أَتَعرِفُ رَسماً كَالرِداءِ المُحَبَّرِ
بِرامَةَ بَينَ الهَضبِ وَالمُتَغَمَّرِ
Do you know a drawing like an embroidered cloak
In Ramah between the hill and the muddy land?
جَرَت فيهِ بَعدَ الحَيِّ نَكباءُ زَعزَعٌ
بِهَبوَةِ جَيلانٍ مِنَ التُربِ أَكدَرِ
After life, the stumbling of the shaken passed through it
With the wantonness of two muddy generations.
وَمُرتَجِزٌ جَونٌ كَأَنَّ رَبابَهُ
إِذا الريحُ زَجَّتهُ هِضابُ المُشَقَّرِ
And a fearful, cowardly, as if his rebec,
When the wind shook it, the rugged peaks cracked it.
يَحُطُّ الوُعولَ العُصمَ مِن كُلِّ شاهِقٍ
وَيَقذِفُ بِالثيرانِ في المُتَحَيَّرِ
It took away the howls from every lofty summit
And cast them into the bewildered, shaken sands.
فَلَم يَترُكا إِلّا رُسوماً كَأَنَّها
أَساطيرُ وَحيٍ في قَراطيسِ مُقتَري
So they left only drawings as if they were
Myths of revelation in borrowed books.
مَنازِلُ قَومٍ دَمَّنوا تَلَعاتِهِ
وَسَنّوا السَوامَ في الأَنيقِ المُنَوَّرِ
Homes of a people who built its slopes
And made the idols in the graceful plastered temple.
رَبيعُهُمُ وَ الصَيفَ ثُمَّ تَحَمَّلوا
عَلى جِلَّةٍ مِثلِ الحَنِيّاتِ ضُمَّرِ
Their spring and summer, then they endured
Patiently like the camel riders in shabby clothes.
شَواكِلُ عَجعاجٍ كَأَنَّ زِمامَهُ
بِذُكّارَةٍ عَيطاءَ مِن نَخلِ خَيبَرِ
The camels of ‘Ajaaj are as if their bridle
Was from palm fronds of the thickets of Khaybar.
بِهِ مِن نِضاخِ الشَولِ رَدعٌ كَأَنَّهُ
نُقاعَةُ حِنّاءٍ بِماءِ الصَنَوبَرِ
With it the torrents of floods are held back as if it is
Dye of henna with pine tree water.
كَسوها سَخامَ الرَيطِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
حَدايِقُ نَخلٍ بِالبَرودَينِ موقَرِ
They covered it with the coarseness of ruins as if it is
Gardens of palms in the valley overgrown with vegetation.
وَقامَ إِلى الأَحداجِ بيضٌ خَرايِدٌ
نَواعِمُ لَم يَلقينَ بُؤسى لِمَقفَرِ
And white oryxes established, tender,
Young girls who met no misery in the barren valley,
رَبايِبُ أَموالٍ تِلادٍ وَمَنصِبٌ
مِنَ الحَسَبِ المَرفوعِ غَيرِ المُقَصِّرِ
Spoiled by wealth, birth, and position
Of glorious origin that does not fall short.
هَدَينَ غَضيضَ الطَرفِ خَمصانَةِ الحَشا
قَطيعَ التَهادي كاعِباً غَيرُ مُعصيرِ
They used to roam the valley, sneaky, dashing,
A flock of wild goats returning without a herdsman.
مُبَتَّلَةً غُرّاً كَأَنَّ ثِيابَها
عَلى الشَمسِ غِبَّ الأَبرَدِ المُتَحَسِّرِ
Humming, passionate, as if their clothes
Were drying in the sun on washed-out branches.
قَضوا ما قَضوا مِن رَحلَةٍ ثُمَّ
وَجَّهوا يَمامَةَ طَودٍ ذي حِماطٍ وَعَرعَرِ
They spent what they spent of a journey, then
They headed their mounts, bundles of firewood and juniper.
وَعاذِلَةٍ فادَيتُها أَن تَلومَني
وَقَد عَلِمَت أَنّي لَها غَيرُ موثِرِ
And she admonished me lest she blame me
And she knew I do not prefer her
عَلى الجارِ وَالأَضيافِ وَالسايِلِ الَّذي
شَكا مَعرَماً أَو مَسَّهُ ضُرُ مُعسِرِ
Over the neighbor, guest, and the asker
Who complained of distress or poverty touched him.
أَعاذِلَ إِنَّ الجودَ لايَنقَصُ الغِنى
وَلا يَدفَعُ الإِمساكُ عَن مالِ مُكثِرِ
I admonish her, generosity does not detract from wealth
Nor does stinginess drive away ample riches.
أَلَم تَسأَلي وَالعِلمُ يَشفي مِنَ العَمى
ذَوي العِلمِ عَن أَنباءِ قَومي فَتُخبَري
Did you not ask—and knowledge heals blindness—
The people of knowledge about the news of my people to inform you?
