أَمِنَ اِزدَيارَكِ في الدُجى الرُقَباءُ

إِذ حَيثُ أَنتِ مِنَ الظَلامِ ضِياءُ

Do the lofty ones fear your disdain in the dark night

Did the watchers feel safe from your visit in the dark?

When you are a light amid the darkness?

For wherever you are, even in the shadows, there is light.

قَلَقُ المَليحَةِ وَهيَ مِسكٌ هَتكُها

وَمَسيرُها في اللَيلِ وَهيَ ذُكاءُ

The beauty is restless though she is musk whose wrapper is torn

The beautiful one is anxious, yet she is musk—her scent betrays her,

And though she walks at night, she is brilliant

And her journey is through the night, yet she herself is the sun.

أَسَفي عَلى أَسَفي الَّذي دَلَّهتِني

عَن عِلمِهِ فَبِهِ عَلَيَّ خَفاءُ

I grieve for my self-conceit which led me astray

My grief is for the grief you distracted me from knowing, so it remains hidden from me,

From his knowledge, so it was hidden from me

And my complaint is the loss of sickness, for when it existed, I still had limbs.

وَشَكِيَّتي فَقدُ السَقامِ لِأَنَّهُ

قَد كانَ لَمّا كانَ لي أَعضاءُ

And my complaint is the loss of well-being

You cast the image of your eye as a wound within my vitals; they look alike, both wide and deep.

For it was when my limbs were well

It pierced through my fine armor, against which even a brown lance might shatter.

مَثَّلتِ عَينَكِ في حَشايَ جِراحَةً

فَتَشابَها كِلتاهُما نَجلاءُ

Your eyes resembled my wounded inner feelings

I am the rock of the valley when jostled, but when I speak, I am the Gemini star.

So both alike are tearful

And if I am hidden from the fool, it is excusable: a blind eye cannot see me.

نَفَذَت عَلَيَّ السابِرِيَّ وَرُبَّما

تَندَقُّ فيهِ الصَعدَةُ السَمراءُ

The snub-nosed sword went through me

It is the nature of nights to make my she-camel doubt: is my chest more vast, or the desert waste?

And perhaps the brown spear will pierce it

She spends the night driving her pace relentlessly, her fat dissolving into the exhaustion of the journey.

أَنا صَخرَةُ الوادي إِذا ما زوحِمَت

وَإِذا نَطَقتُ فَإِنَّني الجَوزاءُ

I am a rock of the valley when it is struck

Her straps are stretched tight, her hooves battered, yet her path is a virgin tract.

And when I speak, I am the nut tree

The expert guide changes color from fear of death within it, just as the chameleon turns.

وَإِذا خَفيتُ عَلى الغَبِيِّ فَعاذِرٌ

أَن لا تَراني مُقلَةٌ عَمياءُ

And if I am obscure to the ignorant

Between me and Abu Ali stand mountains like him, and hopes as high as they.

It is no wonder a blind short-sighted one does not see me

And the steep passes of Lebanon—how can one cross them? It is winter, and their summer is winter too.

شِيَمُ اللَيالي أَن تُشَكِّكَ ناقَتي

صَدري بِها أَفضى أَمِ البَيداءُ

It is the way of nights to cast doubt on my she-camel

The snows have clothed my paths, obscuring them; as if, in their whiteness, they were black darkness.

And my breast opens to it or the open desert

Such is the noble man: when he resides in a land, gold flows and water rises.

فَتَبيتُ تُسئِدُ مُسئِداً في نَيِّها

إِسآدَها في المَهمَهِ الإِنضاءُ

She passes the night smoothening a place to sleep

The rain froze; yet had it seen him as you do, it would be stunned, and no storm would burst.

Cushioning it in the soft sand

In his script lies the desire of every heart, as though his ink were made of passions.

أَنساعُها مَمغوطَةٌ وَخِفافُها

مَنكوحَةٌ وَطَريقُها عَذراءُ

Her saddle-bags are crumpled and her provisions-bag

For every eye, there is solace in his nearness, as though his absence were a speck of dust in the eye.

Torn, and her route unspoiled

He guides in deeds to what poets cannot find in words, until he acts for them to describe.

يَتَلَوَّنُ الخِرّيتُ مِن خَوفِ التَوى

فيها كَما يَتَلَوَّنُ الحِرباءُ

Fear makes the waterskin change color

Every day, rhymes take a journey through his heart, and his ear is ever listening.

As the chameleon changes color

They raid his understanding, as if in every verse lies a heavily armored legion.

بَيني وَبَينَ أَبي عَلِيٍّ مِثلُهُ

شُمُّ الجِبالِ وَمِثلَهُنَّ رَجاءُ

Between me and my father Ali is a distance

He wrongs the base by tasking them to become his equals,

Like the smell of mountains and their hope

We blame them, yet through them we knew his virtue; for by their opposites are things defined.

