مَحَلٌّ لَهُم بَينَ النَقا وَالأَجارِعِ
عَدَتهُ الغَوادي فَاِستَنابَ مَدامِعي
A place for them between softness and camel mounts,
Its valleys distracted me, so my tears flowed,
وَلَو أَنَّني نَهنَهتُها خَوفَ كاشِحٍ
فَشَت زَفَراتٌ لَم تَسَعها أَضالِعي
Had I tried to hold them back fearing a revealer,
Sighs would burst forth that my ribs could not contain,
وَفي الجيرَةِ المُستَنفِدي الصَبرِ عُصبَةٌ
لَوِ اِكتَنَفوني ما مُنيتُ بِرائِعِ
In my neighbors that exhausted my patience a group,
Had they surrounded me I would not have yielded,
عَجَزتُ عَنِ الأَعداءِ بَعدَ فِراقِهِم
كَعَجزِ بَنانٍ لَم يُنَط بِأَشاجِعِ
After they left I felt incapable of facing the enemies,
Like claws that were not equipped with nails,
وَمَن لي بِأَيّامٍ مَضَت لا عَزائِمي
مُفَلَّلَةٌ فيها وَلا اللَومُ رادِعي
Who can bring back days gone by, neither my resolve
In them is loosened nor is blame deterring me,
لَيالِيَ لا اللاحي عَلى الوَجدِ قادِعي
بِما سَرَّ أَعدائي وَلا الشَيبُ وازِعي
Nights where wakefulness cannot subdue fervor
At what made my enemies happy and old age cannot restrain me,
فَبُدِّلتُ مِن شَرخِ الشَبابِ وَعِشرَةِ ال
أَحِبَّةِ تَسآلَ الدِيارِ البَلاقِعِ
So I changed from the prime of youth and companionship of
Friends to homes in ruins asking,
وَقائِلَةٍ حَتّامَ يَخدَعُكَ المُنى
وَتوسِعُها عَتباً وَلَيسَ بِنافِعِ
And saying: Hatim, hopes will disappoint you
And their latitude will make you fall into delusion,
فَيَأساً فَما عَهدُ الكَثيبِ بِعائِدٍ
إِلَيكَ وَلا أَيّامُهُ بِرَواجِعِ
So despair for the dune is not accustomed to a returning
Traveler nor are its days expected to turn back,
وَلا وُدُّ مَن أَبدى لَكَ الوُدَّ صادِقٌ
وَما هُوَ إِلّا خُدعَةٌ مِن مُخادِعِ
The affection shown you by a pretender is not sincere
Rather it is guile from those who scheme,
ذَرِ الخَلقَ لا تَتبَعهُمُ مُتَفَرِّداً
بِنَفسِكَ وَاِتبَع رَأيَ أَهلِ الصَوامِعِ
Leave people be, do not pursue them alone
And follow the view of the people of monasteries,
فَما الناسُ إِلّا ضاحِكٌ وَهوَ عابِسٌ
سَريرَتُهُ أَو واصِلٌ وَصلَ قاطِعِ
For people are nothing but laughing outwardly while grieved inwardly
Either there is dissension in his intimacy or a reconciler who has cut ties,
فَبَعضٌ سَرابٌ غَرَّ بِاللَمعِ ظامِئاً
وَبَعضٌ شَرابٌ لا يَسوغُ لِجارِعِ
Some are a mirage that misled a thirsty man with its glow
And some are an undrinkable beverage for the one who gulps it down,
مُخالِفَةٌ أَقوالُهُم وَفِعالُهُم
كَما خالَفَ الصَهباءَ لَونُ الفَواقِعِ
Their words and deeds conflict
Like the conflict of pitch darkness and piercing light,
عَرَتني صُروفُ النائِباتِ فَقَصَّرَت
ذِراعي وَرَدَّت خائِباتٍ ذَرائِعي
