إِحدى بَني بَكرِ بنِ عَبدِ مَناهِ
بَينَ الكَثيبِ الفَردِ فَالأَمواهِ
One of the daughters of Bakr son of Manat’s Abd
Between lone dune and desolate valley lost her way.
أَلقى النَصيفَ فَأَنتِ خاذِلَةُ المَها
أُمنِيَّةُ الخالي وَلَهوُ اللاهي
She let her wrap fall down, while you in your seduction
Are the dream of the ardent and the joy of the wanton boy.
رَيّا تُجاذِبُ خَصرَها أَردافُها
وَتَطيبُ نَكهَتُها عَلى اِستِنكاهِ
Her buttocks and breasts enticingly rub together
As she sways in the rhythm of love and desire’s ploy.
عَرَضَت لَنا يَومَ الحِمى في خُرَّدٍ
كَالسِربِ حُوِّ لِثاً وَلُعسَ شِفاهِ
To us, fevered, she came on an autumn day,
Like a flock of antelope, with dew-moist lips of joy.
بيضٍ يَجولُ الحُسنُ في وَجَناتِها
وَالمِلحُ بَينَ نَظائِرٍ أَشباهِ
Her beauty wanders o’er features of whitest ivory
Where grace and salt are in equal measures coy.
لَم تَجتَمِع أَمثالُها في مَوطِنٍ
لَولا صِفاتٌ في كِتابِ اللَهِ
The like of her in one place were ne’er espied
Save for Heaven’s writ, and the angry prophet’s cry.
وَمُفَنِّدٍ لَوّامَةٍ نَهنَهتُهُ
عَن مُغلِطٍ لِعَذولِهِ نَجّاهِ
But one who’d chide me thus I reprimanded sharp
And from misleading sophist saved him by my ploy,
وَمُؤَيِّهٍ بي كَي أُفيقَ وَإِنَّني
لَأَصَمُّ عَن ياهٍ وَعَن يَهياهِ
Saying: Awaken, listen, though to censure deaf I be!
Blind am I to “Nay” and just as deaf to “Aye”.
دَعني أرُقم أَوَدَ الشَبابِ بِذِكرِها
إِنَّ السَفاهَ بِها لَغَيرُ سَفاهِ
Let me revel in recalling that youth in song
For foolishness with her as theme is utmost joy.
فَإِذا اِنقَضَت أَيّامُ تَشييعِ الصِبا
أَظهَرتُ تَوبَةَ خاشِعٍ أَوّاهِ
When the days of escorting youth shall end, I’ll show
True devotion in repentance, humbly bend the knee.
وَمُعاوِدٍ لِلبيدِ لا يَهفو بِهِ
هافٍ وَلا يَزهاهُ فيها زاهِ
Returning to worship her, no more wavering,
In fear or doubt, but in certitude and poise,
مُهدٍ لِأَلطافِ الثَناءِ إِلى فَتى
كَالبَدرِ لا صَلِفٍ وَلا تَيّاهِ
Humbling myself before the gentlest praise, for one
Free of all rigor, smooth of temper, mild of joy,
لِأَبي الغَريبِ غَرائِباً مِن مَدحِهِ
في غَيرِ تَعقيدٍ وَلا اِستِكراهِ
Strange wonders weaving into song for Abu Ghuraib,
Without affect or any artifice’s ploy,
مَن ماتَ مِن حَدَثِ الزَمانِ فَإِنَّهُ
يَحيا لَدى يَحيى بنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ
Whoe’er, though young, dies of time’s spite, shall yet
Through Yahya ibn Abdallah live on in proud array.
كَالسَيفِ لَيسَ بِزُمَّلٍ شِهدارَةٍ
يَوماً وَلا بِغُضُبَّةٍ جَبّاهِ
A sword it is, no rust or tarnish marring it,
Nor wrathful look upon its brow to joy betray.
وَمُهَفهَفِ الساقي قَريبِ جَنى النَدى
عَفِّ النَديمِ سَريعِ سَعيِ الطاهي
The cup-bearer to whom the vine’s first juices flow,
Of gentle disposition and swift to obey,
وَأَغَرَّ يَلهو بِالمَكارِمِ وَالوَغى
إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لِلكَريمِ مَلاهِ
Is tempered yet by battle-fire and hot for war
For it is valiant souls who fighting’s sphere enjoy.
يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ عَرضُهُ في صَخرَةٍ
دَمَغَت شَواةَ العائِبِ العَضّاهِ
His glory night and morn rests on unyielding rock
Which the harsh file of critic vile cannot destroy.
قُل لِلعِداةِ الحاسِديهِ عَلى العُلا
رَغماً لِآنِفِكُم بَني الأَستاهِ
Say to the envious and spiteful of exalted rank:
“Your sniffed disdain but makes our laughing joy more coy!”
حَسَدٌ تَمَكَّنَ ذُلُّهُ مِن بُغضِكُم
في أَعيُنٍ وَمَعاطِسٍ وَشِفاهِ
Envy has overwhelmed you, in eyes, sneers, lips,
He’s the true friend’s cool shade, the false friend’s dart.
هُوَ لِلوَفِيِّ العَهدِ ظِلُّ أَراكَةٍ
وَلِمُضمِرِ الشَنَآنِ شَوكُ عِضاهِ
A leader made great by virtue, whom all acclaimed,
Willingly, without force or coercion’s ploy,
قَرمٌ أَقَرَّ لَهُ الرِجالُ بِفَضلِهِ
طَوعاً بِلا قَهرٍ وَلا إِكراهِ
Sweet is his name upon my lips, leaving as when
Pure water quenches thirst the taste of limpid joy.
عَذُبَ اِسمُهُ بِفَمي فَظَلَّ كَأَنَّهُ
لِلراحِ بِالماءِ القَراحِ مُضاهِ
If he were a plant, then only finest basil
Would be worthy comparison for lips to enjoy.
لَو أَنَّهُ نَبتٌ لَكانَت دونَهُ
قُضُبُ البَشامِ اللُدنِ لِلأَفواهِ
Such gladness he brought, and sorrow dispelled
For those hopeful, aspiring, seeking its employ.
كَم فَرحَةٍ أَهدى وَكَم مِن تَرحَةٍ
لِمُؤَمِّلٍ راجٍ وَلاحٍ ناهِ
We sniffed his redolent breath, and it burst for us
Into gifts not borne from clouds’ or rain’s convoy.
شِمنا نَدى يُمناهُ فَاِنبَجَسَت لَنا
بِمَواهِبٍ لَم تَنفَجِر بِمِياهِ
When from it I sought only the sweet, then my heart
Brimmed over with all I prized, my spirit’s buoy.
لَمّا طَلَبتُ العَذبَ مِنها أَصبَحَت
قُلُبي بِها مَملوءَةً وَرِداهي
If all things created were not finite, we would
Drink forever your plenty, no limit our employ.
لَولا تَناهي كُلِّ مَخلوقٍ لَقَد
خِلنا نَوالَكَ لَيسَ بِالمُتَناهي
Still you rain clouds without cease, vying with the downpour,
As though against the very clouds you did enjoy.
مازِلتَ تُمطِرُ ديمَةً مَعَ وابِلٍ
حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ لِلسَحابِ مُباهي
Though promises were made me, I tossed them aside,
Your promise ever draws me, and holds my employ.
وَلَقَد وُعِدتُ مَواعِداً فَنَبَذتُها
خَلفي وَوَعدُكَ مايَزالُ تِجاهي
An Uwaysi arrow is safe in your custody,
Knowing you forget nor stray from a faithful employ.
سَهمُ بنُ أَوسٍ في ضَمانِكَ عالِمٌ
أَن لَستَ بِالناسي وَلا بِالساهي
Grant him bounty entire from your hand, be for him
A pillar no treachery can shake or winds destroy.
أَجزِل لَهُ الحَظَّينِ مِنكَ وَكُن لَهُ
رُكناً عَلى الأَيّامِ لَيسَ بِواهِ
With care entrusted and care exalted bestowed,
Both famed and of renown through your godly employ.
بِوِلايَتَينِ وِلايَةٍ مَذكورَةٍ
مَشهورَةٍ وَوِلايَةٍ بِالجاهِ
You are my scion though of wealth possessed,
And I your scion though of station high enjoy.
هُوَ في الغِنى غَرسي وَغَرسُكَ في العُلى
أَنّى اِنصَرَفتَ وَأَنتَ غَرسُ اللَهِ
How could you turn away when you are God’s own scion!
