عُوجَا العَنَاجِيجَ حَتَّى تَساَلاَ الطَّلَلاَ

قَد كَان مَا كَانَ بي مِن أمرِهِ جَلَلا

The beloveds bent their necks as the ruins were laid waste

What has happened to me was indeed momentous

حَلَّتُه بَعدَ الأُولى حلُّوهُ إِذ ظَعَنُوا

أيدِى الزَّعَازِعِ مِن نَسجِ البِلَى حُلَلا

They deserted me after the first separation, though they were bent

By the machinations of fading vicissitudes into garments of humility

فَخِلتُ خَالاً بَقَايَا الآِ طَامِسَةً

أو وَحياً أو وَشياً أو وَشماً عَلاَخِلَلا

So I was left with barely discernible vestiges

Or an apparition, phantom, or stain covered in patches

قِفََا بِه وأَبكِيَاهُ إِنَّ بي عِلَلاَ

مِن فَرطِ وَجدِى بِهِ كَى تُشفِيَا العِلَلا

Stop at it and bewail it, for in me are maladies

From the intensity of my passion for it, so that it may cure my ailments

قَد أنهَلتني بِهِجُملٌ عَلَى مَهَلٍ

خَمرَ التَّصَابي وعَلَّتني بِهَا عَلَلا

With it, assemblies overwhelmed me at a leisurely pace

With cups of musk, which intoxicated me with them

سَلاَهُ عَن أهلِهِ إني بِهِم كَلِفٌ

وإِنَّ عَينَ الوَفَا أن تَسأَلاَ فَسَلا

Ask about his family, for I am charged with them

And the eye of loyalty is to ask, so ask

أقَمتُ فِيهِ زَمَاناً في بُلَهنِيَةٍ

جَذلاَنَ أرفُلُ في بُردِ الصِّبَا ثَمِلا

I stayed with it a time in oblivion

Reveling in the chill of youth, ripe

قَالاَ أَلَم تَسلُ عن تِذكَارِ أزمنِهِ

فَقلتُ مَا رَبِحَ المَشغُوفُ يَومَ سَلا

They said, "Do you not ask about the memorials of its times?"

So I said, "The passionate does not profit on the day of asking"

ما جَنَّةُ الخُلدِ في جََحِيمِ صَبَا

بَاتٍ تُشَبُّ لِمَن بِالوَجدِ قَد شُغِلا

The eternal garden is not in the hell of one

Who spends the night raging with passion and is preoccupied

لا أنسَى لَوعَةَ يَومَ البَينِ ظَعنُهُمُ

تَحدُو الحُدَاةُ بها العَيدِيَّةَ الذُّلَلا

I do not forget the anguish of the day of separation, their departure

Measured by milestones - the outstretched fingers of the guiding posts

عَالَوا عَلَى كُلِّ وَهمٍ هَو دَجاً وعَلَو

هَا بالخُدُورِ وعَالَوا فَوقَهَا الكِلَلا

They went high above every fanciful illusion and ascended

With litters above them and above the litters, pavilions

ما زَلتُ أرمُقُهُم والآلُ دُونَهُمُ

حَتَّى تَرَقرَقَ دَمعُ العَينِ فَأَنهَمَلا

I continued to watch them while the family was beneath them

Until the tears of my eyes overflowed and slipped down

عَهدِى بِهَا قَبلُ أَن تُحدََى مَطِيُّهُمُ

نَاءَت فَفَصَّمَتِ الخَلخَالَ والحِجَلا

My pact with it before their riding-beasts were goaded -

The bangles clinked and the anklets jingled

تَجلُو أغَرَّ شَتِيتَ النَّبتِ مُرتَشَفاً

عُودُ الأَرَاكَةِ مِنهُ الخَمرَ والعَسَلا

Appearing in the sleeve of the delicate young shoot of nim was

The citron-wood stirring the wine and honey

فِيهِ وفي المَيس مِنهَا مَا تَذُمُّ لَهُ

نَورُ الأَقَاحِى وخُوطَ البَانَةِ الخِضِلا

In it and in the mouth of the cup are virtues

It covets, like the light of flames and strips of motley cloth

قَالُوا تُذَكِّرُنَا جُملُ الظِّبَاءَ إِذَا

نَصَّت وتُذكِرُ إِن تَرنُ المَهَا الهَمَلا

They said, "The herd of mountain goats reminds us when

They bleat," and it reminds if the waving palm tree sways

فَقُلتُ لَم تكنِ الآرَامُ تُشبِهُهُا

ولا المَهَا هَمَلاً جِيداً ولا مُقَلا

So I said, "Their bleating does not resemble this

Nor are they delicate, fine mountain goats or weaklings"

