عجباً لأحبَّتنا رحلوا
فبأيّة منْزلة نزَلوا
How strange that our loved ones left,
To which home did they settle?
حرَماً سلكوا وحمىً تركوا
ودماً سفكوا وفتىً قتَلوا
They followed a sanctuary and abandoned protection,
Spilt blood and killed a youth,
ولأيّ هوى هجرت بنوى
برق ولوى وعلت كِلَلُ
And for what passion did my people emigrate
Lightning struck and coiled were the curls.
كلل رفعت لدُمىً طَلَعتْ
بضحى اندفعت سيرُها رملُ
The curls were raised for my blood that appeared
At dawn, their march was on the sand.
ابل بكرت بِهُمُ وَسَرَتْ
ليتها نُحرت تلكمُ الأبِلُ
My camels set out at early dawn and were delighted with them
If only those camels had been slaughtered.
رحلت ظُعُنٌ ونأَت شجن
وخلت دِمنٌ وعَفا طلَلُ
The cooking pots were packed and the yearning arrived
The abodes were empty and the hills were barren.
وثوى كَلِفٌ قلِق دَنِفُ
نَزِفٌ أسفٌ شرق وهِلُ
The encampment settled down anxious and saddened
Bleeding, sorrowful, its east and west desolate.
يتذكّر ما عهدته دُمى
من زمان الحمَى والصبّا خضِلُ
Remembering what Dumya knew
From the days of protection and youthful vigour.
وحبائِبُه لا تُجانبُهُ
وكواعبُه بالرّضى تصِلُ
And his female friends do not abandon him
While his mistresses reconcile with acceptance.
وَصَلت عُرُباً فحَكت قُضُباً
حملت كُثُباً مَشيُهُا مَهلُ
The riding camels arrived and narrated the events
Bearing sorrows, their walk slow.
ورَنَت شبَها بعيون مهاً
لم تجد مَرَهاً وبها كَحَلُ
They cried over the ruins like the eyes of an afflicter
Who found no rest, though kohl was in their eyes.
وَظَباءُ تُقىً لبسَت سَرقَاً
ولوت نُطُقا تحتها حُلَلُ
Does and oryx wearing yarn garments
Twisting their necks under scarves.
صِدْنَ مُلتفِتاً في الهَوى عَنَتاً
وفَتَّنَ فَتىً همُهُ الغَزَلُ
They turned away from passion busily
And tempted a youth whose only care was to flirt.
ظَلَّ في مَرَحٍ وجنى مُلحٍ
ومُنى فَرحٍ طعمُها عسلُ
He remained in joy and gathered salty plants
And wished for happiness whose taste was honey.
فَتعَللّها وصَبا وَلها
والحسانُ لها مَعَه شغلُ
She pretended illness, turned away and distracted him
While kindness to her was his only concern.
في مواجهةٍ بمفاكهةٍ
متشابهةٍ بينها قُبَلُ
In confrontation with sweet talk
Resembling each other in their kisses.
ثم راجَعَه حينَ رَوَّعهُ
كِبَرٌ معهُ الحلمُ والعِلَلُ
Then prudence returned to alarm him
When old age overcame him with forbearance and infirmity.
صَاحً بانُ الصِّبا والغرار نَبا
والجَوادُ كَبا وبَدا الملَلُ
It warned the youth and vigor had perished
While generosity declined and boredom appeared.
مَن تُفنّدَه كنتَ تعهدَه
تَتصيّده الأعين النَّجلُ
You used to promise protection if we visited you
While spying eyes would ambush him.
فلذاكَ نَعمْ كم أَقام وكمْ
قد تمنَّع لم يثنهِ العَذَلُ
That is why - what an excellent dwelling it was, and how
He refused, undeterred by blame.
قبل همَّتهُ في مُلمَّتهِ
إذ بلُمتّهِ الشّيبُ مشْتَعِلُ
Before his resolve during his ordeal
When the grey hair on his head blazed.
وانتهى وارعوى وَضحا وَنوىَ
وَرَعى وطوَى غيّه الوَجلُ
His wandering ended, he became sober and intended
To be pious, while madness subsided.
وإذا صَلحَت نيّةٌ وَصحَتْ
نَشوة وضَحت للهدى سُبُلُ
When intention improves and becomes sound,
A radiant path to guidance becomes clear.
