَعدَ تَغييبِ
And an old man does not obey you, no matter how you discipline.
Predispositions in character prevail,
وَإِن عُنيتَ بِمَعروفٍ فَقُل حَسَناً
وَلا تَهِن عَن ذَوي ضِغنٍ لِتَهييبِ
So a falcon is only gained through training.
If you travel to praise a king,
لا تَحمَدَنَّ اِمرِأً حَتّى تُجَرِّبَهُ
وَلا تَذُمَّنَّهُ مِن غَيرِ تَجريبِ
Then travel with poetry pure, not contrived.
Praise Yazid but do not display in praising him
إِنَّ الغُلامَ مُطيعٌ مَن يُؤَدِّبُهُ
وَلا يُطيعَكَ ذو شَيبٍ لِتَأديبِ
The tinder ignited with kindling.
Talents do not restrain their journey
إِنَّ السَلائِقَ في الأَخلاقِ غالِبَةٌ
فَالصَقرُ لا يُقتَنى إِلّا بِتَدريبِ
Or deviate with the voices of ravens.
The Caliph is a branch, when you trace his ancestry,
وَإِن رَحَلتَ إِلى مَلكٍ لِتَمدَحَهُ
فَاِرحَل بِشِعرٍ نَقِيٍّ غَيرِ مَخشوبِ
Free of blemishes, a protected lineage of nobility.
War and Marwan cultivated him, and their origin
وَاِمدَح يَزيدَ وَلا تَظهَر بِمَدحَتِهِ
وَقُد أُوائِلَها قَوداً بِتَشبيبِ
Goes back to the virtuous, untainted roots.
Four who were our imams raised you,
إِنَّ البَوارِحَ لا يَحبِسنَ رِحلَتَهُ
وَلا يَعوجُ بِأَصواتِ الغَرابيبِ
So rightly your kingdom is not transient.
He gave you a kingdom and piety - you who steer it
إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ فَرعٌ حينَ تَنسُبُهُ
مِنَ الأَعاصي هِجانٌ خَيرُ مَنسوبِ
After merits, one inspired to prophecy.
Like the full moon, your worries exalted, derived
يَنميهِ حَربٌ وَمَروانُ وَأَصلُهُما
إِلى جَراثيمُ مَجدٍ غَيرِ مَأشوبِ
From glories growing to calamities.
A sea cultivated by boundless seas -
نَماكَ أَربَعَةٌ كانوا أَئِمَّتَنا
فَكانَ مُلكُكَ حَقّاً لَيسَ بِالحوبِ
Those battle cries the children of battle cries.
A people born in Mecca, in its valley,
أَعطاكَ مُلكاً وَتَقوى أَنتَ سائِسُهُ
بَعدَ الفَضائِلِ مَن أَوحى إِلى النوبِ
The people of Mecca, not Bedouins.
Most of them, when their wave flows,
كَالبَدرِ أَبلَجُ عالي الهَمِّ مُختَلَقٌ
يُنمى إِلى الأَبطَحِيّاتِ المَصاعيبِ
With every lofty-gazing lion panicking.
And the warriors among the heroes - their zeal drives them
بَحرٌ نَمَتهُ بُحورٌ غَيرُ ساجِيَةٍ
تِلكَ المَخاصيبُ أَبناءُ المَخاصيبِ
To strike a deadly blow, slashing without cleaving.
You are the son of your father ‘Atikah, good-omened,
قَومٌ بِمَكَّةَ في بَطحائِحا وُلِدوا
أَبناءُ مَكَّةَ لَيسوا بِالأَعاريبِ
The mother of kings, of the distinguished family.
Whenever the kings once raced for glory,
الأَكثَرونَ إِذا ما سالَ موجُهُمُ
بِكُلِّ أَصيَدَ سامي الطَرفِ هُبهوبِ
The racers were driven by the hounds.
You raced the race of a purebred that had no rival,
وَالضارِبونَ مِنَ الأَبطالِ هامَهُمُ
ضَرباً طِلَخفاً وَهَكّاً غَيرَ تَذبيبِ
Who split the hooves striking without being struck.
Easy to get along with, he who forgives people their masses,
أَنتَ اِبنُ عاتِكَةَ المَيمونِ طائِرُها
أُمُّ المُلوكِ بَني الغُرِّ المَناجيبِ
Who clothes the barefoot with a slipper of hide.
Until the latecomers precede after being left behind
إِذا المُلوكُ جَرَت يَوماً لِمَكرُمَةٍ
جَريَ المَحاضيرِ حُثَّت بِالكَلابيبِ
At the famine, with meat and trembling.