سَلامانَ إِنَّ المَجدَ فينا عَمارَةٌ
عَلى الخُلُقِ الزاكي الَّذي لَم يُكَدِّرِ
Sulayman, glory amongst us is a legacy
Of virtuous character that is not corrupted.
بَقِيَّةُ مَجدِ الأَوَّلِ الأَوَّلِ الَّذي
بَنى مَيدَعانُ ثُمَّ لَم يَتَغَيَّرِ
The remainder of the glory of the first, the first that
Maidan built then did not change.
أولَئِكَ قَومٌ يَأمَنُ الجارُ بَينَهُم
وَيُشفِقُ مِن صَولاتِهِم كُلُّ مُخفِرِ
Those are a people the neighbor feels safe amongst them
And every coward fears their attacks.
مَرافيدُ لِلمَولى مَحاشيدُ لِلقِرى
عَلى الجارِ وَالمُستَأنِسِ المُتَنَوِّرِ
Territories for the Master, praisings for the towns
For the neighbor and the friendly well-mannered one.
إِذا ظِلُّ قَومٍ كانَ ظَلَّ غَيايَةٍ
تُذَعذِعُهُ الأَرواحُ مِن كُلِّ مَفجَرِ
If the shade of a people was the shade of misguidance
The winds would shake it from every dug pit.
فَإِنَّ لَنا ظِلّاً تَكاثَفَ وَاِنطَوَت
عَلَيهِ أَراعيلُ العَديدِ المُجَمهَرِ
For we have a shade that gathered and folded over it
The pagans of the numerous gathered crowds.
لَنا سادَةٌ لايَنقُصُ الناسُ قَولَهُم
وَرَجراجَةٌ ذَيّالَةٌ في السَنَوَّرِ
For us are masters whose words do not detract from people
And tumult like that of young camels in the pens.
تَجِنُّهُمُ مِن نَسجِ داوُدَ في الوَغى
سَرابيلُ حيصَت بِالقَتيرِ المُسَمَّرِ
Their clothes woven by David during calamity
Are robes of Hiyash bound with studded leather.
وَطِئنا هِلالاً يَومَ زاجٍ بِقُوَّةٍ
وَصَفناهُمُ كَرهاً بِأَيدٍ مُؤَزَّرِ
We trod on the crescent on a boiling day with strength
And we lined them up against their will with hands girded.
وَيَوماً بِتَبلالٍ طَمَمنا عَلَيهِم
بِظَلماءَ بَأسٍ لَيلُها غَيرُ مُسفِرِ
And a day in Tablala we crept up on them
With dark afflictions, its night not brightened.
وَأَفناءُ قَيسٍ قَد أَبَدنا سَراتَهُم
وَعَبساً سَقَينا بِالأُجاجِ المُعَوَّرِ
And we destroyed the courtyards of Qais and we quenched
‘Abs with bitter deadly drinks.
وَأَصرامُ فَهمٍ قَد قَتَلنا فَلَم نَدَع
سِوى نِسوَةٍ مِثلِ البَلِيّاتِ حُسَّرِ
And we killed the protectors of Fahm and did not leave
Except women wailing like bereaved old women.
وَنَحنُ قَتَلنا في ثَقيفٍ وَجَوَّسَت
فَوارِسُنا نَصراً عَلى كُلِّ مَحضَرِ
And we were the ones who killed in Thuqif and our horsemen
Galloped to victory in every dwelling.
وَنَحنُ صَبِرنا غارَةً مُفرَجِيَّةً
فُقَيماً فَما أَبقَت لَهُم مِن مُخَبَّرِ
And we endured a surprise night raid
Poor immigrants, and did not leave a single scout for them.
وَدُسناهُمُ بِالخَيلِ وَالبيضِ وَالقَنا
وَضَربٍ يَفُضُّ الهامَ في كُلِّ مِغفَرِ
And we overcame them with horses, white swords, and spears
And a strike that pours blood in every wide plain.
وَرُحنا بِبيضٍ كَالظِباءِ وَجامِلٍ
طِوالِ الهَوادي كَالسَفينِ المَقَيَّرِ
And we came with white like oryxes and thoroughbreds
Tall, of long distance, like ships sailing downstream.
وَنَحنُ صَبَحنا غَيرَ عُذرٍ بِذِمَّةٍ
سَليمَ اِبنِ مَنصورٍ بِصَلعاءَ مُذكِرِ
And we were in the morning void of excuses or pacts
For the safety of Sulaym son of Mansur in ruined Sala’.
قَتَلناهُمُ ثُمَّ اِصطَحَبنا دِيارَهُم
بِخُمرَةَ في جَمعٍ كَثيفٍ مُخَمَّرِ
We killed them then took over their homes
Forcibly in a large drunken assembly.
تَرَكنا عَوافي الرُخمِ تَنشُرُ مِنهُمُ
عَفارِيَ صَرعى في الوَشيجِ المُكَسَّرِ
We left their elite strewn, their dead bodies
Spread out in the valley in broken parts.
