أَقْلاّ عندَ طِيّتيَ المقالا

وحُلاّ عن مَطيَّتيَ العِقالا

Speak little in my presence, and restrain your reason.

The young man is created only as a sword,

فما خُلِقَ الفتَى إلاّ حُساماً

وما خُلِقَ السُّرَى إلاّ صِقالا

and steels are created only to be polished.

The blood of youth is aroused only by separation -

وما راع الدُّمَى إلاّ فِراقٌ

خطَبْتُ به إلى العلْيا وِصالا

I sought it in the high places of union.

I soared to her with a bouquet of youths

سمَوْتُ لها بزُهْرٍ من فُتُوٍّ

هتَفْتُ بهمْ وجُنْحُ اللّيلِ مالا

calling out to them while the wings of night withdrew.

I am lighter than the stars when they walk

أَقَلُّ من الكواكبِ حينَ تَسْري

ضلالاً في الغياهبِ أَو كَلالا

astray in darkness or weariness.

My friend says farewell, tears flowing,

يَقولُ مُودِّعي والدَّمْعُ جارٍ

يُريك مصونَ لُؤْلُئه مُذالا

showing you the protected pearls have been humbled.

Give me a draft of the intoxication of your mouth

أَعِرني نَشوةً من كَأْسِ ثَغْرٍ

وثَوِّرْ قبلَ أَن أَصْحو الجِمالا

and stir it before I awake to beauty.

I hate to turn my eye in the morning

كراهةَ أَن أُديرَ العَينَ صُبْحاً

فأُبصِرَ للخليطِ بها زِيالا

and see the mixed company has become common.

Promises - my memory of them is ever new,

عُهودٌ لم يَزَلْ ذِكرْي جديداً

لَهُنَّ وإنْ قَدُمْنَ ولن يَزالا

to them, though they are old, and will not cease.

By my two standards - if they were to remain white

وبالعلَمَيْنِ لو واصلْنَ بِيضٌ

وسُمْرٌ يدَّرعْنَ لها ظِلالا

and brown cloaked in shade for her.

The white told briefly of a glance and smile,

حكَيْنَ البيضَ لَحظاً وابتساماً

وفُقْنَ السُّمْرَ ليناً واعتدالا

while the brown softly and calmly.

They forbade my imagining you until indeed

وحَرَّمْنَ الخيالَ علَيَّ حتّى

لقد أَبقَيْنَ من جِسمي خَيالا

they left me without even a shadow of my body.

Had sorrow occupied my eye at night

ولو شغَل الكرَى باللّيلِ عَيْني

جَعلْتُ لها بها عنها اشْتِغالا

I would have made it, because of it, busy for it.

The water of grace still flows from it -

وأغيدَ رَقَّ ماءُ الوجهِ منه

فلو أَرخَى لثاماً عنه سالا

were it to lower a veil from it, it would flow.

Its blackness makes clear the vision within,

تُبينُ سَوادَها الأبصارُ فيه

فحيثُ لَحظْتَ منه حَسِبْتَ خالا

so wherever you look you think there is a mole.

It was armed against me one day with a wink,

تَترَّسَ يومَ لاقاني بغَيْلٍ

وراميَ حين رامَ ليَ اغْتيالا

and when it wished my destruction, it took aim.

With a glance that does not feel what it entices

بطَرْفٍ ليس يَشعُرُ ما التّشكِّي

ويُنشدُ سُقْمَ عاشقِه انْتِحالا

and recites the sickness of its lover disguised.

It counts our distress as real,

يَعُدُّ عليلَنا المُضْنَى صَحيحاً

ونحن نَعُدُّ صِحّتَه اعْتِدالا

while we count its health as composure.

Worries have weakened me,

تأوَّبني خيالٌ من هُمومٍ

وإن كاثَرْنَ في العَدَدِ الرِّمالا

even if they are more numerous than the sands.

If worries attack white hair,

فإنْ تَرُعِ الهمومُ على مَشيبٍ

فقد خُلِقَتْ مطايانا عِجالا

our mounts were created to be swift.

How can we enjoy short lives

وكيف نَلَذُّ أَعماراً قِصاراً

وقد أُودِعْنَ أَفكاراً طِوالا

when we have been given long thoughts?

You complain to the drowning man of the troubles

تَذُمُّ إليَّ من زَمني خُطوباً

شكَوْتَ إلى الغريقِ بها ابْتِلالا

that have come to me in my time of trial.

But no, by your father, I do not fear time -

فلا وأَبيكَ أَخشَى الدَّهرَ قِرْناً

ولكنّي أُنازِلُه نِزالا

rather I engage it in combat.

I show patience and fortitude

أَظاهِرُ بينَ صَبْرٍ واعتصامٍ

بمَنْ خلَق النّوائبَ والرِّجالا

to the one who created misfortunes and men.

When the winds blow they increase our burning,

إذا عصَفتْ فأطفأتِ الأعادي

صُروفُ الدِّهْرِ زادَتْنا اشْتِعالا

and the fires of anger grow brighter,

and are revived by the wetness that hides decay.

