ما رَشَأ الأنس بمستأنِسِ
إلى بياض الشَعَر المُخْلسِ
What use is intimacy with one sociable
With white hair and baldness?
بل صَدْفةُ المبغض من حُكمه
في الشيب تتلو نظرة المُبلِس
Rather, the hatred of a foe from his malice
In old age, follows the gaze of one made blind.
وصحبةُ المعتِم من شأنِه
وليس منه صحبةُ المغلس
And the company of an ignorant man in his way
Not like the company of a cheat.
ماذا على الدهر وعَوداته
لو صاح يا ليل الصِّبا عسعس
What is time and its returns to me
If it were to call out, "O night of youth, be gentle."
فاسودَّ مبيَضٌّ كسا نورُهُ
قَلْبي ظلاماً حالك الطرمس
So a shining white has darkened its light
My heart with deep darkness like tar.
أستلبِسُ اللَه النُّهى إنه
أحْصَنُ ملبوس لمستلبس
I don the armor of prohibition, it being
The strongest armor for one donning armor.
فاجأني الشيب على صبوةٍ
أيُّ يد في الغيِّ لم تَغمِس
So old age surprised me in my prime
What hand in fate did not get dirtied?
نورٌ ونار لهما وقدةٌ
لو قُرِنا بالماء لم يَجمُس
Light and fire, both have a wick
If combined with water, neither would light.
ما أعدلَ الحبَّ على جَورهِ
في خُلطة الأحمقِ والكيِّس
How just is love despite its tyranny
In the mixture of fool and wise one.
قلبي على وعظ النهى مولع
بجالبٍ للداء مستنكِس
My heart is inclined to the preaching of prohibition
With a puller toward sickness disdainful.
أحببت روداً من بنات الصبا
أي بنات القلب لم تخلِس
I loved a gazelle among the daughters of youth
O, which heart’s daughters did not flirt?
منَّاعةً للرشف منّاحةً
للطرف إن تُبرِئْكَ تستنكِس
Coy to chastity, casting glances
At eyes, if you acquit her, she takes offense
ترنو بطرف مؤنِسٍ قاتلٍ
لولا عمى الأهواء لم تؤنس
She glanced with a glance killing, enticing
If not for blind passions, it would not lure.
لا عوقبتْ نحلة لِمْ حلَّأَت
عن ريقها حائمةَ المُخمِس
How will the bee be blamed if where it sucked
It raved confused over the faded meadow?
ضَنَّت بماء العيش لكنها
من يقتَبسْ نار الجوى تُقبِس
It hoarded the water of life but it
Who kindles the fire of love, it kindles.
يا نحلةَ الشهد التي أيأست
منه وإن غرت فلم تُؤيس
O bee of honey who despaired of it
And if it erred, it did not cause despair
ما حققتْ معنى اسمها نحلةٌ
قيل اقلسي أرياً فلم تَقلِس
It did not realize the meaning of its name “bee”
It was told “diminish”, but did not diminish.
يا هل أحسَّت ليلة المنحنَى
أم ذهلت عني فلم تحسس
O clan, did it feel on the day of parting
Or was it heedless of me, not sensing?
وسَواسُ وجدٍ ضافني هاجَهُ
وسواسُ حَليٍ ضافها مُجرِس
The delusion of love perturbed me with its excitement
And the delusion of a necklace perturbed her, sounding.
كأنما ناجى به صدرُها
صدري فماذا فيه لم يَهجس
As if it whispered to her breast
My breast so what was in it, it did not ferment.
يا أيها السامي بألحاظه
للبيض في البيض ألا نكِّس
O high one with his glances to
The white in the white, no indeed, hunch.
تلك المها أصبحن مثل المها
ليست لقُنّاص بني سِنْبس
Those gazelles have become like the gazelles
Not for a fowler from the tribe of Sinbis.
قالت لك العينُ وآرامُها
ما أنت بالمرعَى ولا المكنِس
The eye said and its pleas
“You are neither for pasture nor harvest.”