وَعِقابُ لُبنانٍ وَكَيفَ بِقَطعِها

وَهُوَ الشِتاءُ وَصَيفُهُنَّ شِتاءُ

And like the eagle of Lebanon; how can it be reached

He whose benefit lies in being provoked, and whose harm lies in peace—if only his enemies knew.

When it is winter and its summer is winter?

For peace breaks the wings of his wealth through charity, while war heals the fracture with spoils.

لَبَسَ الثُلوجُ بِها عَلَيَّ مَسالِكي

فَكَأَنَّها بِبَياضِها سَوداءُ

The snows clothed its passes against me

He gives, and from the bounty of his hand, bounties are given; and through his vision, visions are seen.

So that with their whiteness they seemed black

Distinct in two tastes, united in power; as if he were both prosperity and adversity.

وَكَذا الكَريمُ إِذا أَقامَ بِبَلدَةٍ

سالَ النُضارُ بِها وَقامَ الماءُ

And so is the generous man when he stays in a country

As if he is the doom his enemies dread, yet embodies for his guests all they desire.

Freshness flows in it and water rises

O you, whose very soul is a gift bestowed, given before any plea arrives to seek it,

جَمَدَ القِطارُ وَلَو رَأَتهُ كَما تَرى

بُهِتَت فَلَم تَتَبَجَّسِ الأَنواءُ

The train freezes and if it saw him as you see

Praise those who seek your aid—may you never lose them—for what they leave behind is itself a gift.

It would be amazed and the streams would not flow

The dead do not multiply—a multitude of the few—unless the living suffer at your hand.

في خَطِّهِ مِن كُلِّ قَلبٍ شَهوَةٌ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ مِدادَهُ الأَهواءُ

In his line of poetry every heart has a desire

And the heart does not split to reveal its depths, until hatred for you settles within it.

As if its ink were desires

You were not named Harun until the names drew lots and contended for your title.

وَلِكُلِّ عَينٍ قُرَّةٌ في قُربِهِ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ مَغيبَهُ الأَقذاءُ

And for every eye a joy in his nearness

You became unique, your name shared by none in essence, while all people share equally in your bounty.

As if the far horizon were his disappearance

You have encompassed all until the cities are filled with you; you have surpassed all until this praise is but a trifle.

مَن يَهتَدي في الفِعلِ ما لا تَهتَدي

في القَولِ حَتّى يَفعَلَ الشُعَراءُ

Who is guided to act though the poets do not guide

You gave so freely you almost seemed stingy by barring the limit; for indeed, from excess joy comes weeping.

To speech until they act?

You began a thing whose beginning was known, then repeated it until the very start was forgotten.

في كُلِّ يَومٍ لِلقَوافي جَولَةٌ

في قَلبِهِ وَلِأُذنِهِ إِصغاءُ

Every day the rhymes have a turn

Pride turns aside, falling short of you; and Glory is free from needing more from you.

In his heart and his ear listens

If you are asked, it is not because you withhold; and if you are hidden, your blessings betray you.

وَإِغارَةٌ فيما اِحتَواهُ كَأَنَّما

في كُلِّ بَيتٍ فَيلَقٌ شَهباءُ

And a raid on what it contains, as if

If you are praised, it is not to gain rank; rather, the thankful offer praise to God for you.

In every line were a shooting star

If you are rained upon, it is not for drought; for the fertile land is watered, and the ocean receives the rain.

مَن يَظلِمُ اللُؤَماءَ في تَكليفِهِم

أَن يُصبِحوا وَهُمُ لَهُ أَكفاءُ

Who wrongs the incompetent by testing them

The clouds did not mimic your generosity; rather, they caught a fever from it, and their downpour is but sweat.

Until they equal him in the morning?

The sun of our day did not meet this face, save with a countenance lacking all shame.

وَنَذيمُهُم وَبِهِم عَرَفنا فَضلَهُ

وَبِضِدِّها تَتَبَيَّنُ الأَشياءُ

And their weakness shows his merit

With whatever foot you strode to the heights, the skin of the crescent moon served as a sandal for your sole.

And through its opposite things are made clear

Time itself is your shield against Time, and Death itself is your ransom against Death.

مَن نَفعُهُ في أَن يُهاجَ وَضَرُّهُ

في تَركِهِ لَو تَفطَنُ الأَعداءُ

Whose harm lies in attacking him and whose benefit

Were you not of this mankind—which now derives from you—Eve would have been barren when she bore her race.

In leaving him, if only the enemies understood!

