قَد نابَتِ الجِزعَ مِن أُروِيَّةَ النُوَبُ
وَاِستَحقَبَت جِدَّةً مِن رَبعِها الحِقَبُ
The vigour of youth has passed its zenith, as the ropes
Of age's tent are bound. Time leaves upon my temples
أَلوى بِصَبرِكَ إِخلاقُ اللِوى وَهَفا
بِلُبِّكَ الشَوقُ لَمّا أَقفَرَ اللَبَبُ
The snows of years. Patience and calm, my friends,
Alone remain, when youth's fair companions all are gone.
خَفَّت دُموعُكَ في إِثرِ الحَبيبِ لَدُن
خَفَّت مِنَ الكُثُبِ القُضبانُ وَالكُثُبُ
Long, long our tears flowed, and our sorrow burned
For the lost friend. But what avails our grief or yearning?
مِن كُلِّ مَمكورَةٍ ذابَ النَعيمُ لَها
ذَوبَ الغَمامِ فَمُنهَلٌّ وَمُنسَكِبُ
Wealth's feast is gone. Spring leaves no fruits or flowers.
The rain clouds and the cisterns fail us, and go dry.
أَطاعَها الحُسنُ وَاِنحَطَّ الشَبابُ عَلى
فُؤادِها وَجَرَت في روحِها النِسَبُ
Beauty obeyed its rule; youth's splendour fell
Upon her heart, and through her spirit pride was borne.
لَم أَنسَها وَصُروفُ البَينِ تَظلِمُها
وَلا مُعَوَّلَ إِلّا الواكِفُ السَرِبُ
Though time and change exile me, yet I forget her not,
For lone remembrance is my friend, my confidant.
أَدنَت نِقاباً عَلى الخَدَّينِ وَاِنتَسَبَت
لِلناظِرينَ بِقَدٍّ لَيسَ يَنتَسِبُ
Her veil she lowered o'er her cheeks, as though she were
Of noble birth, though she no noble lineage claimed.
وَلَو تَبَسَّمُ عُجنا الطَرفَ في بَرَدٍ
وَفي أَقاحٍ سَقَتها الخَمرُ وَالضَرَبُ
Did she but show her dimpled cheeks, disclose her smiling mouth
Though chilled by icy wind or warmed by wine-yet of the pearl,
مِن شَكلِهِ الدُرُّ في رَصفِ النِظامِ وَمِن
صِفاتِهِ الفِتنَتانِ الظَلمُ وَالشَنَبُ
Her beauty was; the dark and dawn her lovely witcheries.
For sport she toyed with us, while we were but the game
كانَت لَنا مَلعَباً نَلهو بِزُخرُفِهِ
وَقَد يُنَفِّسُ عَن جِدِّ الفَتى اللَعِبُ
That lightens manhood's weight of solemn care.
At last I cried to her, ‘Fate turns the world awry!
لَمّا أَطالَ اِرتِجالَ العَذلِ قُلتُ لَهُ
الحَزمُ يَثني خُطوبَ الدَهرِ لا الخُطَبُ
Prudence, not rule, must change the chance of time.'
Ne'er in one land met Muhammed and An-Nuba,
لَم يَجتَمِع قَطُّ في مِصرٍ وَلا طَرَفٍ
مُحَمَّدُ بنُ أَبي مَروانَ وَالنُوَبُ
Though Jaafar's brotherhood makes closest tie 'twixt me and him.
The tie holds good if rightly one can claim descent,
لي مِن أَبي جَعفَرٍ آخِيَّةٌ سَبَبٌ
إِن تَبقَ يُطلَب إِلى مَعروفِيَ السَبَبُ
And not from bastard root pretend the noble stem.
My lineage, that the nights and waste-lands know full well,
صَحَّت فَما يَتَمارى مَن تَأَمَّلَها
مِن نَحوِ نائِلِهِ في أَنَّها نَسَبُ
Affirms its ancient pride, its unforgotten strain.
A care that stirred my heart but slower moved its wings,
أَمَّت نَداهُ بِيَ العيسُ الَّتي شَهِدَت
لَها السُرى وَالفَيافي أَنَّها نُجُبُ
Has changed through patient hope to longed for joy again.
The freshness of my cheek is tied in fortune's bag.
هَمٌّ سَرى ثُمَّ أَضحى هِمَّةً أَمَماً
أَضحَت رَجاءً وَأَمسَت وَهيَ لي نَشَبُ
Her cheeks' young down preserves it from the robber's hand.
Not honey's self will find the sweet it craves
أَعطى وَنُطفَةُ وَجهي في قَرارَتِها
تَصونُها الوَجَناتُ الغَضَّةُ القُشُبُ
If busy search alone, and not long toil, demand.
When this world fades, we gain its treasures eagerly
لَن يَكرُمَ الظَفَرُ المُعطى وَإِن أُخِذَت
بِهِ الرَغائِبُ حَتّى يَكرُمَ الطَلَبُ
And over rocks for them our difficult way must keep.
The caliph's honour crowns the glorious mosque;
إِذا تَباعَدَتِ الدُنيا فَمَطلَبُها
إِذا تَوَرَّدتَهُ مِن شِعبِهِ كَثَبُ
Not flatterers there, but righteous worthies vigils keep.