قَالُوا لَقَد زَانَ جُملاً جَعلُ لُؤلِئِهَا

حَلياُ فًقُلتُ وأني تَألَفَ العَطَلا

The blood of its lovers was shed, so they have no

Sense - would one in love with a slain man have any sense?

ما زَانَها الحَلىُ بَل زَانَتهُ وَيحَكُمُ

فَجُملُ لِلحَلىِ لَو لم تَجهَلُوهُ حِلَى

If it spoke from the heights of a towering ascent to plead,

Its cooing voice would entice down the doves

قَالُوا تُذَكِّرُنَا اللَّيلَ البَهِيمَ إِذَا

مَا أرخَتِ الفَرعَ فَوقَ المَتنِ فَانسَدَلا

Saying, "O beloved! You have prolonged absence - enough!

Have you made us equal after us as a substitute?"

والشَّمسَ مَهما تُمِط الخِمَارَ سَناً

والدِّعصَ مُرتَكَماً إِن هَزَّتِ الكَفِلا

So I said, "Do not think I have taken

A substitute from you, nor listened to any justice in loving you"

فَقُلتُ لَم تَكُ في هَذا مَلاَحَتُهَا

ولاَ تَدَلُّلُها إِن وَصَلَت أُصُلا

And I have not been consoled for your distance after your remoteness

Nor hesitated in my devotion to you out of boredom

طُلَّت دِماءُ مُحبِّيها فَلَيسَ لَهُم

عَقلٌ أَيُلفي قَتيلٌ في الهَوى عُقِلا

O beloved! I am one firm in calamities when

The claws of adversities bare themselves against me

لَو كَلَّمَت في أَعالِي شاهِقٍ وَعَلا

لاستَنزَلَت بِحُميَّا نَغمَتِها الوِعَلا

I accomplish momentous affairs when I desire, even if

I venture upon the formidable and the difficult - it becomes easy

تَقولُ جُملٌ أَطَلتَ الهَجرَ وَيكَ فَهَل

جَعَلتَ مِنَّا سِوانا بَعدَنا بَدَلا

Threats from enemies do not deter me -

I have been tested before, so I know the brave hero

فَقُلتُ لا تَحسبينِي آخِذاً بَدَلاً

مِنكُم ولا سامِعاً في حُبِّكُم عَدَلا

But the news came to me that the vile ones have become notorious

For villainy - they boast, "This is really immorality!"

ولا تَسَلَّيتُ عَنكُم بَعدَ بُعدِكُمُ

وَلا تَوَانَيتُ عَن وَصلِي لَكُم مَلَلا

Boasting is only for one whose birth was pure

And who was nurtured by firmly established ancestry

يَا جُملُ إني لَجَلدٌ في الخُطُوبِ إِذَا

أبدَت نَواجِذَها المُعوَجَّةَ العُصُلا

Your boasting in corners is nothing but laughable -

You have never been accustomed to knowledge or deeds

سَهلُ السَّجِيّةِ مَرهُوبَ الأَذَيَّةِ مَر

جُوُّ العَطِيَّةِ بَذَّالٌ لِمَن سَأَلا

You have corrupted religion until it has become mixed-up

And knowledge until it has tattered remnants

إني كَمِىٌّ قوي الجَأشِ ثَابَتُهُ

عِندَ الشَّدَائِدِ إِن تَلحَق خُصىً بِكُلَى

The wares of Iblis thrive because of you, so for you

In the heart of Iblis is a love that does not compare

أُجِلَّ خَطباً حِينَ شِئتُ وإِن

يَمَّمتُ مُستَعظَماً مُستَصعَباً سُهَلا

You obeyed him, so you have become his messengers -

Disobedient to his commandments, you messengers!