أخْيَبُ ذي قوس رمى ظبيةً
من هتف الدهر به قَوِّس
Disappointed is one with a bow who shot a gazelle
From the call of fate to him “bend”.
فلا تَعُوجَنَّ عَلى قاطعٍ
مطيةَ الوصل ولا تَحبِس
So do not lean tyrannically
On a cutter of the ties of union nor imprison.
واعدل إلى ذي خُلةٍ حافظٍ
معاهدَ المورِقِ في المؤيس
And turn to one of fine manners, protecting
The shining covenants despite the desperation.
كالأردشيريِّ الذي بَيَّنَتْ
في عُودِه حُرِّية المغرِس
Like Ardashir who clarified
In his ode the freedom of one planted.
بلّغْ عبيد اللّه مُلِّيتَهُ
أني إذا ما غاب في مَحْبس
Convey to the slaves of God his death
If he becomes absent in prison
لكنني ما دمتُ في ظِلِّه
من غامر النعمة في مَغمس
But I, as long as I am in his shadow
Am not one who risks bounty frivolously.
يا واهب التاج الذي لم يزل
من زينة اللابس والمُلْبِس
O granter of the crown which has not ceased
To adorn the wearer and the worn
أقسمتُ بالمجد وأسبابه
إنك منه غير ما مُفْلس
I swear by the glory and its means
You, from it, are not rendered penniless.
نفَلتني ودَّ عقيدِ الندى
عفواً بجدواك ولم تَعبِس
You granted me intimate friendship freely
With your generosity and did not frown.
ودَّ المكنَّى لا تُحابَى به
باسم رسول المنعِم المبئس
The friendship of title I do not seek through it
In the name of the messenger, the wretched outcast
الحسنِ المحسنِ في فعله
أنفِسْ به من عُقدةٍ أنفس
Al-Hassan the beneficent in his deeds
Unbind through him a tight knot
آنسني والدهر لي مُوحشٌ
بمؤنسٍ ناهيكَ من مُؤنِس
You brought me comfort while time is desolate
With a companion, needless to say, bringing comfort
بمُفضلٍ ما شئتَ من مُفضلٍ
ومُقبسٍ ما شِئتَ من مُقبِس
With a generous one whatever you wish of generous one
And a kindler whatever you wish of kindler
منبلج الرأي غزير الندى
صاحب يوم مُمْطرٍ مُشمس
Clear-minded, copious of dew
A companion on a day rainy, sunny
نواله كالغيث في أزمة
ورأيه كالنجم في حِنْدِس
His bounty is like rain in hardship
And his view like a star in the Pleides.
إذا قضى بالحدس ذو شبهة
تتبَّع الحق ولم يَحدس
When he judges with insight despite ambiguity
He examines the truth and does not surmise.
من آل وهب شاد بنيانه
كلُّ أشمّ المجد والمعْطِس
One from the family of Wahb built his building
Every teller of glory and breaker of lances.
بدرُ سماءٍ وسناً باهر
لا يمحق اللَهُ ولا يَطمس
A full moon in sky and brilliant in years
God does not erase him nor make him vanish.
أسعدُ بالحلم من المشتري
وبالحجى والعلم من هِرْمس
Happiest with dream over buyer
With argument and knowledge over Hermes
حرٌّ متى يَظفَرْ بذي زَلَّةٍ
يغفر ولا يَظفِرْ ولا يَضرس
Free when he gains an offender
He forgives and neither grasps tightly nor bites
يَعفو إذا الجاني ابتغى عَفْوه
لكنه فارسُ مُستفْرِس
He pardons when the sinner seeks his pardon
But he is a horseman determined.
ممن إذا أغضِبَ في قُدرة
كقُدرةِ القَسْور لم يفرِس
Who if enraged while able
Like the ferocity of a lion, did not surveil.
يقابلُ الحسنى بأمثالها
ويقرعُ الدهرِسَ بالدهرس
He meets good deed with its like
And deflects the blows of time with time’s blows.