The turns of fate have weakened me, shortening
My arm, and futile attempts have reduced my means,
يُصيبُ الفَتى ما لَم يَكُن في حِسابِهِ
وَيَحذَرُ مِن شَيءٍ وَلَيسَ بِواقِعِ
What befalls a young man is not in his calculations
And he is wary of what will not come to pass,
وَما خِلتُ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يُلجِئُني إِلى
زَمانٍ يَبيتُ العَجزُ فيهِ مُضاجِعي
I never thought fate would drive me to
A time when inability would share my bed,
صَحِبتُ أُناساً بُرهَةً ما مَرامُهُم
مَرامي وَلا أَطماعُهُم مِن مَطامِعي
I kept company with people whose aims
Were not my aims nor their desires among my desires,
وَلَو لَم يُدانِ الضِدُّ ضِدّاً لَما دَنا
مَحَلُّ الأَفاعي مِن مَحَلِّ الأَسارِعِ
Had not opposite met opposite, the abode of snakes would be
Near the abode of gazelles and the roar of lions near the croaking of frogs,
وَغَيرُ قَريبٍ مِن فُؤادٍ وَمَسمَعٍ
زَئيرُ الأُسودِ مِن نَقيقِ الضَفادِعِ
Until a firm resolve squeezed me
With which I overpowered whatever contended with me,
إِلى أَن أَبَت لي عَزمَةٌ أَعصُرِيَّةٌ
صَرَعتُ بِها الخَطبَ الَّذي كانَ صارِعي
So the light of dawn turned away the darkness of night
And the Euphrates forgot the dried up waterbeds,
فَنابَ ضِياءُ الفَجرِ عَن ظُلمَةِ الدُجى
وَأَنسى الفُراتُ ناضِباتِ الوَقائِعِ
And I was compensated for herding lightning and preventing it
With clouds that poured forth overflowing torrents,
وَعُوِّضتُ مِن رَعيِ البُروقِ وَشَيمِها
غَماماً تَجَلّى عَن سُيولٍ دَوافِعِ
My protector is Judd son of Nasr son of Saleh
The loyal guardian of the son of Shibl son of Jama'i,
وَوَسمِيُّهُ جودُ بنِ نَصرِ اِبنِ صالِحٍ
وَكانَ الوَلِيُّ لِاِبنِ شِبلِ اِبنِ جامِعِ
They bestow before being asked and give generously
So excel by being followed and are noble when obeyed,
هُما أَنعَما قَبلَ السُؤالِ وَأَجزَلا
فَأَعظِم بِمَتبوعٍ وَأَكرِم بِتابِعِ
This proves false those who thought life is narrow
And who said livelihood is not abundant,
لِتَكذيبِ مَن ظَنَّ المَعيشَةَ ضَنكَةً
وَمَن قالَ إِنَّ الرِزقَ لَيسَ بِواسِعِ
Through them a nation seeking help is spared
Being at their doors like messengers with a wet nurse,
لَقَد أَغنَيا عَن أُمَّةٍ طالِبُ النَدى
لَدَيهِم كَباغي الرِسلِ مِن يَدِ راضِعِ
Whether attaining bounty or the height of calamity
The favored moans or the stricken wails,
يُراوَحُ مَن نالَ النَوالَ أَوِ القِرى
بِأَدهى الدَواهي أَو بِأَنكى الفَجائِعِ
They blame generosity, wait,
It is advice that leads to one not listening,
وَإِنّي وَإِن أَكثَرتُ وَصفَ مُبارَكٍ
وَأَطنَبتُ ما خَبَّرتُ إِلّا بِشائِعِ
Did his actions transgress from beneficence
Or his words from interceding?
