قَد عَلَّمَ البَينُ مِنّا البَينَ أَجفانا
تَدمى وَأَلَّفَ في ذا القَلبِ أَحزانا
Separation has taught our eyelids to part until they bleed, And has compiled a book of sorrows within this heart.
I hoped, the hour they departed, she would unveil her wrist, That the tribe might halt their journey, lost in bewilderment.
أَمَّلتُ ساعَةَ ساروا كَشفَ مِعصَمِها
لِيَلبَثَ الحَيُّ دونَ السَيرِ حَيرانا
Had she appeared, she would have led them astray; thus a protective veil Concealed her, guarding their sanity from her gaze.
By the trotting camels and their driver! Within me is a moon, Who remains inside the litter, breathless from the swaying gait.
وَلَو بَدَت لَأَتاهَتهُم فَحَجَّبَها
صَونٌ عُقولَهُمُ مِن لَحظِها صانا
As for the garments, they are stripped of his charms when cast aside, For he is clothed in pure beauty when standing bare.
Musk embraces him with the embrace of a passionate lover, Until it becomes new folds upon the folds of his skin.
بِالواخِداتِ وَحاديها وَبي قَمَرٌ
يَظَلُّ مِن وَخدِها في الخِدرِ حَشيانا
I used to fear for my sight from the flow of my tears, But today, every precious thing is worthless in your absence.
The lightning flashes offer you false promises of rain, But to the lover, memory brings only burning fires.
أَمّا الثِيابُ فَتَعرى مِن مَحاسِنِهِ
إِذا نَضاها وَيَكسى الحُسنَ عُريانا
When I advance upon terrors, I am escorted by a heart That betrays me the moment I wish it to forget you.
I appear, and he who speaks ill of me bows down in awe; I do not rebuke him, out of forgiveness and disdain.
يَضُمُّهُ المِسكُ ضَمَّ المُستَهامِ بِهِ
حَتّى يَصيرَ عَلى الأَعكانِ أَعكانا
Thus was I even among my kin and in my own land; Indeed, the precious gem is a stranger wherever it lies.
My merit is envied, and lies are forged in my wake; I face the armed warrior, and he faces me when fate strikes.
قَد كُنتُ أُشفِقُ مِن دَمعي عَلى بَصَري
فَاليَومَ كُلُّ عَزيزٍ بَعدَكُم هانا
I do not stretch my neck in greed for what is within reach, Nor do I pass the night in regret over what is lost.
I take no joy in gains for which another is praised, Even if you brought me the whole world brimming with wealth.
تُهدي البَوارِقُ أَخلافَ المِياهِ لَكُم
وَلِلمُحِبِّ مِنَ التَذكارِ نيرانا
Let no man drag my mount’s reins toward himself, As long as I live and these camels shake their saddles.
If I had the power, I would ride all of mankind Like camels, to reach Sa‘id ibn ‘Abd Allah.
إِذا قَدِمتُ عَلى الأَهوالِ شَيَّعَني
قَلبٌ إِذا شِئتُ أَن يَسلاكُمُ خانا
For the white camels possess more reason than folk I have seen, Who remain blind to the benevolence he clearly perceives.
He is the Generous One, though true steeds be rare for him; He is the Brave One, though he deems no warriors his equal.
أَبدو فَيَسجُدُ مَن بِالسوءِ يَذكُرُني
وَلا أُعاتِبُهُ صَفحاً وَإِهوانا
He is the Provider whose hands gather wealth for our sake, So that if he lost it all, he would offer us consolation.
Time rests so lightly upon his fingertips, They seem to become epochs governing time itself.
وَهَكَذا كُنتُ في أَهلي وَفي وَطَني
إِنَّ النَفيسَ غَريبٌ حَيثُما كانا
He meets war, destruction, and sudden calamity, The sword, and the guest, with open arms and a joyful heart.
You would think him fevered from his heart's burning wit, And intoxicated from his bounty and radiant cheer.
مُحَسَّدُ الفَضلِ مَكذوبٌ عَلى أَثَري
أَلقى الكَمِيَّ وَيَلقاني إِذا حانا
Singing girls trail silken robes, strutting in his bounty, While his horses drag their halters in idle luxury.
He rewards the herald of guests before they arrive, Like a thirsty man rewarding one who brings news of water.
لا أَشرئِبُّ إِلى ما لَم يَفُت طَمَعاً
وَلا أَبيتُ عَلى ما فاتَ حَسرانا
May the fairest reward befall the sons of Al-Hasan, For they stand among their kin as their kin stand among Adnan.
Whatever glory God erected for their ancestors, We witness it fully manifest in them today.
وَلا أُسَرُّ بِما غَيري الحَميدُ بِهِ
وَلَو حَمَلتَ إِلَيَّ الدَهرَ مَلآنا
Whether addressed, encountered, or battled, they prove to be Masters of the pen, the spoken word, and the fray.
It is as if their tongues, when they speak, Were forged as spearheads for their lances when they strike.
لا يَجذِبَنَّ رِكابي نَحوَهُ أَحَدٌ
ما دُمتُ حَيّاً وَما قَلقَلنَ كيرانا
As if they descend upon death to quench a thirst, Or inhale the scent of sweet basil from their spears.
They are the fiercest foes to him I deem an enemy, And true brothers to the one I claim as a friend.
