يا منزلَ الحيِّ بسَقطِ اللوى
لا دَلَّ من دَلَّ عليكَ النوى
O dweller of the abode of life when the twisted branches are cast down,
None can surpass your guidance when intention turns towards you.
عهدي بأَوطانِكَ مأهولةً
تَقضي العَواديَّ ولا تُقْتَضَى
My covenant with your homelands is populated,
Fulfilling promises while no promises are fulfilled for it.
أَيامَ أَرعى فيكَ روضَ المُنَى
فاليوم حظّي من هَواكَ البكا
Days I would graze in your meadows and roam the gardens of wishes,
While today my share of your love is weeping.
تُعَوّلُ العينُ على مائها
والحُزنُ لا يُجدي اذا ما جَرى
The eye depends on its tears flowing,
While grief is useless when fate takes its course.
وليس في الدَّمْعِ لها راحةٌ
وانما راحتُها في الكَرى
There is no comfort for it in crying,
Its only comfort is in destiny.
أَينَ نسيمٌ كانَ يعتادُنا
منكَ اذا صادفَ داءً شَفى
Where is the soft breeze that would visit us,
Healing afflictions whenever it blew from you?
عسى الهَوى تُقضي له دولةٌ
وقلَّما ينفعُ قولي عَسى
May longing have its days ruled,
Though my words of “may it be” rarely avail.
هَبْ ذلكَ العيشَ ثَنى عِطفَهُ
وعادَ لي كيفَ يعودُ الصِّبا
Grant that life to return bending its shoulder,
And come back to me as youth returns.
قد غَلَبَتْ سكراً على قَلبِهِ
جاريةٌ تفضحُ شمسَ الضُّحى
An alluring girl has overcome its heart with drunkenness,
Exposing the sun of morning.
ضعيفةُ الخَصرِ لو استُنْشِقَتْ
باللثمِ في أَنفاسهِ ما اشتَفى
Weak of waist, if she would scent herself
With a kiss, it would not quench its breath’s thirst.
جملتُها تُشبهُ تَفصيلَها
فكل جزءٍ حسنه مُنتهى
Her totality resembles her detail,
For each part has reached perfect beauty.
يَلومني العاذلُ في حُبِّها
لا بَرَحَ العاذلُ أَوْ يُبتلى
The critic blames me for loving her,
May he not rest or be tested!
يا من لبرقٍ مَرِحٍ ضوؤه
يسبقه قبل الوميضِ الحيا
O you whose radiant lightning’s glare
Precedes its flash with life.
تُكسى به العيدانُ أوراقَها
غِبَّ سَوَاريه ويَثري الثَّرى
The twigs are clothed with leaves by it,
Its bracelets are scattered and enrich the earth.
لا سُقِيَتْ من صَوبهِ بلدةٌ
صاديةٌ أَو يَروِ أهلَ الحِمى
No land was watered by its downpour
Whether it roared or irrigated the thirsty.
بت أُواعيهِ وما خَفقةٌ
أَسرعُ مما بِضَمِيرِ الحَشَا
It lodged in its homes, nor is there a throb
Swifter than what conscience conceals.
ما لسيورِ الهندِ مزءُودة
في خلِلِ الأَجفانِ ما تُنتضَى
The Syrian swords are not sharpened
In the slits of the eyelids to be wiped.
يَحيدُ عن رؤيتنا حدُّها
كأَنَّ فينا ليس فيها الرَّدى
Its extent turns from our sight,
As if there were no returning to us.
انْ سترَ الأَسيافَ أَغمادُها
عنَّا فما يسترُ طولُ القَنا
When the swords sheathe their blades,
Their length does not protect us.
وعدتَنا نصراً فأَخْلفتَنا
والسيفُ لا ينفعُ أَو يُنتضَى
You promised us victory but disappointed us,
While the sword neither benefits nor protects.