You give life to alliances after they waned,
جَرَيتَ جَريَ عَتيقٍ لَم يَكُن وَكَلاً
بَذَّ العَناجيجَ سَبقاً غَيرَ مَضروبِ
Like rainfall giving life on a parched soul.
And you are, on a day of trial, the best of them,
سَهلُ المَباءَةِ يَعفو الناسُ جَمَّتَهُ
يَكسو الجِفانَ سَديفاً مِن ذُرى النِيبِ
And the most generous of people when called.
A flood of heroes whose abundance overflows,
حَتّى تَصُدَّ العَوافي بَعدَما سَبَقَت
عِندَ المَجاعَةِ مِن لَحمٍ وَتَرعيبِ
A torrent benefiting the easy and difficult ground.
You see them mixed with tolerance when provoked
وَأَنتَ تُحيي فِئاماً بَعدَما هَمَدَت
إِحياءَ غَيثٍ بِصَوبِ نَفسٍ حُلبوبِ
And every strong, tall hero roaring.
They carry the courage of heroes when they ride
وَأَنتَ خَيرُهُمُ يَوماً لِمُختَبِطٍ
وَأَجودُ الناس جوداً عِندَ تَنجيبِ
Every racing steed of honest lineage.
They charge wildly when their saddle-cloths are tested
وَجَحفَلٍ لَجِبٍ جَمٍّ صَواهِلُهُ
عَودٍ يُجِدُّ مَتونَ السَهلِ وَاللوبِ
By every valiant hero panicking the enemy.
If they subdue and steady them when their bridles shake,
تَرى السَماحيجَ فيها وَهيَ مُسنَفَةٌ
وَكُلَّ فَحلٍ طُوالِ الشَخصِ يَعبوبِ
They seize the people in towns and suburbs.
And if they spur them with a whip or their cries,
يَحمِلنَ بِزَّةَ أَبطالٍ إِذا رَكِبوا
بِكُلِّ مُطَّرِدٍ صَدقِ الأَنابيبِ
The saddle-cloths boil, confusing the foe’s saddle-cloths.
Rising with them and an army like prowling wolves
تَردي بِشُعثٍ إِذا اِبتَلَّت رَحاثِلُها
بِكُلِّ فَجٍّ مِنَ الأَعداءِ مَرهوبِ
Is every horror on what was mounted.
Until they pour out groups after assembling,
إِن سَكَّنوها وَشَدّوا مِن أَعِنَّتِها
أَخَذنَ بِالقَومِ في حُضرٍ وَتَقريبِ
Terrifying and overwhelming every terrified one.
It has rams whose blow fells them,
وَإِن مَرَوها بِقِدٍّ أَو بِأَسؤُقِهِم
جاشَت سَراحيبُ تَبري لِلسَراحيبِ
While the ram of your rank goes unfelled.
Then it destroys the remnants of your enemy,
يَسمو بِها وَبِجَيشٍ كَالدَبا أَشِبٍ
بِكُلِّ هَولٍ عَلى ما كانَ مَركوبِ
Who lie fallen between killer and mangled.
All together their hands were tied when captured
حَتّى يَفُضَّ جُموعاً بَعدَما حَشَدَت
يُهالُ مِنها وَيُغشى كُلُّ مَرعوبِ
Tied back to their shoulders tightly bound.
Dazed booty which the horses thought were
لَهُ كِباشٌ بِوَقعِ السَيفِ يَغصِبُها
وَكَبشُ صَفِّكَ ماضٍ غَيرُ مَغصوبِ
Like a flock of sheep from Azri'at captured.
As if the wailing voices of the captive women
ثُمَّتَ ناصِت فُلولاً مِن عَدُوِّكُمُ
قَد أَجحَرَت بَينَ مَقتولٍ وَمَجنوبِ
Were sounds of larks when twisted by the people.
Sheep whose leader divides them,
شُدَّت يَداهُ جَميعاً عِندَ مَأخَذِهِ
شَدّاً إِلى جيدِهِ رَبطاً بِتَقصيبِ
Gifted here, gifted there.
بَلهُ سُبِيٌّ حَوَتها الخَيلُ تَحسَبُها
زُهاءَ شاءٍ مِنَ الأَذرِيِّ مَجلوبِ
كَأَنَّ رَنّاتِ نُسوانُ السبِيِّ وَقَد
أَلوى بِها القَومُ أَصواتُ اليَعاقيبِ
غُنمٌ يَظَلُّ إِمامُ الناس يَقسِمُها
فَبَينَ مَوهوبَةٍ مِنها وَموهوبِ