ونيرانُ الغَضا تَزْدادُ وَقْداً

وتَحْيا بالّتي تُخْبي الذُّبالا

I turn my gaze to well-formed flesh

whose limbs dispel shade.

أُقلِّبُ ناظِرَيْ لَحْمٍ صَيودٍ

غدَتْ أَعطافُه تَنْفي الظِّلالا

And I wrap myself in darkness with in my left hand the rein of a cloak that tells of the north,

of those who, when they are disturbed for an instant,

وأشْتَمِلُ الظّلامَ وفي شِمالي

زِمامُ شِمِلّةٍ تَحْكي الشَّمالا

make you fear their dress will slip away.

Had they spent a month undressing in the east,

منَ الّلائي إذا طَرِبتْ لحَدْوٍ

خَشِيتَ منَ النُّسوعِ لها انْسِلالا

the crescent moon would have outsped us to the west.

When I strung them into a necklace

ولو سلَختْ لنا في الشّرْقِ شَهْراً

سَبقْنَ بنا إلى الغَرْبِ الهلالا

over all horizons, proudly,

I made pilgrimage with them to the meteors of religion -

فلمّا أَنْ نظَمتُ بها وِشاحاً

على الآفاقِ قاطبةً فَجالا

so for my aspiring faith it was made complete.

And the nearness of the most fortunate of my hopes

حَججْتُ بها شِهابَ الدّينِ حَجّاً

فكان لدينِ هِمَّتيَ الكَمالا

made happy - we exalted and cast down our burdens,

by the light of the meteors of Allah’s religion.

وأَسعَدَ قُربُ أَسعدَ آمِليه

فكبَّرْنا وأَلقيْنَا الرِّحالا

Eyes that had adorned themselves with kohl rested,

The greatest meteor wandering the horizons

بنُورِ شهابِ دينِ اللهِ قَرَّتْ

عُيونٌ قد ملَكْنَ به اكتِحالا

in traces and most noble deeds,

and highest in rank of glories

أَجلُّ الشُّهْبِ في الآفاقِ سَيْراً

وآثاراً وأَشْرفُها فِعالا

when they take pride, and greatest in gifts.

We hope it will last and remain

وأعْلاها مَحلاًّ في المَعالي

إذا افتخَروا وأعظَمُها نَوالا

while the sun of its state is safe from declining,

guiding newcomers to it by name

ونَأْمُلُ أنْ سيُفْنيها ويَبْقَى

وتَأْمَنُ شَمسُ دَوْلته زَوالا

so the young man does not fear going astray.

It became accustomed to generously hosting them from the start -

يَدُلُّ الوافِدينَ إليه ذِكْرٌ

فلا يَخْشَ الفتى عنه الضَّلالا

were they to ask, it would not know how to refuse.

It increases in humility over its loftiness

تَعوَّد أنْ يَجودَهمُ ابْتداءً

فلو سأَلوهُ ما عَرَفَ السُّؤالا

and shows who is higher than one exalted.

It is the brother of a pen to which pens are humbly obedient -

يَزيدُ على تَواضُعِه ارْتفاعاً

ويَظْهَرُ مَن عَلا مِمَّنْ تَعالى

slaves while it is their master in majesty,

with a victorious hand of books in glory

أخو قَلَمٍ له الأقلامُ طُرّاً

عَبيدٌ وهْوَ مَوْلاها جَلالا

so they come swaggering proudly.

When it depicted a bow and arrow

بكفّ مُتَوِّجٍ للكُتْبِ عِزّاً

فتَأْتي وهْي تَخْتالُ اخْتِيالا

and struggled in the high places with them,

it told in the heart of its envious foe

إذا ما مثَّلَتْ قَوساً وسَهماً

وناضَل في العُلا بِهما نِضالا

the truth of what its example traced.

It has an opinion the Sultan insisted

حكَى في قَلْبِ حاسدِه فِعالاً

حَقيقةَ ما يَخُطُّ له مِثالا

that he rely upon completely.

If he ties relations with one he hopes for,

له رَأْيٌ أبَى السُّلطانُ إلاّ

عليه أنْ يُعِدَّ له اتّكالا

then one need not fear the knot will unravel.

When an enemy of religion revolts,

إذا عقَد الذِّمامَ لِمَنْ رَجاهُ

فلا يَخْشَ لعُقْدتِه انْحِلالا

they experience its harshest steel.

And most eloquent in speech or discourse

إذا ما ثارَ دونَ الدّينِ خَصْمٌ

بَلَوا منه أَشَدّ فتىً مِحالا

when they witness a tyrant or debate.

Secure is its bond of dignity when

وأَوسعَهمْ كِلاماً أو كَلاماً

إذا شَهِدوا جِلاداً أو جِدالا

great waves make the mountains tremble.

Its sword blade is polished but

وَثيقٌ عَقْدُ حُبْوتهِ وَقاراً

إذا الغَمَراتُ زَعَزعْنَ الجبالا

its edge penetrates within like an awl.

When a virtue is perfected and counted

صَقيلٌ حَدُّ صارِمِه ولكنْ

يُدِبُّ فِرِنْدُهُ فيه النِّمالا

for one of generosity, your virtues for us were made complete.

