ينمُّ عليه الدّمعُ وهو جَحودُ
وينتحِلُ السُّلوانَ وهو وَدودُ
Tears flow on him yet he is ungrateful,
And he claims affection yet he is hostile.
ويذكُرُ ذُهلاً والهوى حيثُ عامرٌ
ومنزلَ حُزْوى والمُرادُ زَرودُ
He mentions the deserted abodes while love flourishes there,
And the place of Huzwa while his goal is Zarud.
ويُظهِرُ في لُبْنى الغرامَ مورّياً
ومنهُ إلى ليلى الضّميرُ يعودُ
He shows passion for Lubna yet his heart returns to Layla,
Deceiving, while to her his conscience goes back.
ويشتاقُ آرامَ العقيقِ وإنّهُ
لعمْرُكَ في أشباهِها لَعَميدُ
He longs for the gentle doves yet verily,
For their like he is a steadfast, old lover.
ويصحو فتأتيهِ الصِّبا بروايةٍ
عنِ البانِ تسقيهِ الطُّلى فيَميدُ
The morning breeze comes to him with news
Of the doe who gives him pure drink and he swoons.
تحدّثُهُ عن أهلِه فتُميتُه
وتنفحُهُ في نشرِهِم فيعودُ
It talks to him of his people so it kills him,
And it wafts their scent to him so he returns to life.
أروحُ ولي روحٌ تسيرُ مع الصَّبا
لها صدَرٌ نحو السّما وورودُ
My soul, I have a soul that walks with the morning breeze
With a breast soaring to the sky and roses.
وقلبٌ على كلِّ الخُطوبِ إذا دهَتْ
سوى الدّلِّ والبينِ المُشِتِّ جَليدُ
And a heart impervious to misfortunes when they come
Except love and separation where it is frozen.
وعينٌ لوَ اِنّ المُزْنَ تحملُ ماءَها
لأمسى اِشتعالُ البرقِ وهو خمودُ
And an eye that if the clouds carried its water
The flashing of lightning would end and be stillness.
إذا شِمْتُ إيماضاً حدَتْ مُزنَ عَبرَتي
من الزّفراتِ الصّاعِداتِ رُعودُ
When I sense lightning flash, tears etched by my sighs gush forth
Like thunder claps ascending and rumbling.
علامَ الجُفونُ السّودُ منكرةٌ دَمي
وفي الوجَناتِ البيضِ منهُ شُهودُ
Why do the black eyelids deny my blood
While in the white cheeks there is evidence?
وما بالُ هاتيكَ الخُصورِ نحيفةً
أهُنّ لأبناءِ الكَمالِ جُدودُ
And why are those slender waists now so thin
Too weak for the descendants of perfect ancestry?
وما بالُنا أحداقُنا في نُفوسِنا
بحُبِّ الظِّباءِ الباخِلاتِ تَجودُ
Why do our languid eyes generously love
The reluctant, arrogant gazelles?
نسمّي السّيولَ الحُمْرَ منها تجاهُلاً
دُموعاً ونَدري أنّهنّ كُبودُ
We wrongly name the red torrents of their tears
While knowing well they are blue.
وإنّي من القومِ الّذين بنانُهم
وألسُنُهُم للسّائِلينَ تُفيدُ
I am of those whose houses and tongues
Benefit those who ask.
نَسودُ الأسودَ الضّارياتِ وإن غدا
لنا الظّبياتُ كالنِساتُ تَسودُ
We disparage the most sinister of sinister women, yet if
The gazelles become like women they would disparage us.
وتضرَعُنا بيضُ الظُّبا وهيَ أعينٌ
ونحطِمُها بالهامِ وهْي حَديدُ
The white gazelles – their eyes plead while they
Break us with resolve as solid as iron.
أمَا وبُدورٍ أشرقتْ وهي أوجُهٌ
وسودِ لَيالٍ طُلْنَ وهي جُعودُ
Behold the bright full moons – they are faces
And darkness of gentle nights – they are curled locks.
وأغصانِ بانٍ تَنثَني في غلائِلٍ
وسُمرِ رِماحٍ فوقهُنّ بُرودُ
Branches of doe bend in tresses
And spears of youth above them without warmth.
وبيضِ نُحورٍ تحتمي في أساورٍ
وأجفانِ آرامٍ بهنّ أُسودُ
White throats sheltered in necklaces
And gentle eyes with kohl upon them.
وأطواقِ تِبرٍ هنّ للعَينِ حِليةٌ
وللصبِّ في أسرِ الغَرامِ قُيودُ
Collars of gold are their beauty for the eyes
And shackles of love binding the passionate.
لَفي القلبِ وجدٌ لو حَوى اليمُّ بعضَه
لأضحَتْ له الحيتانُ وهي وقودُ
In my heart is such fervor that if grief contained some of it
The whales would be its fuel burning.
وفي الخدِّ ودْقٌ لو سَقى الرّوضَ أصبحتْ
أقاحيهِ بالأكمامِ وهْيَ وُرودُ
And in my cheek is a wound – if it watered the garden it would
Become meadows and bushes of roses.
