تَرى عِندَكُم في الحُب بَعض الَّذي عِندي
سَأَشكو لَكُم ما بي وَإِن لَم يَكُن يُجدي
Do you have in love any part of what I have?
I will tell you of my suffering, though it may do no good.
لَقَد جَلَّ ما لاقيت عَن وَصف كَنهِهِ
وَقَد زادَ ما عِندي عَلى العَد وَالحَد
What I have endured is too great to describe in its essence.
What I bear exceeds all counting and all bounds.
تَعطف شَكوايَ العِدا لَو أَبُثَها
وَتَبعث لي دَمعاً مِن الحَجر الصَلد
My complaint would move even enemies to pity if I voiced it.
It would draw tears for me from solid stone.
وَساجِعَة تُبدي الشِكاية جُهدَها
وَاكتمها جُهدي وَما وَجدَها وَجدي
A singing bird pours out its complaint with all its strength.
I conceal mine with all my strength; its anguish is not mine.
أَقول لَها وَاللَيلُ قَد جَرَّ ذَيلَهُ
وَبَرق الدُجى كَالسَيف جُرِدَ مِن غمد
I say to her, as night has drawn out its trailing hem
and lightning in the darkness flashes like a sword drawn from its sheath:
تَعالي نَبُث الوَجد إِنَّكَ محرم
تَعالي أُقاسِمُكِ الغَرام الَّذي عِندي
Come, let us speak of longing; you are one I can confide in.
Come, let me share with you the passion I bear.
وَيا لَيتَ ما عِندي يقسم بَعضَهُ
وَيا لَيتَ شَكوانا تُريح مِن الجُهد
If only some of what I bear could be divided between us.
If only our complaints could ease our weariness.
وَريح سَرَت مِن جَلَق جادَها الحَيا
وَقَد حَمَلضت نَشر الرَياحين وَالوَرد
A breeze traveled from Jalaq, blessed by rain,
carrying the scent of fragrant herbs and roses.
فَكَلمت القَلب العَليل بمرّها
فَأَبدى لِسان الدَمع ما لَم أَكن أَبدي
As it passed, it spoke to my ailing heart,
and the tongue of tears revealed what I had not revealed.
أَلا فَاِحمِلي يا ريح مني تَحية
إِلى حَضرة الأَحباب أَذكى مِن الند
Oh, breeze, carry a greeting from me
to the beloved ones, more fragrant than incense.
لَها رِقة الجسم الَّذي شَفهُ الضَنا
مِن الشَوق وَالتِذكار وَالبُعد وَالصَد
It has the delicacy of a body wasted by suffering
from longing, remembrance, distance, and rejection.
وَإِن سَأَلَ الخِلان عَني فَإِنَّني
مُقيم عَلى عَهدي وَإِن نَقضوا عَهدي
If my companions ask about me, then I
remain true to my pledge, though they have broken theirs.
وَإِني عَلى ما بي لَأَرعى وِدادَهُم
وَإِن أَلفوا فَقدي وَإِن ضَيعوا وَدي
Despite my suffering, I still cherish their affection,
though they have grown used to my absence and neglected my love.
وَإِني لكالظمآن يَمنَعُهُ العِدا
تَمني وُرود الماءِ وَعك مِن الوَرد
I am like a thirsty man whom enemies prevent
from even hoping to reach water, feverish with thirst.
وَلي عِندَهُم قَلب يُعذب بِالجَفا
وَفي أَضلُعي قَلبٌ يَذوب مِن البُعدِ
With them is a heart of mine tormented by coldness,
and within my ribs is a heart melting from distance.
فَلو أَحتَسي كَأس الحمام مَدعدِعاً
لَما مَرَّ عِندي المَوت مِن سَكرة الفَقدِ
If I were to drink the cup of death trembling,
death would not taste as bitter to me as the stupor of loss.
أَلفت البُكا وَالسُهد وَالسقم
وَصاحبت أَحزاني فَمِن الوَفا بَعدي
I have grown used to weeping, sleeplessness, and illness.
I have kept company with my sorrows; what remains for me after loyalty?
وَلَستُ بِسالٍ مِن نَسيَني مِنهُمُ
وَلَو بِتُ في رَمسي غَريباً وَفي لَحدي
I cannot forget those among them who have forgotten me,
even if I lie a stranger in my grave.
أَبيت عَليلاً لا أَرى ليَ عائِداً
وَإِن جاشَ جَيش الهَم لاقيتُهُ وَحدي
I spend the night ill, with no visitor to see me.
