نظَرتُ خِلالَ الرَّكْبِ والمُزْنُ هَطّالُ

إِلى الجِزْعِ هَل تَروى بِواديهِ أطْلالُ

I gazed amid the throng of riders where the branches overhung

To see if ruins quenched their thirst beneath the valley's brink,

وأخْفَيتُ ما بي من هَوًى ومَطِيُّنا

يُلَبِّسُ أُخْراهُ بأُولاهُ إعْجالُ

And hid the love and troth within me that hastes to knit each end -

Beginnings to its endings in impatient heartèd link.

وقُلتُ لهُمْ جُرْتُمْ فَميلُوا إِلى اللِّوى

وما القومُ لولا حُبُّ عَلْوَةَ ضُلاّلُ

I said “Turn off! The valley road would gratify our wish.”

For not my people, but love for ‘Alwa tempted me, I think.

فَحُيِّيتَ رَبْعاً كادَ يَضْحَكُ رَسْمُهُ

ونَمَّ بما أُخْفي مِن الوَجْدِ إعْوالُُ

So I saluted then a camp which laughed from every stripe,

And slumb'ring there outwelled the passion I so fain would hide.

وقَدْ عَلِموا أنّي أجَرْتُ رِكابَهُمْ

فقالوا وهُم مِمّا يُعانونَ عُذّالُ

They knew I turned their steeds away; reproachfully they cried

As they endured the fiery trials of that flame-scorched land:

أراكَ الحِمى وادي الأراكِ فَزُرْتَهُ

وضَلَّ بنا مِمّا نُوافِقُكَ الضّالُ

"To Al-‘Ara ̄k's vale you came and visited its site;

Misled by you, how easily one wanders from the right!”

وقد نَفعَتْني وَقْفَةٌ في ظِلالِه

فلَمْ أُرْعِهِمْ سَمْعي ولا ضَرَّ ما قالوا

A while I gained the valley's shade, so let their blame abound!

I neither heard them nor their words could wound as they had hoped.

وقَلَّ لِذاكَ الرَّبْعِ مِنّا تَحيَّةٌ

كما خالطَتْ ماءَ الغَمامَةِ جِريالُ

That site deserved our courtesy with greetings without end,

Such as the train-bands of the rain impart to lightning's strike

تَعَثَّرُ في أذيالِهِنَّ خَمائِلٌ

إذا انْسَحَبَتْ فيهِ مِن الرّيحِ أذْيالُ

That trip upon the fringes and hems of tents when storms

Have clutched and dragged their skirts across the land in lightning’s wake;

لَيالِيهِ أسحارٌ وفيهِ هَواجِرٌ

كما خَضِلَتْ والشّمسُ تَنعَسُ آصالُ

Nights that outwatch the dawn, though traveling birds take wing

When sunlight fails, and purple shadows drape the mountain side.

فلم يَبقَ إلا غُبَّرٌ مِن تَذَكُّرٍ

إذا لاحَ مَغْنًى لِلْبَخيلةِ مِحْلالُ

Naught's left but wakeful thoughts of her, the meadows lush and green,

Since gifts meant naught to her whose milk of mares is but a dream.

وقد خَلَفَ الدّهْرُ الغَواني فصَرْفُهُ

كألحاظِها في مَنزِلِ الحَيّ مُغْتالُ

Gone are those valley-lodges since; changed is their aspect now

As eyes of wandering asses by some nomad child misled.

ولَم أدْرِ مَنْ أدنى إِلى الغَدْرِ صاحِبي

أمِ الدّهْرُ أم مَهْضومَةُ الكَشْحِ مِكْسالُ

I wonder whether comrade or the days within me wrought

Deceit, or drought stripped bare the pasture lands and there lies dead.

منَ العَربيَّاتِ الحِسانِ كأنَّها

ظِباءٌ تُناغِيها بِوَجْرَةَ أطفالُ

She stood amid Arabian steeds as though a wild cow led

Her calves to drink while forest denizens filled up the night,

يُباهي بها الليْلُ النّهارَ فشُبْهُهُ

عُقودٌ ومِن عَيْنِ الغَزالَةِ أحْجالُ

As though to scribe on parchment-skins were wondrous union beads

Whereto gazelles lent eyes as serving women lent their hands.

فلا وصْلَ حتّى يَذْرَعَ العِيسُ مَهْمَهاً

إذا الجِنُّ غَنّتْنا بهِ رَقَصَ الآلُ

No rest until the stalwart knight sates fully his desire

When ugly evil jinn awake, arise, and dance upright!...

نَزورُ إماماً يَعلَمُ الله أنّهُ

مُطيقٌ لأعْباءِ المَكارِمِ مِفْضالُ

An imam we visit knowing that God comprehends

That he can bear the hardships that sublime deeds would requite.

يَضيقُ على قُصّادِهِ كُلُّ مَنهَجٍ

فَقد مَلأَتْ أقطارَهُ عَنه قُفَّالُ

Though all the paths seem narrow to his growing repute,

Locked doors have opened everywhere to him both left and right.

إليكَ ابن عَمِّ المُصْطَفى تَرتَمي بِنا

رَكائِبُ أنْضاهُنَّ وَخْدٌ وإرْقالُ

O you, the cousin of the chosen one, our litters leap to you,

Prepared to bear both packs and robes, equipment packed inside.

لَئِنْ لوَّحَتْنا الشّمسُ والبُرْدُ مُنْهِجٌ

فَقَد يَبلُغُ المَجْدَ الفَتى وهْوَ أسْمالُ

Though bitter winds and sun glare at us on the road, and yet

Youth's glory may be gained although his garb be travel-stained

ولَم يَبْقَ منّي في مُهاواتِنا السُّرى

ومِنْ صاحِبي إلا نِجادٌ وسِرْبالُ

Of me naught's left for secret sports, nor for my friend but stoles,

Cloaks, for such revels made, dyed garments we cast off and hide.