حظّ سالكها فضل مالكها
ولتاركِها من لظىً ظُلَلُ
Happy is he who takes it, excelling is He who owns it,
While one who abandons it will have heat mirages as a shade.
وإذا اجتهدت همّة وُجدت
أينما قصّدت بالفتى الحِيَلُ
When effort is exerted, a will is found
Wherever the seeker heads with ingenuity.
كلُّ حادثة بك عابثةٌ
غير لابثةٍ والدّنا دُوَلُ
Every incident toys with you
Save the Eternal whose course is assured.
أي حيّ عُني بالأذى ومُني
فبدارِ بني عمر يَسلُ
What living being obtained harm and prosperity
Except in the abode of the Bani Umar, exalted?
سادةٌ كرموا ولقد عُظموا
فالمُلوكَ هُمو والوَرى خَوَلُ
Nobles who were generous, truly grand
Masters over kings, with the world their follower.
نزلوا في الرِّبى من بيوت سَبا
مَنعتها الظّبا والقنا الذُّبلُ
They descended from the lofty homes of Sabāʾ
Protected from wildlife and the barren valley.
أصبحوا خَلفاً ورثوا سَلفا
نزلوا شَرفا بُرجُهُ الحملُ
They became successors, inheriting from predecessors
While descending with nobility, its pillar the Hamal star.
فإذا رهبوا ومتَى رغبوا
فالغنى وأَبو الحَسَن الأمَلُ
When they felt reverent or coveted,
Wealth and Abul Hasan were their aspiration.
سيّد شرُفت نفسه ووَفت
وزكَت وَصَفت قبل تكْتَهلُ
A sir whose self has gained nobility and fulfilled
And become pure without having matured fully.
وحقائِقه لا تفَارقه
وخلائقهُ ما بها خَلَلُ
His principles do not abandon him
While his manners have no defects.
ومزاينه لا تباينُه
ومحاسنُه مَا بها عَطَلُ
His qualities do not differ from him
And his beauties have no flaws.
كَفُّهُ أَبداً مُسْتَهلُّ ندىً
لم يفُت أَحداً صوبُها الهَطِلُ
His palm is forever pouring bounty
None who head toward it miss its rain.
حظَّ سائِلِه جزل نائِلهِ
من شمائِلهِ البشرُ والجَذلُ
Happy is he who requests him, abundant is his gift
From his fine traits - humans and Jinn.
ولهُ سُحبٌ قَطرها ذهَبٌ
سَيلها لَجَب غيثُها نُبلُ
He has clouds whose rain is gold
Pouring copiously, its rain noble.
فرع مَغرسه بدرُ حِندسه
وسطَ مجْلسه حين يحتفلُ
A branch rendered immaculate, his full moon's perfection
Amidst his assembly when he holds court.
إنْ زمانٌ نَبا زُرْتَ ذهلَ أَبا
حسن فحَبا مابه ثِقَلُ
If an era grows and you visit Abu
Hasan, it will be amazed and grant favor.
يا أبا الحسن لك من يمنٍ
في ذرى حسن للعُلى جَبلُ
O Abul Hasan, auspiciousness from the right
For loftiness suits the high mountain.
فابقَ واحيَ ودُمْ واغل وابنِ ورمُ
وبكم ولكمْ طالت الطِّولُ
So live long, revive and shed blood,
Be joyous, have children and prolong your duration.
وبنوك رَقوا شرفاً
ولقوا نعماً وبَقوا مابقي زُحَلُ
You and your sons have achieved nobility,
Received bounty and remained as long as Suhail.
كرموا نسباً وزكوا حسباً
أنفساً واباً ولقد كمَلوا
Noble in lineage, righteous in merit
Souls, fathers - you have been perfected.
هاكَ من حِبَري وحُلى
دُرَري ماقضت فكرى وهو مرتَجلُ
My scattered pearls, though my thoughts are extemporaneous.
I have loved the jewels of the noble caliphs
قد حبوتُ حُلى خلفاءَ
العُلى وبَخِلتُ على من بِه بخَلُ
And was stingy to the stingy with it.
Whoever wants my manners, let him be like
من يردْ أدبي فليكن كأَبي
حسن سَبي منه مُتّصلُ
My master Hasan, taking from him perpetually.