Mine eyes desist from sleep's delight, lest I should see
رِدءُ الخِلافَةِ في الجُلّى إِذا نَزَلَت
وَقَيِّمُ المُلكِ لا الواني وَلا النَصِبُ
Closed in ungenerous rest the wide unsleeping sky,
Or in the swarming streets should view unmoved the beggar's rags,
جَفنٌ يَعافُ لَذيذَ النَومِ ناظِرُهُ
شُحّاً عَلَيها وَقَلبٌ حَولَها يَجِبُ
And widowed mothers mourning o'er their children's death.
A leader wise, who for himself alone will speak,
طَليعَةٌ رَأيُهُ مِن دونِ بَيضَتِها
كَما اِنتَمى رَابِئٌ في الغَزوِ مُنتَصِبُ
Is but the vanguard lacking all the army's strength,
Until the wise plan ends in victory, and troops
حَتّى إِذا ما اِنتَضى التَدبيرَ ثابَ لَهُ
جَيشٌ يُصارِعُ عَنهُ ما لَهُ لَجَبُ
Bring their strong aid, and fight for him in battlefield.
Your name's their watchword, if of all her charms they count;
شِعارُها اِسمُكَ إِن عُدَّت مَحاسِنُها
إِذِ اِسمُ حاسِدِكَ الأَدنى لَها لَقَبُ
Else were your enemy's name for guerdon given.
For right you are the champion, and the buckler's aid,
وَزيرُ حَقٍّ وَوالي شُرطَةٍ وَرَحى
ديوانِ مُلكٍ وَشيعِيٌّ وَمُحتَسِبُ
Of glory, faith, and office, too-a pious judge severe.
A wanderer, like days that bring him bliss or pain;
كَالأَرحَبِيِّ المَذَكّى سَيرُهُ المَرَطى
وَالوَخدُ وَالمَلعُ وَالتَقريبُ وَالخَبَبُ
For pain and bliss come to him from their touch.
Calm mind is his 'mid sneers of hostile folk, when travel stings;
عَودٌ تُساجِلُهُ أَيّامُهُ فَبِها
مِن مَسِّهِ وَبِهِ مِن مَسِّها جُلَبُ
Not here avails the lore of eloquence, or yearning's cry.
He sits unmoved in his own tribe's familiar haunts;
ثَبتُ الجَنانِ إِذا اِصطَكَّت بِمُظلِمَةٍ
في رَحلِهِ أَلسُنُ الأَقوامِ وَالرُكَبُ
No trembling heart, no throbbing breast with fear is wrung.
Beneath, stern destiny holds sway, whose edge is sharper than
لا المَنطِقُ اللَغوُ يَزكو في مَقاوِمِهِ
يَوماً وَلا حُجَّةُ المَلهوفِ تُستَلَبُ
The sword; from it naught turns aside, or softens rage, or spares.
No chapter of the Book restrains it, and it swerves
كَأَنَّما هُوَ في نادي قَبيلَتِهِ
لا القَلبُ يَهفو وَلا الأَحشاءُ تَضطَرِبُ
For no man's pleasure, frowns not, neither smiles.
The Imam trusts to you the reins, for heavy grows the load;
وَتَحتَ ذاكَ قَضاءٌ حَزُّ شَفرَتِهِ
كَما يَعَضُّ بِأَعلى الغارِبِ القَتَبُ
Take then the steersman's place, and firmly grasp the helm!
To you the Caliph looks for wisdom's light to guide;
لا سورَةٌ تُتَّقى مِنهُ وَلا بَلَهٌ
وَلا يَحيفُ رِضاً مِنهُ وَلا غَضَبُ
A lieutenant merely-only yours the sovereign rule.
Would he refuse to let you see him for a time,
أَلقى إِلَيكَ عُرى الأَمرِ الإِمامُ فَقَد
شُدَّ العِناجُ مِنَ السُلطانِ وَالكَرَبُ
Then every noble lion from his den comes forth again.
And should between you fall some hindering courtly screens
يَعشو إِلَيكَ وَضَوءُ الرَأيِ قائِدُهُ
خَليفَةٌ إِنَّما آراؤُهُ شُهُبُ
For one short day, then screens rise up 'twixt you and him.
The dawn precedes the sun, whose light from under
إِن تَمتَنِع مِنهُ في الأَوقاتِ رُؤيَتُهُ
فَكُلُّ لَيثٍ هَصورٍ غيلُهُ أَشِبُ
Earth's verge still hides, though dawn proclaims that he is there.
But from the mean would you these verses hide,
أَو تَلقَ مِن دونِهِ حُجبٌ مُكَرَّمَةٌ
يَوماً فَقَد أُلقِيَت مِن دونِكَ الحُجُبُ
Nor let their forms be clothed in other verse obscure.
The noble and the base in them you blend,
وَالصُبحُ تَخلُفُ نورَ الشَمسِ غُرَّتُهُ
وَقَرنُها مِن وَراءِ الأُفقِ مُحتَجِبُ
Joy, folly, censure, earnest thought, and trifling wit.