لَيسَ الوَعِيدُ مِنَ الأَعدَا يُنَهنُهني

جُرِّبتُ قَبلُ فَأُلفِيتُ الفَتَى البَطَلا

More astray than all who have gone astray

Is he who led you astray from the paths

لَكِنني جَاءني أنَّ الأُلَى اشتَهَرُوا

باللُّؤمِ قَد فَخَرُوا هَا إِنَّ ذَا لَبَلا

When the intimates gather, your title

Belies you, while the case testifies, altering titles

ما الفَخرُ إلاَّ لِمَن طَابَت أرُومَتُهُ

وكَانَ يُنمَى لأصلٍ ثَابِتٍ أَصُلا

We came to you with a delegation from the Bani Hasan

Whose noses look down on all the high-minded

مَا فَخرُكُم في الزَّوَايَا غَيرَ مُضحكَةٍ

لم تألَفُوا أبَدا عِلماً ولاَ عَمَلا

When we alighted, you disdained us stingily

Though almost your father welcomes all who alight

أفسَدتُمُ الدِّينَ حَتَّى صَارَ مُختَلِطاً

والعِلمَ حتى تَرَدَّى سابِغاتِ بِلى

You betrayed us and betrayal was your wont

Before, and you prepared infirmities for our lodging

راجَت بِضاعَةُ إِبليسٍ بِكُم فَلَكُم

في قَلبِ إِبليسَ حُبٌّ لَم يَشبِ بِقِلَى

You harassed us with what your women are accustomed to

The hand of a wretched harassing woman was paralyzed

طَاوَعتُمُوهُ فَأصبَحتُم لَهُ رُسلاً

تَعصُونَ لِمَأمُورَاتِهِ الرُّسلا

Is this what the proud, honorable ones do when

Delegations of honorable, eminent nobles come to them?

لاَحَىَّ أجدَرَ بِالمَلحَاةِ أجمِعَهَا

مِنكُم ولاَحَىَّ أغوَى مِنكُمُ سُبُلا

May Allah fight you from every living thing - damned are you!

In time, none like you has been created possessing faults

يَكسُو إِذَا اجتمَعَ الأَندَاءُ نَادِيكُم

والحَالُ شَاهِدَةٌ صِرفَ الخَنَا

Your wickedness and deception and disobedience and cunning have been brought together in you by Allah

If you are mentioned in the regions of Muslims, you show disgust

جِئنَاكُمُ مَعَ وَفدٍ مِن بني حَسَنٍ

شُمِّ الأنُوفِ على كُلِّ العُلاَ اشتَمَلا

The intellect of the suckling babe among you, while still nursing

Is like the intellect of one whose hair has turned white in his locks

لَمَّا نَزَلَنا تََهَاوَنتُم بِنَا بُخُلاًَ

إِذ ذَا كَدَ أبُكُمُ مَع كُلِّ مَن نَزَلا

O my ignoble son! With what were you boasting,

Rendering me ignorant of your dishonorable ancestry?