مَكايدٌ من مَسَّحتْ عِطفَهُ
مسَّحه الحَيْن فلم يَشمس
Ruses which have touched his gentleness
Time has erased them, they did not see sunrise.
يأخذ بالعينين أخذَ العمى
ويَعقِل الرجْلَين كالنِقرس
He takes the eyes with blindness’ grasp
And reasons the legs like neuropathy.
خِرق إذا أسنى أفاعيلَهُ
قال لِمُسني شكرِه خسِّس
If his deeds become reprehensible
He says to the blamer “hush”.
طالبَ تسهيلٍ على شاكرٍ
لا زاهداً في راغبٍ مُنفس
A seeker of facilitation over a grateful one
Not an ascetic toward a hopeful breather.
وذاك أدعى لذَوي حمدهِ
إنْ سمعت فطنةُ مستوْجس
And that is worthier for people of his praise
If the insight of an examiner hears.
فما يزال الدهر مستوفياً
للحمد في صورة مُسْتَبْخِس
So time does not cease taking
Praise in the image of one downcast
مُقتسمٌ بين صبا ذي النهى
وحكمةِ المُوضِح لا المشْكِس
Divvy between the youth of prohibition
And the wisdom of the elucidator, not the ambiguous.
فلسفةٌ شَفْعُ مُلوكِيةٍ
أظرِفْ بمن حازهما أنطِس
Philosophy a double for kingship
Witty is one who attained them both.
إذا صَبتْ زُهْرتُه صبوةً
قال لها هِرمسُه هَندِس
When its flower bloomed in youth
Old age said to it “arithmetic”.
وإن عدا هِرْمسه حدّه
قالت له زُهْرتُه نفِّس
And if his old age exceeded its limit
Its youth said to it “breathe”.
فما اجتلاهُ غير مُستحسنٍ
ولا ابتلاهُ غيرُ مستنْفس
So it did not display anything unsightly
Nor did it test him except with eased breath.
كم مجلسٍ مرَّ له كلُّهُ
كأنه باكورة المجلس
How many a session has passed for him, all of it
As if the first of a session.
ذكَّرني فيه بأخلاقه
دمع الندى في حَدَق النرجس
It reminded me of his manners in it
The dew of light in the iris of a narcissus.
أرْجو سنائي لمُجازاتِه
لكنني راجٍ كمستيئس
I hope my abilities to reward him
But I am a hoper like one made desperate.
كيف أجازى كوكباً نيِّراً
أسْعد أيامي ولم يُنحس
How can I reward a shining star
Who made my days prosperous and did not bring ill fate?
لو لم تر السبعةُ تمثاله
في اللَوح لم تَجْر ولم تكْنِس
If the seven did not see his statue
In the celestial sphere it would not rotate nor sweep.
ولو أطاعتها مقاديرُها
جرتْ لتلقاهُ ولم تخنس
If the planets obeyed their orbits
They would rotate to meet him, not withdraw.
يُطمعني في شكره قدرتي
على القريض المُطمِع المؤيس
His capability makes me hope to thank him
With poetry enticing the desperate one.
وتارةً يُؤيسُني أنني
أحْزنتُ في الشكر ولم أُدهس
And sometimes his greatness makes me lose hope
That I fell short in gratitude and did not shake off dust.
شكر امرئٍ قَصَّر عن شكره
أقصى حَويل الماتح الممرِس
The gratitude of a person who fell short of his gratitude
Farthest extent of the reachable, the practiced.
مستأنس الجزء إلى قبضتي
والكل منه غير مستأنس
Content is the part with my palm
And the whole of him is not content.
يا أيها المُوجس في نفسه
خوفاً من الأيام لا توجس
O you apprehensive in himself
Fearing the days, do not be apprehensive.
للَه بالشام وفي بابلٍ
بيتان بيتُ القدس والمقدِس
God has in Damascus and Babylon
Two homes, Bayt Al-Quds and the Sacred House.