فكم في البُكا ينثُرنَ ياقوتَ أدمُعي
ثُغورٌ تُحاكي الدُرَّ وهو نَضيدُ
So how many rubies does my weeping scatter,
Lips that mimic pearls but are more brilliant.
ثغورٌ تُذيبُ القلبَ وهي جوامدٌ
وتُضرِمُ فيّ النارَ وهي بَرودُ
Lips that melt the heart while they are solid,
And kindle fire in me while they are cool.
فحتّامَ لا نارُ الصّبابةِ تنطفي
ولا للدموعِ الجارياتِ جُمودُ
Truly, neither the fire of youth is extinguished
Nor do flowing tears cease.
لعمرُك قبل الشّيبِ لم أعرِفِ الدُمى
تسوقُ إليّ الحتفَ وهوَ صُدودُ
By your life – before old age I did not know fate
Would send me ruddy death yet aloof.
ولم أدْرِ قبلَ الحبِّ أن يبعثَ القضا
إليّ المنايا الحُمرَ وهي خُدودُ
Nor did I know before love that destiny would
Send me red death while it has cheeks.
وما خِلْتُ أنّ اللّدْنَ والصّبْرُ لامتي
تُمكّنُ فيّ الطّعنَ وهيَ قُدودُ
I never imagined that patience and composure
Would enable it to stab me while having a spear.
ولم أحسَبِ الرُمّانِ من ثمرِ القَنا
إِلى أن رأتْهُ العينُ وهو نُهودُ
Nor did I reckon the pomegranate of the Qana to be
What I saw with my eyes erect on its branch.
بروحي ظِباء نافراتٍ عيونُها
شِراكٌ بها صِيدَ الأسودِ تَصيدُ
The gazelles avoid me with aversion in their eyes
Which are traps that catch fierce lions.
لها لفَتاتٌ مُهلِكاتٌ كأنّها
لسَرْحِ الرّدى روضَ القُلوبِ تَرودُ
They have deadly glances that seem
To destroy hearts and trample souls.
كأنّ على أعناقِها ونُحورِها
تنظّم من مدْحِ الحُسينِ عُقودُ
As if upon their necks and chests
Are strung poems praising al-Husayn.
قريبٌ إلى المعروفِ تدعوه شيمةٌ
بها عُرِفَتْ آباؤهُ وجُدودُ
Near to good, their nature calls him –
Through it his fathers and ancestors were known.
سَحابٌ به تُحمى النّفوسُ إذا هَمى
وينبُتُ في روضِ الحديدِ جُلودُ
A cloud under which souls take shelter when it thunders
And upon the iron land roses bloom.
هُمامٌ إذا لاقى العِدا وهْوَ وحدَهُ
يَصيدُ أسودَ الجيشِ وهْوَ عديدُ
A protector – if alone he meets an enemy
He hunts the fierce lions though they are many.
من الطّعنِ يحمي العِرضَ عن جنّةِ النّدى
وللمالِ في سيفِ النّوالِ يُبيدُ
He protects honour from the shame of blame
And for wealth unsheathes the sword of attainment.
أخو كرَمٍ أمّا نوالُ بَنانِه
فدانٍ وأمّا مجدُه فبَعيدُ
The brother of generosity – though the reach of his giving
Is limited, his glory is without end.
كأنّ بيوتَ المالِ منه لجودِه
عُيونُ محبٍّ والحُطامُ هُجودُ
It is as if his great munificence makes
The houses of wealth into the springs of lovers and the ruined into recluses.
له شُثْنُ أظفارِ المَنايا صوارِمٌ
وأجنحةُ النّصرِ العزيز بُنودُ
The claws of death are his decisive swords
And the wings of mighty triumph his flags.
إذا الجدولُ الهنديُّ يجري بكفّه
ففي الوِردِ منه كم يغصُّ وَريدُ
When the heavenly stream flows in his palm
How many of its roses blush and grow red!
مقرُّ عواليهِ القلوبُ كأنّها
إذا هزّها نحو الصّدورِ حُقودُ
The hearts are the place of his lofty glories – it is as if
When he shakes them to the chests they are love knots.
تكهّلَ في علمِ العُلا وهْوَ يافعٌ
وجازَ بُلوغَ الحُلمِ وهوَ وليدُ
He wore the crown of knowledge while a youth
And attained the height of wisdom as a boy.
وأفصحَ عن فصلِ الخِطابِ بمنطِقٍ
لديه لَبيدٌ ضارعٌ وبَليدُ
He articulated the art of rhetoric with a speech
In which Labid and Baligh are contenders.
له بصرٌ يرنو به عن بَصيرةٍ
يجوزُ حُدودَ الغيبِ وهو حَديدُ
He has insight that transcends insight
And goes beyond the limits of the unseen while intense.