وخُنتُمُونَا وكَانَ الغَدرُ دَيدَنَكُم

قدما وهَيَّأتُمُ العَورَا لَنَا نُزُلا

Do not seek benefit from the Family of Zain,

For they did not raise you up, nor did you attain hopes through them

وخَاذَفَتنَا بِمَا ألفَت نِسَاؤُكُمُ

شَلَّت يَدُ امرَأةٍ خذَّافَةٍ شَلَلا

You were disgraced among people and degraded

And you became disgraced among people and degraded

أهَكَذَا تَفعَلُ الشُّمُّ الكِرَامُ إِذَا

وَافي الوُفُودُ الكِرَامُ السَّادَةَ الفُضُلا

Whoever seeks elevation through them, his paths are straitened

For they are harsh shepherds, all of them ignorant

لَحَاكُمُ اللهُ مِن حَىٍّ فَحَيُّكُمُ

لَم يُلفَ في الدَّهرِ مَعنِياً بِمَا جَمُلا

As for your cherished support, it is feasible

If not for your poverty and begging for crumbs

تَبًّالَكُم لَم يَكُن مَن جَاءَ نَادِيَكُم

يُلفي بِهِ إمرَأَةً حَسنَا ولاَ رَجُلا

You have continually praised them fulsomely, trailing

The trains of your gown, though the one praised did not give at all

يُلغِى سَعَالِىَ تجري بَينَ أخبِيَةٍ

تَأوي إِلَيهَا قُرُودٌ مُلِّئَت بُخُلا

The elder, O Ghumr, is only one who ascended in

The degrees of the Hallowed Court and peered downward

قَد أورَثَتكُم وأَولَتكُم أوَائلُكُم

اللُّؤمَ والمَكرَ والعِصيَان والحِيلا

Love of Him pervaded everything with a living soul

And His knowledge encompassed all who sought refuge in Him

فَجَمَّعَ اللهُ فِيكُم كُلَّ مَلأَمَةٍ

إِن تُذكَرُوا بِنَواحِىِ مُسلِمٍ تَفَلا

And the development of knowledge in Him quenched the thirst

Of gnosis - all who dwelt in His protection became devoted

فَعَقلُ ذِى المَهدِ مِنكُم وَهوَ مُرتَضِعٌ

كَعَقلِ مَن شَيبُهُ في فَودِهِ اشتَعَلا

And every trace of hesitation in Him was avoided

And the veil of vain desire was removed from Him and united

يَا نَجلَ بي بِمَاذَا كُنتَ مُفتَخِراً

أخِلتني جَاهِلاَ آبَاءَكَ الأُوُلا

Holding fast to the bond of submission, avoiding

Caprice, directing with the hand of empowerment, compliant

لا تَحجُ في آلِ زَينٍ نَيلَ مُنفَعَةٍ

لَم يَرفَعُوكَ وَلَم تَبلُغ بِهِم أمَلا

As for the one who was concealed in baseness

Passions and fantasies coursed through his heart

قَد كُنتَ مُمتَهَناً في النَّاسِ مُبتَذَلاً

وصِرتَ مُمتَهناً في النَّاسِ مُبتَذَلا

Engrossed with people's faults, filled up

If God is mentioned, he mentions sheep or camels

مَن رَامَ رَفعاً بِهِم ضَاقَت مَذَاهِبُهُ

فَهُم رُعاةٌ جُفَاةٌ كُلُّهُم جُهَلا

So he is not an elder, and whoever takes him as his authority

To the path of disobedience, vain desire and arrival

أمَّا إعَانتُكَ المَلهُوفَ مُمَكِنِةٌ

لَولاَ إفتِقَارُكَ وإستِطعَامُكَ الُخَلا

And your being the son of Jalaa requires proof

Since the truth with us is that you are the son of emptiness

ما زِلتَ تطرِيهُم مَدحاً تُجَرِّرُ مِن

أَذيَالِ مِينِكَ والمَمدُوحَ مَا بَذَلا

You were a sponging foundling, and grew up just as

You were a child, and were not occupied with attaining nobility

مَا الشَّيخُ يَا غُمرُ إِلا مَن تَصَعَّدَ في

مَرَاتِبِ الحَضَرَاتِ الغُرِّ وأنسَفَلا

If they present you for composing poetry, then