وَبِالغَورِ نُطنا مِن عَلِيٍّ عُصابَةً
وَرُحنا بِذاكَ القَيرَوانِ المُقَطَّرِ
And in al-Gawr, we growled against a gang of ‘Ali
And we left with only that tattered shroud.
وَخَثعَمَ في أَيّامِ ناسٍ كَثيرَةٍ
هَمَطناهُمُ هَمطَ العَزيزِ المُؤَسَّرِ
And Khatam frothed in the days of many people
We tore them apart, tearings of the mighty noble one.
سَبَينا نِساءً مِن جَليحَةَ أَسلَمَت
وَمِن راهِبٍ فَوضى لَدى كُلِّ عَسكَرِ
We took captive women of Jalhiha who converted
And from a monk unrestrained in every army camp.
وَنَحنُ قَتَلنا بِالنَواصِفِ شَنفَرى
حَديدَ السِلاحِ مُقبِلاً غَيرَ مُدبِرِ
And we were the ones who killed with the swords in battle
The steel weapons coming without retreating.
وَمِن سائِرِ الحَيَّينِ سَعدٍ وَعامِرٍ
أَبَحنا حِمى جَبّارِها المُتَكَبِّرِ
And from the rest of the tribes of Sa’d and ‘Amir
We sought violations of their arrogant tyrant.
مَنَعنا سَراةَ الأَرضِ بِالخَيلِ وَالقَنا
وَأَيأَسَ مِنّا بَأسُنا كُلَّ مَعشَرِ
We prevented the noble horses and spears from roaming the land
And our affliction made every group despair.
إِذا ما نَزَلنا بَلدَةً دُوِّخَت لَنا
فَكُنّا عَلى أَربابِها بِالمُخَيَّرِ
Whenever we descended upon a town, it would be shaken for us
And we had the choice with its people.
بَنو مُفرِجٍ أَهلُ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلى
وَأَهلُ القِبابِ وَالسَوامِ المُعَكَّرِ
The clan of Mufraj, people of nobility and highness
And people of domed houses and carved idols,
فَمَن لِلمَعالي بَعدَ عُثمانَ وَالنَدى
وَفَصلِ الخِطابِ وَالجَوابِ المُيَسَّرِ
So who can compare to their sublime deeds after ‘Uthman
And the dew of Fasl and the gentle speech?
وَحَملِ المُلَمّاتِ العِظامِ وَنَقضِها
وَإِمرارِها وَالأَأيُ فيها المُصَدِّرُ
And bearing the great responsibilities and undoing them
And resolving them, with wisdom to guide them,
كَأَنَّ الوُفودَ المُبتَغينَ حِبائَهُم
عَلى فَيضِ مَدّادٍ مِنَ البَحرِ أَخضَرِ
It is as if the delegations seeking their gifts
Were from a downpour of ink from the green sea,
فَكَم فيهِمُ مِن مُستَبيحٍ حِمى العِدى
سَبوقٍ إِلى الغاياتِ غَيرِ عَذَوَّرِ
So how many of them freely took sanctuaries
And raced to the ends without stumbling,
وَهَوبٍ لِطَوعاتِ الأَزِمَّةِ في البُرى
وَلِلأُفُقِ النَهدِ الأَسيلِ المُعَذَّرِ
And inspired plunges into crises in the lands
And the smooth flowing horizon clear of fault!
نَمَتهُ بَنو الأَربابِ في الفَرعِ وَالذُرى
وَمِن مَيدَعانِ في ذُبابٍ وَجَوهَرِ
The distinguished ones nurtured it in branches and roots
And from Maidan in flies and gems.
لُبابُ لُبابٍ في أُرومٍ تَمَكَّنَت
كَريمَ غَداةِ المَيسِرِ المُتَحَضِّرِ
The cream of cream in fertile lands that triumphed
Nobly in the morning of ease and preparedness.
فَأَكرِم بِمَولودٍ وَأَكرِم بِوالِدٍ
وَبِالعَمِّ وَالأَخوالِ وَالمُتَهَصَّرِ
So honor with a newborn, and honor with a parent
And the uncle and in-laws and the humble ones.
مُلوكٌ وَأَربابٌ وَفُرسانُ غارَةٍ
يَحوزونَها بِالطَعنِ في كُلِّ مَحجَرِ
Kings and lords and horsemen of raids
Who possess it by stabbing in every battlefield.
إِذا نالَهُم حَمشٌ فَإِنَّ دَوائَهُ
دَمٌ زَلَّ عَن فَودَي كَمِيِّ مُعَفَّرِ
When loss afflicts them, its remedy is blood
That flows from the side of a red death.
مُدانِحِمِ يُعطي الدَنِيَّةَ راغِماً
وَإِن دايَنوا باؤوا بَريمٍ مُوَفَّرِ
They give the lowly against their will
And if they are wronged they come back with ample compensation.