وليلٌ إذا اِستَجْلاهُ في ليلِ مارِقٍ
غَدا لِصباحِ النُّجْحِ وهوَ عَمودُ
He has a night that when the new moon disappears in it
It becomes the morning of success erect and towering.
وعزْمٌ لوَ اِنّ البيضَ تحكيه ما نَبَتْ
لها عن صُدورِ الدّارِعينَ حُدودُ
He has resolve – if the white days speak of it
Impregnable chests of warriors would have no limits.
وقُضْبٌ كأمثالِ النّجومِ تقدّرَتْ
بهنّ نُحوسٌ للورى وسُعودُ
He has a shooting star whose likes
Celestial omens determine blessings and fortune.
كأنّ ضِياها للعِبادِ طوالِعٌ
ففيها شقيٌّ منهمُ وسعيدُ
It is as if its light for people are stars
Among them one is wretched and another fortunate.
تشكّى الظّما منها الشِّفارُ وفي الدِّما
لها وهْيَ في نارِ القُيونِ وُرودُ
The thirsty complain of its heat and in blood
For it among the sparks of spears there are roses.
وتهوى الطُّلا حتّى كأنّ أديمَها
لَها قِدَماً فيه اِكتسَبْنَ غُمودُ
The soil longs for it until it is as if
Its surface attained permanence through it.
سلِ الغيثَ عنهُ إن جهِلْتَ فإنّه
يُقرُّ له بالفضلِ وهْوَ حَسودُ
Ask the rain about him if you do not know him
For it acknowledges his superiority even while jealous.
وما الرّعدُ إلّا صوتُ زَجرٍ له على
تشبّهِه في جودِه ووَعيدُ
The thunder is but the sound of rebuke against him
For imitating his munificence and threats.
وليسَ اِنحناءُ البيضِ إلّا لعِلمِها
به أنّه الأمضى فهنّ سُجودُ
The bowing of the white days is but due to their knowledge
That he is the absolute so they prostrate.
إذا الدّهرُ أفنى نجلُهُ أنفُسَ الغِنى
أُفيضَ عليها من نَداهُ وُجودُ
When time destroys its offspring the waves of his generosity
Overflow upon them.
دَنا فتدلّى للعطاءِ ونعلُه
له فوقَ إكليلِ النّجومِ صُعودُ
He comes near for giving and his slipper
Above the celestial crown ascends.
تسيرُ فتغدو الرُبْدُ وهي سوابقٌ
لديه وتُضحي الفُتْخَ وهْي جُنودُ
His warriors march and dawn breaks while they are foremost
And dusk falls while they are soldiers.
قوادمُها للشّوسِ ترسِلُ نيلَه
وأحشاؤها للخائِنين لُحودُ
Their approach to the adversary sends his demise
While their interior for traitors are tombs.
فيا اِبنَ عليٍّ وهيَ دعوةُ مخلصٍ
له عهدُ صِدْقٍ في وِلاكَ أكيدُ
O son of 'Ali, this is the prayer of a loyal friend
Whose covenant to you is fixed and certain.
لقد نفّذَ الرّحمنُ حُكمَك في الورى
فلِنْتَ لهم لفظاً وأنتَ شَديدُ
The Merciful has fulfilled your rule in the land
So you are harsh in speech yet strong.
وكافأتَ بالإحسانِ من ساءَ فعلُه
إليكَ فحُزْتَ الفضلَ وهو حَميدُ
And you requited with kindness he whose actions
To you were wicked, so you gained virtue and praise.
وعطّلْتَ بئرَ الظُلْمِ حتّى تهدّمتْ
فأصبحَ قصْرُ العدلِ وهْوَ مَشيدُ
You invalidated the well of injustice until the palace
Of justice was rebuilt and erected.
أرَضْتَ خُطوبَ الدّهرِ وهي جوامِحٌ
وطاوعَكَ المِقدارُ وهو عَنيدُ
You vanquished the calamities of time though they were ferocious
And destiny submitted to you though stubborn.
ليَهنِك عيدُ الفِطرِ يا بهجةَ الورى
ومُلكٌ قديمٌ عاد وهو جَديدُ
May the festive day of Breaking Fast delight you, O joy of the world,
An ancient sovereign who has returned while new!
فما البصرةُ الفيحاءُ إلّا قلادةٌ
وأنت بها نحرٌ يَليقُ وحيدُ
The radiant Basra is but a necklace
While you in it are the singular, befitting pearl.
بطيبِك طابَتْ أرضُها مُذْ حلَلْتَها
فسافرَ منها المِسْكُ وهو صَعيدُ
Through your fragrance its land thrived since you settled it
So musk traveled from it while it was barren.
فلا زِلتَ محروسَ الجَنابِ مُمَلَّكاً
حليفاكَ فيها دولةٌ وخُلودُ
You have continued majestic, supported
With eternal fortune your ally in it.
تزورُك أملاكُ الورى وهي خُضَّعٌ
وتقصِدُكَ الأيّامُ وهيَ وُفودُ
The kings of the world visit you submissive
And the days flock to you in delegations.
