أَلا فَاِنصَحا مَن رامَ حَمدان شاعِراً
وَقولا لَهُ أَن لا يُعيد وَلا يُبدي
Listen well, whoever aspires to be praised as a poet
Say to him not to repeat or express overly
لَقَد وَفَدت لِلشام مِنهُ خَريدة
وَفي جيدِها طَوق مِن الشُكر وَالحَمد
She came to Damascus as an unripe date
With, around her neck, a collar of gratitude and praise
وَأَمهرها مَن لَيسَ في الناس كُفؤُها
فَضلت لَدى تِلكَ المَنازل عَن رَشد
And she was married off to one not her equal among people
So she went astray in those dwellings, lost from the right path
رَأَت كُل دارٍ غلَّق الشح بابَها
وَسَدَدها بِالجص وَالحَجَر الصَلد
She saw every house whose door was locked by stinginess
And blocked with plaster and hard stone
وَأَدركها اللَيل البَهيم فَحيرَت
وَلا شَكَ إِن البكر تَخشى مِن الجُند
And the brutal night overtook her, so she wandered in confusion
No doubt a young woman fears the soldiers
عَرَتها لِفَقد الأَهل دَهشة غُربة
فَقامَت عَلى الأَقدام تَرجف كَالسَعدي
Loneliness in a strange land terrified her
So she stood on her feet, shaking like a little bird
مُمَزَقة الجُلباب مَحلولة العَرى
مُضيعة السروال بادية النهد
With her robe torn, her bodice undone
Her pants lost, her breasts exposed
تَقول أَضاع اللَهُ شَيخاً أَضاعَني
وَيَهدي وَلَم يَدرِ الهَدايا لِمَن يَهدي
She says, “God has lost an old man and lost me
And guides whoever He wants, though He knows not who He guides.”
وَقالَت تَرى هَل أَبصَر الآن غيرة
أَصون بِها عَرضي فَقُلت لَها عِندي
She said, “Can I see any sign of jealousy now
To protect my honor?” So I said to her, “I am here.”
فَقالَت لَعَل الدار دار ابن منجك
أَمير دِمَشق الشام قُلت نَعَم جدي
She said, “Perhaps this is the house of Ibn Munjik
The ruler of Damascus in Syria?” I said, “Yes, indeed.”
فَقابَلتها مني بِكُل تَحيَّة
وَأَمهَرتها روحي وَافرَشتَها خَدي
So I greeted her courteously
And lavished my soul upon her and offered her my cheek
وَمَتَعت فيها حَيث أَوهَمت أَنَّها
ترد شَبابي إِذ خَلَوت بِها وَحدي
And enjoyed myself with her, making her think
That I could regain my youth when alone with her
فَقُلتُ لِمَن وافيت قالَت مُروعة
إِلى ذَلِكَ الجردان في صُحبة القرد
So I said, “To whom have you come?” She said, frightened,
“To that monkey in the company of monkeys.”
وَغَنَت بِبَيت ما سَمعت بِمِثلِهِ
كَسانيَ في قَيظ الزَمان حَلى البَرد
And she sang a verse the likes of which I’d never heard
That pierced through the heat of time like ice.
أَخا عَزمات لَو يَنال بِبَعضِها
مِن النَقد الواهي وَهَت صَولة الأَسَد
“Dear brother, your resolve, if even partly gained
From unstable money, would fell the lion’s charge
وَذاكَ الَّذي ما لَيسَ يَشري بشعرة
وَلَو نَبَتت مِنهُ السبال عَلى فَهد
And that one who does not pay for a single hair
Even if the tresses sprouted on his noble steed.”
فَظنت باني لا أُطيل مَقامَها
لَدَيَّ وَخافَت وَسمة الطَرد وَالبُعد
I thought to not prolong her stay with me
And she feared the threat of expulsion and banishment
فَقُلت أَنعِمي بالاً وَقري أَعيُناً
فَمِن بَرّ نادينا الأَرامل تَستَجدي
So I said, “Live comfortably and rest your eyes
For it is righteous to host widows seeking charity.”
أَقيمي إِلى أَن تَشتَهي السَير عِندَنا
وَرُوحي لِمَن تَبغي وَخِفي بِلا طَرد
“Stay as long as you wish to leave us
And go wherever you want, without expulsion.”
فَقالَت تَرفق ما التَحَجُب عادَتي
وَلا أَنا في حَجر الصِيانة مِن مَهدي
She said, “I’m not accustomed to seclusion
Nor was I raised in the lap of chastity from my cradle.”
فَغابَت وَأَبَت مثل لَمحة بارق
وَتَبكي بُكاءَ المُستَهام مِن الوَجد
She left suddenly like a flashing lightning
And cried the crying of one in anguish and ecstasy
فَقُلت عَلى مَن تَندبين فَولولت
وَقالَ لَقَد ماتَ الحِمار مِن الكَد
I said, “For whom do you wail?” She howled
“Alas the donkey is dead from exhaustion!”
وَعِنديَ شوم لَو طَرحت أَقلهُ
عَلى كُل مِن بَعدي لَكانَ بِهِ يَعدي
“And I have bad luck—if I threw just a little
It would afflict all who come after me.”
فَقُلتُ إِلى أَي المَناحيس تَنتَمي
فَقالَت طويس كانَ زَوجي بِلا عَقد
I said, “To which perversions do you belong?”
She said, “I was the wife of the baboon without marriage contract.”
فَقُلت اِذهَبي ايان شئت ذَميمة
وَراجعة مِن غَير إرث وَلا نَقدِ
So I said, “Go wherever you want, despicable one,
Returning without inheritance or dowry.”