أضاءَتْ لنا الأيّامُ في ظِلِّ دَولَةٍ

بِعَدْلِكَ فيها للرّعِيَّةِ إهْلالُ

Through justice, by your governance and rule, our days shone bright.

What are the wastes but for their lions, foemen of the beasts!

وما الأرْضُ إلا الغَابُ أنتُمْ أُسودُهُ

وهَلْ يُستَباحُ الغابُ يَحْميهِ رِئبالُ

By lions can a jungle to the crowds profane be dight?

You faced the wars courageous, fierce, and no

وإنَّ امرأً ولَّيْتَهُ الحَرْبَ لاقِحاً

قَليلٌ لهُ في مُعْضِلِ الخَطْبِ أمثالُ

Tall champions could make your slicing stroke recoil aside!...

Your self-possession calmed the fright that sorely troubled us

تتَبَّعَ أهواءَ النُفوسِ فصرَّحَتْ

بحُبِّكَ أقوالٌ لَهنَّ وأفعالُ

Though heroes trembled at the fury war roused far and wide

The soul's caprices you pursued, so words and deeds declared

وسكَّنَ رَوْعَ النّائِباتِ بِعَزْمَةٍ

يَذِلُّ لَها في حَوْمَةِ الحَرْبِ أبْطالُ

A lovingkindness that the hearts inside shyly would hide...

You quelled the sharpened swords aflash as though they were at rest

فَلَمْ يَسْتَشِرْ حَدَّيْهِ أبيضُ صارِمٌ

ولا هَزَّ مِن عِطْفَيْه أسْمَرُ عَسّالُ

Even as the mares were gently calmed when terror terrified

While rancor raised its discord vile and spread among the folk

ورُدَّتْ صُدورُ الخَيلِ وهْيَ سليمةٌ

كما سَلِمَتْ في الرّوْعِ منْهُنَّ أكْفالُ

Its far extending valleys of sure death on every side;

But for your patience, matters ripe and swelling to a head

على حينِ صاحَتْ بالضَّغائنِ فِتنةٌ

ومَدَّتْ هَوادِيها إِلى القَومِ آجالُ

Among the brawlers, rioters, had clashed and scattered wide

The core of Hashim's house refined; ‘tis you the pulpits tell

ولَو لَمْ توَقِّرْها أناتُكَ لالْتَقَتْ

بمُعْتَرَكِ الهَيجاءِ هامٌ وأوْصالُ

And minbars with your exploits as their substance spread outside

Through you has ‘Amr gained glory, and through you has ‘A ̄mir gained;

فأنت اللّبابُ المَحْضُ مِن آل هاشمٍ

بِذِكْرِكَ أعوادُ المَنابِرِ تَختالُ

God's uncles nurtured you; their loins have sired you and supplied...

Proud cousin mine, ‘Ulaiy made lustrous by your light:

عليْكَ التَقَى بالفَخْرِ عَمْروٌ وعامِرٌ

فلِلَّهِ أعمامٌ نَمَوْكَ وأخوالُ

The lovely one of Rebì‘a's clan by you intensified!...

They are the folk who entertain high hopes of your desire

أغَرُّ كِنانيٌ عَلَتْ مُضَرٌ بهِ

وأروعُ مِن عُلْيا رَبيعةَ ذَيّالُ

As gracious sayings with the beautiful hour coincide

With rainfall from your rainclouds, hands unfailingly gave:

هُمُ القوْمُ يَقْرُونَ الرَّجاءَ عَوارِفاً

على ساعةٍ فيها السَّمَاحَةُ أقوالُ

There destiny and aspiration would leap up, spread and ride

They enriched when they were kind; forgave when they were wronged;

بِمُستَمطِراتٍ مِن أكُفٍّ كَريمَةٍ

تَزاحَمُ آجالٌ علَيها وآمالُ

Argued at need, but if they struggled, then they overcame and pried.

Their exploits - were I asked, months could not quantify the tale,

إذا أنعَموا أغْنَوْا وإنْ قَدَرُوا عَفَوْا

وإنْ ساجَلوا طالُوا وإنْ حاوَلوا نالوا

While poetry draws hope for that detail songs have not yet tried

Much flattering excess I've cast behind me to decay

وتلكَ مَساعِيهِمْ فلَو شِئْتُ حَدّثَتْ

بما استُودِعَتْ منها شُهورٌ وأحوالُ

Better stinginess of hand than loss of soul betide!

The orthodox successors only would content my goal;

ولِلشِّعْرِ منها ما أؤَمِّلُ فالعُلا

إذا لَم أسِمْها بالقَصائِدِ أغْفالُ

Unaffected is my thought; reproach fades and subsides

Your bounty alone gives freedom to my shoulders, though

ورُبَّ مُغالٍ في مَديحي نَبَذْتُهُ

ورائي فخَيْرٌ مِن أيادِيهِ إقْلالُ

Far more binding are entitlements' shoulders heavy-tried!

وعِفْتُ ثَراءً دونَه يَدُ باخِلٍ

إذا لَم أصُنْ عِرضي فلا حَبّذا المالُ

ولم أرضَ إلا بالخَلائِفِ مَطلَباً

فما خاملٌ ذِكري ولا النّاسُ أشكالُ

وأعتَقْتُ إلا من نَوالِكَ عَاتِقي

على أنَّ أطواقَ المَواهبِ أغلالُ