Chaff may be fed when no food can be found

وخَامَرَ الحُبُّ مِنهُ كُلَّ مَا نَفَسٍ

وعَمَّ مِنهُ جَمِيعَ العَالمِينَ إِلَى

As for your pretense of piety, it is pure treason -

You did not intend by it the face of God, Most High

وجُرِّبَ العِلمُ فِيهِ بَاطِنَاً وَسَقَى

عِرفَانُهُ كُلَّ مَن آوَى إِلَيهِ وِلَى

Rather, it was hypocrisy from you for the flock, so that

You may hunt from them when they swarm to gifts like bees

وجَانَبَت كُلَّ مَومُوقٍ قُرُونُتُهُ

وُدكَّ عَنهُ حِجَابُ الغَىِّ فأتَّصَلا

And that your mother never straightened her spine denies

What you said, indicating that she was not honored with reason

مُستَمسِكاً بِعُرَى التَّسلِيمِ مُجتنِباً

مُصِّرفاً بِيدِ التَّمكِينِ مُمتَثِلا

It does not enter one's heart that you could disparage me

When I am a branch of the towering tree of language

أمَّا الذي كَانَ في السُّفلِىِّ مُحتَجِباً

رَانَت عَلَى قَلبِهِ الأهوَاءُ والخُيُلا

I practiced composing poetry before you and did not

Recite it to them without it pleasing their hearing and dissolving

مُكردَساً بِعُيُوبِ النَّاسِ مُمتَلِئاً

إِن يُذكَرِ اللهُ يَذكُر شَاءً أو إِبِلا

And they admired it, and were satisfied with my discourse while you - when

You were absent from it, it only increased with me in elevation and ascent

فَلَيسَ شَيخاً ومَن يَجعَلهُ حُجَّتَهُ

ِإلَى طَرِيقِ المَعَاصِى والهَوَى وَصَلا

How many feeble poets I have left routed in adversity

When the wounds of satire became congealed

وكَونُكَ إبنَ جَلاَ يَحتَاجُ بَيِّنَةً

إِذِ الصَّوابُ عِندَنَا أنَّكَ إبنُ خَلا

So here is a pearl of poetry not contrived

That will give you a drink if you understand its essence, O dolt!

قَد كُنتَ طِفلاً طُفَيلِيًّا وشِبتَ كَمَا

قَد كُنتَ طِفلاً فَلَم تُشغَل بِنَيلِ عُلا

Respond quickly - do not prolong it for me

For I was not one to prolong it for you

إِن قَدَّمُوكَ لإنشاءِ القَرِيضِ فَقَد

يُرعَى الهَشِيمُ إِذَا لَم يُوَجَدنَّ كَلا

أمَّا إِدِّعَاؤُكَ لِلتَّقُوَى فَمَحضُ خَنًى

لَم تَقصُدنَّ بِهِ وَجهَ الإلَه عَلا

بل كَانَ مِنكَ رِيَاءً لِلرَّعِيةِ كَى

تَصطَادَ مِنهُم إِذَا أمُّوا العَطَا نِحَلا

وَكَونُ أُمِّكَ ما عَقَّت يُكَذِّبُهُ

ما عاشَ بَيٌّ مُهاناً جائِعاً وَجِلا

وكَونُ بي أبِيكََ القدمِ شِيمَتهُ

بَينَ الوَرَى أَخذُهُ في كَفِّهِ أُكُلا

مَا زَالَ يَرفُلُ في عُرىٍ ومَسغَبةٍ

يَجُرُّ أَذيَالَ ذُلٍّ بَينَ كُلِّ مَلا

لِم لاَ تَكَن كَاسِيًّا بَيًّا ومُطعِمَهُ

وأنتَ نَجلٌ لبي بِئسَ مَا نَجَلا

عَيَّرتَ بِالجَهلِ أصلِى غَيرَ مُدَّكِرٍ

بَيًّا وبي طَالَمَا جَهِلا

وإِنَّ نَانَا التى قَد قُلتَ مُشعِرَةٌ

مِن كُلِّ وجهٍ بِأن لَم تُعزَ لِلعُقَلا

ولَيسَ يَدخُلُ قَلباً أَن تُلَحَنني

وقَد تَفَرَّعتُ مِن طَودِ اللُّغَى القُلَلا

مَارَستُ قَبلَكَ إنشَاءَ القَرِيضِ وَمَا

أنشَدتُهُم لَذَّ في آذِنِهِم وحَلا

واستَحسَنُوا وأرتَضوا حَوكِى وأَنتَ إِذَا

ما غِبتَهُ ازدَادَ عِندِى رِفعَةً وعَلا

كَم شَاعِرٍ ذَرِبٍ غَادَرتُ في كُرَبٍ

إِذ صَارَ بالهَجوِ القُرحُ مُندَمِلا

فَهَاكَ دُرَّ قَرِيضٍ غَيرِ مُعتَسَفِ

يَسقِيكَ إِن تَدرِ مَعنَى كُنهِهِ خَبَلا

أجِب عَلَى عَجَلٍ لاَ تَرخِ لِى طِوَلاً

فَإِنني لَم أكُن أرخِى لَكَ الطِّوَلا