فَالسَلمُ يَكسِرُ مِن جَناحَي مالِهِ

بِنَوالِهِ ما تَجبُرُ الهَيجاءُ

Peace breaks with its bucket the reservoirs of his money

What raging [floods] cannot mend

يُعطي فَتُعطى مِن لُهى يَدِهِ اللُهى

وَتُرى بِرُؤيَةِ رَأيِهِ الآراءُ

He gives and gifts are given from the pleasures of his hand

And views are seen through the view of his opinion

مُتَفَرِّقُ الطَعمَينِ مُجتَمِعُ القُوى

فَكَأَنَّهُ السَرّاءُ وَالضَرّاءُ

He who unites different tastes and brings together forces

Is like good and bad fortune

وَكَأَنَّهُ ما لا تَشاءُ عُداتُهُ

مُتَمَثِّلاً لِوُفودِهِ ما شاؤوا

And as if his unfailing supplies

Put on a show for their delegates as they wish

يا أَيُّها المُجدى عَلَيهِ روحُهُ

إِذ لَيسَ يَأتِيهِ لَها اِستِجداءُ

O you upon whom his soul is shown favor

Since asking does not bring her appearance

اِحمَد عُفاتَكَ لا فُجِعتَ بِفَقدِهِم

فَلَتَركُ ما لَم يَأخُذوا إِعطاءُ

Praise his virtues and do not grieve for their loss

For the gifts of the departed do not [cease] giving

لا تَكثُرُ الأَمواتُ كَثرَةُ قِلَّةٍ

إِلّا إِذا شَقِيَت بِكَ الأَحياءُ

The dead are not numerous for their number being few

Except when through you the living are damned

وَالقَلبُ لا يَنشَقُّ عَمّا تَحتَهُ

حَتّى تَحُلَّ بِهِ لَكَ الشَحناءُ

And the heart does not split open for what is beneath it

Until partisanship comes over you

لَم تُسمَ يا هارونُ إِلّا بَعدَما اِق

تَرَعَت وَنازَعَتِ اِسمَكَ الأَسماءُ

You were not named O Harun until after

The names contended and snatched your name

فَغَدَوتَ وَاِسمُكَ فيكَ غَيرُ مُشارِكٍ

وَالناسُ فيما في يَدَيكَ سَواءُ

So you went out and your name in you has no partner

And people in what is in your hand are equal

لَعَمَمتَ حَتّى المُدنُ مِنكَ مِلاءُ

وَلَفُتَّ حَتّى ذا الثَناءُ لَفاءُ

You have filled the cities with yourself

And you have folded praise until you became its fold

وَلَجُدتَ حَتّى كِدتَ تَبخَلُ حائِلاً

لِلمُنتَهى وَمِنَ السُرورِ بُكاءُ

And you were serious until you almost begrudged

An obstacle to the ultimate and tears of joy

أَبَدَأتَ شَيءً مِنكَ يُعرَفُ بَدؤُهُ

وَأَعَدتَ حَتّى أُنكِرَ الإِبداءُ

You began something of yourself whose beginning is known

And you restored until creation was denied

فَالفَخرُ عَن تَقصيرِهِ بِكَ ناكِبٌ

وَالمَجدُ مِن أَن تُستَزادَ بَراءُ

So pride turns away from falling short of you

And glory from being asked to add purity

فَإِذا سُئِلتَ فَلا لِأَنَّكَ مُحوِجٌ

وَإِذا كُتِمتَ وَشَت بِكَ الآلاءُ

So if you are asked it is not because you are needy

And if you are silent, gifts scream about you

وَإِذا مُدِحتَ فَلا لِتَكسِبَ رَفعَةً

لِلشاكِرينَ عَلى الإِلَهِ ثَناءُ

And if you are praised, it is not to gain high station

For those who thank God belongs praise

وَإِذا مُطِرتَ فَلا لِأَنَّكَ مُجدِبٌ

يُسقى الخَصيبُ وَتُمطَرُ الدَأماءُ

And if you are watered, it is not because you are barren

The fertile are watered and the plateaus get rain

لَم تَحكِ نائِلَكَ السَحابُ وَإِنَّما

حُمَّت بِهِ فَصَبيبُها الرُحَضاءُ

The clouds did not meet your rain, but

Were driven to it and its flooding went wild

لَم تَلقَ هَذا الوَجهَ شَمسُ نَهارِنا

إِلّا بِوَجهٍ لَيسَ فيهِ حَياءُ

The sun of our day did not meet this face

Except by a face that has no shame

فَبِأَيِّما قَدَمٍ سَعَيتَ إِلى العُلا

أُدُمُ الهِلالِ لِأَخمَصَيكَ حِذاءُ

With which foot did you stride to the heights?

The new moon is shoes on your feet

وَلَكَ الزَمانُ مِنَ الزَمانِ وِقايَةٌ

وَلَكَ الحِمامُ مِنَ الحِمامِ فِداءُ

And for you time protects from time

And for you the dove protects from the dove

لَو لَم تَكُن مِن ذا الوَرى الَّذي مِنكَ هو

عَقِمَت بِمَولِدِ نَسلِها حَوّاءُ

If you were not in this world which is through you

Eve would be barren at the birth of its line