Not from the musty books comes forth their subtle scent,
أَما القَوافي فَقَد حَصَّنتَ عُذرَتَها
فَما يُصابُ دَمٌ مِنها وَلا سَلَبُ
Nay, but those very books their perfume borrow.
High is the aim of him who sings your generous praise,
مَنَعتَ إِلّا مِنَ الأَكفاءِ ناكِحَها
وَكانَ مِنكَ عَلَيها العَطفُ وَالحَدَبُ
When of all song the greater part but flatters pride.
Take these poor scattered bits, whose worth is little,
وَلَو عَضَلتَ عَنِ الأَكفاءِ أَيِّمَها
وَلَم يَكُن لَكَ في أَطهارِها أَرَبُ
With every foreign phrase that pedant learnèd fools steal.
There, piece them into one; let sober thought
كانَت بَناتِ نُصَيبٍ حينَ ضَنَّ بِها
عَنِ المَوالي وَلَم تَحفَل بِها العَرَبُ
And merry jest, truth, trifling, grief and gladness their life give.
My soul's intent while singing you is not divided,
أَمّا وَحَوضُكَ مَملوءٌ فَلا سُقِيَت
خَوامِسي إِن كَفى أَرسالَها الغَرَبُ
And not two paths to your renown my song can find.
By right of kin I should revere you, but that right
لَو أَنَّ دِجلَةَ لَم تُحوِج وَصاحِبَها
أَرضَ العِراقَينِ لَم تُحفَر بِها القُلُبُ
Is made more just by all the care that you bestow on me.
Long since, while yet they lingered in their ignorance,
لَم يَنتَدِب عُمَرٌ لِلإِبلِ يَجعَلُ مِن
جُلودِها النَقدَ حَتّى عَزَّهُ الذَهَبُ
I was to truth a helper, as none ever helped but you.
Has one pail e'er touched another strange to it, or cloth
لا شَربَ أَجهَلُ مِن شَربٍ إِذا وَجَدوا
هَذا اللُجَينِ فَدارَت فيهِمُ الغُلَبُ
Been joined to cloth where no close kinship binds the two?
Now that the Caliph's power sustains the pillars
إِنَّ الأَسِنَّةَ وَالماذِيَّ مُذ كَثُرا
فَلا الصَياصي لَها قَدرٌ وَلا اليَلَبُ
Of the faith, oh, let your strength support our art!
I sell my wares in thronged mart, but I see no buyers;
لا نَجمَ مِن مَعشَرٍ إِلّا وَهِمَّتُهُ
عَلَيكَ دائِرَةٌ يا أَيُّها القُطُبُ
I seek the mart of buyers, while no sellers throng.
One land is green but dry; another wet but bare.
وَما ضَميرِيَ في ذِكراكَ مُشتَرَكٌ
وَلا طَريقي إِلى جَدواكَ مُنشَعِبُ
Take our song, that lonely is on earth, and give it thus
A place, from each strange, foreign thought and word redeemed,
لي حُرمَةٌ بِكَ لَولا ما رَعَيتَ وَما
أَوجَبتَ مِن حِفظِها ما خِلتُها تَجِبُ
When you shall pluck from every verse its faults.
Let earnest thought and trifling jest here
بَلى لَقَد سَلَفَت في جاهِلِيَّتِهِم
لِلحَقِّ لَيسَ كَحَقّي نُصرَةٌ عَجَبُ
Blend themselves close; nobility and folly meet;
The ripened fruits alone cull from each line.
أَن تَعلَقَ الدَلوُ بِالدَلوِ الغَريبَةِ أَو
يُلابِسَ الطُنُبَ المُستَحصِدَ الطُنُبُ
Be patron thou, for most of verse lacks all but flattery,
Since noblest thoughts awhile must wait their turn.
إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ قَد عَزَّت بِدَولَتِهِ
دَعائِمُ الدينِ فَليَعزِز بِكَ الأَدَبُ
مالي أَرى جَلَباً فَعماً وَلَستُ أَرى
سوقاً وَمالي أَرى سوقاً وَلا جَلَبُ
أَرضٌ بِها عُشُبٌ جَرفٌ وَلَيسَ بِها
ماءٌ وَأُخرى بِها ماءٌ وَلا عُشُبُ
خُذها مُغَرِّبَةً في الأَرضِ آنِسَةً
بِكُلِّ فَهمٍ غَريبٍ حينَ تَغتَرِبُ
مِن كُلِّ قافِيَةٍ فيها إِذا اِجتُنِيَت
مِن كُلِّ ما يَجتَنيهِ المُدنَفُ الوَصِبُ
الجِدُّ وَالهَزلُ في تَوشيعِ لُحمَتِها
وَالنُبلُ وَالسُخفُ وَالأَشجانُ وَالطَرَبُ
لا يُستَقى مِن جَفيرِ الكُتبِ رَونَقُها
وَلَم تَزَل تَستَقي مِن بَحرِها الكُتُبُ
حَسيبَةٌ في صَميمِ المَدحِ مَنصِبُها
إِذ أَكثَرُ الشِعرِ مُلقىً مالَهُ حَسَبُ