هُمامٌ حَوى في أولَياتِ شَبابِهِ
مَآثِرَ أَعيَت كُلَّ كَهلٍ وَيافِعِ
Among the people none seek help but the hyenas
When the warriors seek help through the veils,
إِذا بَذَلوا خَوفاً أَتَت مَكرُماتُهُ
عَطايا كَريمٍ لا عَطايا مُصانِعِ
They did not monopolize to the exclusion of every visitor or stranger
What they earned with sharp spears,
نَصِيَّةُ أَنجادٍ تَخافُ وَتُتَّقى
وَنُخبَةُ أَمجادٍ ضِخامِ الدَسائِعِ
You like their radiant splendor
And those are the burnished Indian swords,
وَأَسرَعُ في مَنعِ الذِمارِ إِجابَةً
إِذا نادَتِ الأَبطالُ هَل مِن مُقارِعِ
You meet them in ships and ardor
Bestowing boons or fierce in the fray,
يُلاقيهِ مَن يَرجو جَزيلَ نَوالِهِ
بِإِدلالِ خَفضٍ لا بِذِلَّةِ طامِعِ
Their weapons are stain removing unveiling
The livelihood of eagles, vultures and minarets,
كَفى كُلَّ راجٍ سَومَهُ العُرفَ ضارِعاً
لَهُ وَخَلَت أَفعالُهُ مِن مُضارِعِ
And Indian that on every vile day
Distracts from joy and cheating,
وَدَرَّت لَهُ في كُلِّ أُفقٍ غَمامَةٌ
تَدُلُّ عَلى بُخلِ الغُيوثِ الهَوامِعِ
Brought near through honor not purchase, all
Scraps that were picked or daughters of scraps,
أَلائِمَهُ في الجودِ مَهلاً فَإِنَّها
نَصائِحُ تُهديها إِلى غَيرِ سامِعِ
And a gift horse they protect through times
And sacrifice at settlements without a miser,
وَهَل خَرَجَت أَفعالُهُ عَن مَحاسِنٍ
تُخَبِّرُ أَو أَقوالُهُ عَن شَوافِعِ
Spending nights under the wings of its white
Becoming a barrier beyond the meadows,
مِنَ القَومِ لا يَستَنصِرونَ سِوى الظُبى
إِذا المانِعونَ اِستَنصَروا بِالمَقانِعِ
How many straits did their armies block
Repulsing the vanguard with the rearguard,
وَما اِستَأثَروا عَن كُلِّ عافٍ وَزائِرٍ
بِما كَسَبوهُ بِالرِماحِ الشَوارِعِ
For shame if it overcomes them, delirium
Lifts the veil on what is behind the screens,
يَروقُكَ مَرآهُم مَضاءً وَرَونَقاً
وَتِلكَ سَجِيّاتُ السُيوفِ القَواطِعِ
Were Auf the son of Abd to lose them
His palms would be useless without fingers,
وَتَلقاهُمُ في نائِلٍ وَحَمِيَّةٍ
غُيوثَ العَطايا أَو لُيوثَ الوَقائِعِ
The sons of Za'ida established for it
Foundations more firmly rooted than ascending dunes,
عَتادُهُمُ خَطِّيَّةٌ قَد تَكَفَّلَت
بِرَزقِ نُسورٍ حُوَّمٍ وَخَوامِعِ
They succeeded al-Nu'man in protecting his house
Which without them had not triumphed over attack,
وَهِندِيَّةٌ في كُلِّ يَومِ كَريهَةٍ
تُفَرِّقُ ما بَينَ اللَهى وَالأَخادِعِ
So Kisra turned away in his kingdom’s glory
Without anything repulsive other than obedience,
وَمُقرَبَةٌ عَزَّت شِراءً فَكُلُّها
قَلائِعُ حيزَت أَو بَناتُ قَلائِعِ
Indeed Shibl and Mubarak walked among them
Unlike Nahshal and those resigned to humiliation,
وَمَهرِيَّةٌ يَحمونَها الدَهرَ نَخوَةً
وَيَبذُلُها عِندَ القِرى كُلُّ مانِعِ
Had Hammam seen what I saw
He would have agreed with what I say,