When the army of sorrow surges, I face it alone.
أُعلل قَلبي بِالأَمانيّ باطِلاً
وَحتّام الهيهِ بِوَعد بِلا نَقدِ
I vainly soothe my heart with hopes.
How long shall I distract it with a promise that brings nothing?
فَلا أَنا مَرجوٌّ لِبَرء وَلا رَدى
وَلا كَيدي الحَرّا تَعلل بِالوَعدِ
Neither recovery nor death seems in store for me,
and no promise can comfort my burning anguish.
وَإِني عَلى فَقد النَعيم لَصابِرٌ
وَلَستُ عَلى فَقد الأَخِلاءِ بِالجلد
I can bear the loss of comfort,
but I cannot bear the loss of dear friends.
وَلَيسَ يَطيبُ العَيشُ لي مَع غَيرَهُم
وَلَو كُنتُ في الفَردوس أَو جَنةَ الخُلدِ
Life is not sweet to me with anyone else,
even if I were in Paradise or the everlasting garden.
وَما حَدَثَ عَن سُبُلِ الوَفا حَسب طاقَتي
وَلَكنما الأَيام جارَت عَن القَصدِ
I have not strayed from the paths of loyalty, as far as I am able,
but the days have strayed from the just course.
وَما رَأَيت الأَحرار مني سَجية
وَما زلتُ مُنقاداً مَع الود كَالعَبدِ
I have seen no freeborn men of my own disposition,
and through affection I have remained as obedient as a servant.
وَما شِيمَتي إِلّا المَحبة وَالوَفا
وَيَعلم رَبي ما أُسِرّ وَما أُبدي
My nature is nothing but love and loyalty,
and my Lord knows what I hide and what I reveal.
وَلا عاران أَمسى الزَمان يُضيعني
وَأَخَرَني عَن مَطلَبي وَخَبا زِندي
It is no disgrace to me that time has left me neglected,
delayed me from my aim, and let my spark die.
فَقَد يُصبح الحُر الكَريم مضيعاً
وَقَد تَلعب الأَيام بِالأسد الوَرد
A noble free man may find himself cast aside,
and the days may toy with a tawny lion.
سُموم اللَيالي كامن في نَسيمها
إِذا شُوهِدَت بِالفكر كَالسُمّ في الشهد
The poison of nights lies hidden in their gentle breeze
when examined with thought, like poison in honey.
يَنالُ العُلا فيها اللَئيم بِلُؤمِهِ
وَلَم تُعطِ حَرّاً ما يُحاول بِالجَد
In such times, a base man attains high rank through his baseness,
while they deny a free man what he strives for in earnest.
فَلا يَغترر مَن سالَمتهُ بِسلمها
وَلا بَركنن فيها إِلى الوَفد وَالرَفد
Let no one whom the days have spared be deceived by their peace,
or rely on them for visitors and support.
فَكَم قَد أَهانَت مِن عَزيز خُطوبِها
وَقَد كانَ بَدر التَم في أُفق المَجد
How many honored people have their hardships humbled
though they were once a full moon in the sky of glory!
وَكَم أَفرَدَ الإِخوان خلّاً لِعدمهِ
وَقَد كانَ في الإِثراءِ واسطة العقد
How many friends have brothers left alone because they lacked means,
though in wealth they were once the necklace’s central jewel!
طَلبت مِن الأَيام حرّاً مُهَذباً
أَكون لَهُ رقّا فَما جدنَ بِالقَصدِ
I sought from the days a noble, cultivated man
to whom I could devote myself, but they did not grant my wish.
وَمَن يَطلُب الإِحسان مِن غَير مُحسن
يُقابل بِما لا يَستَحق مِن الرَد
Whoever seeks kindness from one who is not kind
meets a rejection he does not deserve.
سَأَفني اللَيالي بِإِتِكالي عَلى الَّذي
تَنَزهَ في أَحكامِهِ الواحد الفَرد
I shall spend my nights relying on the One
who is exalted in His judgments, the One and Only.
فَمَهما يَحط الحَظ قَدر عَميدَكُم
فَلا تَقطَعوا عَنهُ الرَسائل عَن عَمد
However much fortune lowers the standing of your devoted one,
do not deliberately stop sending him letters.
سَلام عَلي مشن لَم أَطق عِندَ ذِكرِهم
قَراراً وَلَم أَملُك فُؤادي وَلا رُشدي
Peace to those at whose mention I cannot
remain still or command my heart or judgment.
Sol 6