بيتٌ قديم ذائعٌ ذكرُهُ
وبيتُ شاهٍ بالعلا مُعرس
An ancient widespread house of renown
And a royal house in heights bridled.
يُصبح من حاول مَعْروفَهُ
مُلتمساً أفضى إلى مُلمِس
Whoever attempts his good
Seeking the most preferred path to a toucher.
ولا ترى راحتُهُ عِرمِساً
عند مُناخ الرَّسْلة العِرمس
You will not see his comfort sneering
At the resting place of the noble messenger.
بين أياديه وأيامنا
تفاوتُ الناعس والمُنعِس
Between his hands and our days
The difference of sleepy and sleepy.
من آل وهبٍ شاد بنيانَهُ
كلُّ أشَمِّ المجدِ والمعطِس
One from the family of Wahb built his edifice
Every teller of glory and breaker of lances
وعرضه أملسُ ما خيَّمتْ
آمال راجيه على أمْلَس
And his integrity smoother than what covered
Hopes of his hopeful upon smoothness.
أستحرِس اللَه له إنه
أفضلُ محروس لمستحرِس
May God protect him, he being
The best protected for the protector.
المنطِق المخرسُ سَقياً له
رعْياً له من مُنطقٍ مُخرِس
The tongue-tied speech barren for him
For him from articulate speech tongue-tied.
أنطق مُدَّاحاً وكمَّتْ به
أفواهُ حسّادٍ فلم تَنْبِس
I speak praise and tongues were tied with him
Of envious mouths but they did not speak.
ومدحه المأخوذُ من مجدِه
ما قال لي وجدي به دلِّس
His praise taken from his glory
Did not say to me of fervor “soften”.
بل قال أجلى الليل عن صُبحه
للعين فاصدقْ عنه أو لبِّس
But said “the dawn reveals his night to the eye”
“So believe him or dress him in garb.”
وسائل عنه وعن أهله
قلتُ له جهراً ولم أهمس
I asked about him and his family
I said to it loudly not whispering:
أنت الذي أحوجَهُ جَهْلُهُ
في رؤية الشمس إلى مَقْبِس
“You are who ignorance made need
To see the sun, a kindler.”
بلَغْتهمْ فاحطُطْ بوادِيهمُ
تحططْ بأحوَى النبتِ مُسْتَحلس
I reached them so alight in their valley
Settling in the most twisting valley.
لا خير في نزع يدي نابلٍ
بعد لحوق النَصل بالمعجس
No good in removing the hand of a critic
After the blade meets the throat.
لآل وهبٍ مِننٌ جَمّةٌ
من يَرَها من حاسدٍ يُبلس
For the family of Wahb there are many a favor
Who sees it from envious becomes prosperless.
كم قال لي تأمِيلُهُم سِرْ بنا
وقال لي تمويلهم عَرِّس
How much said to me their hosting “travel with us”
And their friendship said to me “marry”.
كم زوَّجتني بدأةٌ منهمُ
وقالتْ العودة لي أعرِس
I planted varieties but they did not fruit
And they fruited for me where I did not plant.
غَرَستُ أنواعاً فما أثمرتْ
وأثمروا لي حيثُ لم أغرِس
I said to one who said “ask more of their favor”:
“Speak your threat openly or tempt.”
قلتُ لمن قال استزِد فَضْلَهم
جاهِرْ بتهديدك أو وسوِس
My fingers are five, He granted me them.
Who does not see me saying “make holy”?
أصابعي خمس حباني بها
من لا يراني قائلاً سَدِّس
Hear O clan of Wahb, I did not borrow
Jewels for you from a people nor inverted.
سمعاً بني وهبٍ فلم أستعِر
لكم حُلَى قومٍ ولم أعكس
I only said some of what is in you
So let the envious stand and sit.
ما قلتُ إلا بعض ما فيكُمُ
فليقُمْ الحاسد وليجْلس
I did not violate my religion nor dishonor
Myself with what I said nor make filthy.
لم أهتضمْ دِيني ولم أنتهك
عرضي بما قلت ولم أدْنِس