تَبيتُ حِدادُ البيضِ أَوفى حُتوفِها
وَتُضحي حِجازاً دونَها في المَراتِعِ
They were created only to destroy the unjust
Feared and hoped for or enrich the content,
وَكَم مَأزِقٍ سَدَّ الفَضاءَ جُيوشُهُ
ثَنَوها عَلى أَعقابِها بِالطَلائِعِ
Abu Tarjam your hands have been generous
So the work of generous hands, accomplished and perfected,
وَلِلعارِ كَشّافونَ إِن غَشِيَتهُمُ
وَغىً كَشَفَت عَمّا وَراءَ البَراقِعِ
If you entrusted gifts to people in the past
I am their trustee for safekeeping deposits,
وَلَو مُنِيَت عَوفُ اِبنُ عَبدٍ بِفَقدِهِم
لَكانَت أَكُفّاً لَم تُعَن بِأَصابِعِ
You refused and did not break your word or deviate
From the path to leadership, not so spacious,
لَقَد أَسَّسَت أَبناءُ زائِدَةٍ لَها
قَواعِدَ أَرسى مِن هِضابِ مُتالِعِ
A colony of ostriches feared and revered
When you sought elevation and ascent,
وَهُم خَلَفوا النُعمانَ في صَونِ بَيتِهِ
وَما ظَفِرَت لَولاهُمُ بِمُمانِعِ
Establishing justice caused those led astray to avoid extent
So they are between erring in the past and returning,
فَنَكَّبَها كِسرى عَلى عِزِّ مُلكِهِ
وَما شاعَ مِنهُ مُكرَهاً غَيرَ طائِعِ
You have attained the farthest extent without a companion
And protected people from it without contention,
وَقَد سارَ شِبلٌ فيهِمُ وَمُبارَكٌ
بِمالَم يَسِر عَن نَهشَلٍ وَمُجاشِعِ
I will give thanks, as long as speech obeys me,
For the continuous kinds that came from your generosity,
وَلَو أَنَّ هَمّاماً رَأى ما رَأَيتُهُ
لَكانَ عَلى هَذا المَقالِ مُشايِعي
Bestowed on one who does not indicate service to you
Or send an intercessor to you,
وَما خُلِقا إِلّا لِإِفناءِ قاسِطٍ
يُخافُ وَيُرجى أَو لِإِغناءِ قانِعِ
So it saved you from the effort and heat of verse
Merchandise in which custom recognizes no merchandise,
أَبا تَرجَمٍ جادَت يَداكَ تَبَرُّعاً
فَعالَ كَريمِ الصُنعِ جَمِّ الصَنائِعِ
From it strange wonders will spread through every land
The excellent separating of consonants and vowels,
مَواهِبُ إِن أَودَعتَها الناسَ سالِفاً
فَإِنِّيَ أَولاهُم بِحِفظِ الوَدائِعِ
Were it recited, its eloquence would nearly
Make hearts comprehend before the hearings,
أَبَيتَ فَلَم تَنكُث وَلا أَنتَ ناكِبٌ
طَريقاً إِلى العَلياءِ لَيسَ بِشاسِعِ
نَصِيَّةُ أَنجادٍ تَخافُ وَتُتَّقى
إِذا ما سَعَيتَ مِن حَسيرٍ وَظالِعِ
إِقامَةُ عَدلٍ لِلأُلى اِستَبعَدوا المَدى
فَهُم بَينَ ماضٍ في الضَلالِ وَراجِعِ
لَقَد جُزتَ أَقصاهُ بِغَيرِ مُرافِقٍ
وَذُدتَ الوَرى عَنهُ بِغَيرِ مُنازِعِ
سَأَشكُرُ ما دامَ الكَلامُ يُطيعُني
صُنوفاً أَتَت مِن جودِكَ المُتَتابِعِ
تَوالَت عَلى مَن لا يُدِلُّ بِخِدمَةٍ
عَلَيكَ وَلا يُدلي إِلَيكَ بِشافِعِ
فَأَجنَتكَ مِن مَحضِ القَريضِ وَحُرِّهِ
بَضائِعَ لَيسَ العُرفُ فيها بِضائِعِ
سَتَطرُقُ مِنها كُلَّ أَرضٍ غَرائِبٌ
حِسانُ المَبادي رائِعاتُ المَقاطِعِ
إِذا أُنشِدَت كادَت لِفَرطِ بَيانِها
تَعيها القُلوبُ قَبلَ وَعيِ المَسامِعِ