لَوَ اِستَطَعتُ رَكِبتُ الناسَ كُلَّهُمُ
إِلى سَعيدِ اِبنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ بُعرانا
Traits so noble, that were the Zanj to possess them, Their dark visages would transform into radiant white.
And brilliant souls—you are compelled to love them By nature, even if they cast you aside in scorn.
فَالعيسُ أَعقَلُ مِن قَومٍ رَأَيتُهُمُ
عَمّا يَراهُ مِنَ الإِحسانِ عُميانا
Pure and bright in lineage, in countenance, In mothers, in hearts, and in intellects.
O hunter of the vast and dreaded army! Lions hunt men singly, but you hunt whole hosts.
ذاكَ الجَوادُ وَإِن قَلَّ الجَوادُ لَهُ
ذاكَ الشُجاعُ وَإِن لَم يَرضَ أَقرانا
O Giver whose time for giving is every moment! While other givers bestow their gifts but rarely.
You are he who smelted wealth into honor, Then made the petitioners the treasurers of your gold.
ذاكَ المُعِدُّ الَّذي تَقنو يَداهُ لَنا
فَلَو أُصيبَ بِشَيءٍ مِنهُ عَزّانا
A watcher from your own soul guards you when alone; You commit no act in secret that you would not do openly.
I ask no increase in the generosity you possess; To alert you would be like waking a man already vigilant.
خَفَّ الزَمانُ عَلى أَطرافِ أَنمُلِهِ
حَتّى تُوُهِّمنَ لِلأَزمانِ أَزمانا
For with one like you, I have boasted before the noble, And turned my rage against Fate into contentment.
You are the most far-famed among them, the greatest in rank, And the loftiest in the edifice of glory.
يَلقى الوَغى وَالفَنا وَالنازِلاتِ بِهِ
وَالسَيفَ وَالضَيفَ رَحبَ الباعِ جَذلانا
God has ennobled the very earth where you dwell, And honored all mankind by creating you a man.
تَخالُهُ مِن ذَكاءِ القَلبِ مُحتَمِياً
وَمِن تَكَرُّمِهِ وَالبِشرِ نَشوانا
وَتَسحَبُ الحِبَرَ القَيناتُ رافِلَةً
في جودِهِ وَتَجُرُّ الخَيلُ أَرسانا
يُعطي المُبَشِّرَ بِالقُصّادِ قَبلَهُمُ
كَمَن يُبَشِّرُهُ بِالماءِ عَطشانا
جَزَت بَني الحَسَنِ الحُسنى فَإِنَّهُمُ
في قَومِهِم مِثلُهُم في الغُرِّ عَدنانا
ما شَيَّدَ اللَهُ مِن مَجدٍ لِسالِفِهِم
إِلّا وَنَحنُ نَراهُ فيهِمِ الآنا
إِن كوتِبوا أَو لَقوا أَو حورِبوا وُجِدوا
في الخَطِّ وَاللَفظِ وَالهَيجاءِ فُرسانا
كَأَنَّ أَلسُنَهُم في النُطقِ قَد جُعِلَت
عَلى رِماحِهِمِ في الطَعنِ خِرصانا
كَأَنَّهُم يَرِدونَ المَوتَ مِن ظَمَأٍ
أَو يَنشَقونَ مِنَ الخَطِّيِّ رَيحانا
الكائِنينَ لِمَن أَبغي عَداوَتَهُ
أَعدى العِدا وَلِمَن آخَيتُ إِخوانا
خَلائِقٌ لَو حَواها الزِنجُ لَاِنقَلَبوا
ظَميَ الشِفاهِ جِعادَ الشَعرِ غُرّانا
وَأَنفُسٌ يَلمَعِيّاتٌ تُحِبُّهُمُ
لَها اِضطِراراً وَلَو أَقصَوكَ شَنآنا
الواضِحينَ أُبُوّاتٍ وَأَجبِنَةٍ
وَوالِداتٍ وَأَلباباً وَأَذهانا
يا صائِدَ الجَحفَلِ المَرهوبِ جانِبُهُ
إِنَّ اللِيوثَ تَصيدُ الناسَ أُحدانا
وَواهِباً كُلُّ وَقتٍ وَقتُ نائِلِهِ
وَإِنَّما يَهَبُ الوَهّابُ أَحيانا
أَنتَ الَّذي سَبَكَ الأَموالَ مَكرُمَةً
ثُمَّ اِتَّخَذتَ لَها السُؤآلَ خُزّانا
عَلَيكَ مِنكَ إِذا أُخليتَ مُرتَقِبٌ
لَم تَأتِ في السِرِّ ما لَم تَأتِ إِعلانا
لا أَستَزيدُكَ فيما فيكَ مِن كَرَمٍ
أَنا الَّذي نامَ إِن نَبَّهتُ يَقظانا
فَإِنَّ مِثلَكَ باهَيتُ الكِرامَ بِهِ
وَرَدَّ سُخطاً عَلى الأَيّامِ رِضوانا
وَأَنتَ أَبعَدُهُم ذِكراً وَأَكبَرُهُم
قَدراً وَأَرفَعُهُم في المَجدِ بُنيانا
قَد شَرَّفَ اللَهُ أَرضاً أَنتَ ساكِنُها
وَشَرَّفَ الناسَ إِذ سَوّاكَ إِنسانا