How often hopeful has quenched its thirst at your spring,

إذا ما خَصْلةٌ كَمُلَتْ وعُدَّتْ

لذي كَرَمٍ كَمُلْتَ لنا خِصالا

a suckling that does not lead to weaning!

How often has the cloud drawn its cheek until

وكم رَضَعَ الرَّجاءُ نَداكَ قِدْماً

رَضاعاً لم يُعقِّبْهُ فِصالا

it learned to drizzle from your fingers!

The sky has not attained where it would allow

وكم سحَب السّحابُ الخَدَّ حتّى

تَعلّمَ من أناملَك انْهِمالا

your horses shoes among its people.

When the horse of the defiant wanted to gallop,

وما سمَتِ السّماءُ بحيثُ تَرضَى

لخَيْلِك من أَهِلَّتِها نِعالا

the pack retreated from it in columns.

If you compete with the sea's abyss in generosity,

إذا فَرَسُ المُعانِدِ رامَ رَكْضاً

تَراجعَت الحُجولُ له شِكالا

it could not contain even an ant's sip.

It is enough glory for paper and pens

إذا ساجَلْتَ لُجَّ البَحْرِ جُوداً

فما يَحْوِي لأنْمُلَةٍ بَلالا

that they divided your right and left hand between them.

You were created beautifully for the wine vessels of eminence,

كفَى القِرطاسَ والأقلامَ فَخْراً

أنِ اقْتَسَما يَمينَك والشِّمالا

and the horses of zeal have spread out for you a place.

Whenever you extend to it a hand with ink,

قِداحُ عُلاً خُلِقْتَ لها مُجِيلاً

وخَيلُ نُهىً فَسَحْتَ لها مَجالا

it comes to a limb and stops a heated debate.

The time has blamed its course on its passion –

إذا ما مَدَّةٌ لك من دَواةٍ

أتَتْ طَرْفاً كفَتْ حَرْباً سِجالا

a brother of blames whose ropes you have tied.

How often has the envious one sought in vain

لقد ذَمَّ الزَّمانَ إلى هَواهُ

أخو ذِمَمٍ عقَدْتَ له حِبالا

that your slipper meet the crown of its forehead!

You have intended for one of little wealth humiliation,

وكم طلَبَ الحَسودُ فلم يُقابِلْ

لنَعْلِك تاجُ مَفْرِقهِ قِبالا

so your action refuted for him words.

And folded a joint of his until he became

وذي ضِغْنٍ عَمدْتَ له احتِقاراً

فَعالَك وانتضَيْتَ له مَقالا

one who sees murder but cannot see a fight.

Lastly, your right hand counted generosity

وطَبَّق مَفْصِلاً منه فأضحَى

يَرى قَتْلاً وليسَ يَرى قِتالا

that it pulled its reins taut.

His sickness was not days, but

وآخِرَ ما عدَتْ يُمناكَ جُوداً

أنِ استَلَّتْ سَخائمَه اسْتِلالا

a Nabataean shower that heals the incurable.

I asked fate, “Is there any share for me in you?”

ولم يَك داؤه أَمَماً ولكنْ

نطاسِيٌّ النّدى يَشْفِي العُضالا

It answered neither with a yes nor no,

that I may know your opinion of me beforehand,

سألتُ الدَّهرَ هل ليَ فيكَ حظُّ

فلا نَعَمٌ أجابَ بهِ ولا لا

and follow if it treats me well or ill.

My name is none but your servant - how then

لِيَعْلمَ فيَّ رأْيَكَ قَبْلُ عِلْماً

فيَتبَع إنْ أدالَ وإنْ أذالا

did my place to you become safekeeping or abasement?

Just as you call thirst or drink

وما اسْمِي غيرُ عبدِكَ َكيف أضحَى

مَكانيَ منكَ صَوْناً وابْتِذالا

whatever foreigners you meet.

But I have long-standing days of slavery,

كما تُسْمي عِطاشاً أو رِواءً

تُصادِفُها أعاريباً نِهالا

so that points to you my guide.

One who does not know how to attract game with generosity

ولكنْ لي تَقادمُ عَهْدِ رِقٍ

فذاكَ عليكَ علَّمني الدَّلالا

will not hunt the wild beast of praise.

It is forbidden that I see in my composition

ولن يَصْطادَ وَحْشَ المَدْحِ مَنْ لا

يُجيدُ بِكِفّةِ الكَرَمِ احْتِبالا

diversion from the pact that preceded unraveling.

And how can followers diverge from a saying

وحاشَى أن أرَى لك في اصْطِناعي

عنِ العهدِ الّذي سَبق انْفِتالا

when the followed has spoken?

So do not permit bonds of thought to loosen from me -

وكيف تُجاوزُ الأتباعُ قَوْلاً

تُخالِفُه إذا المَتْبوعُ قالا

for in my pearl there is truth that must be valued.

Indulgence to all who have done a good deed,

فلا تُرخِصْ عُقودَ الفِكْرِ منّي

ففي دُرّي حَقيقٌ أن يُغالَى

and above indulgence is one who has done and allied.

When your gift is absent it becomes a burden,

فسَمْحٌ كُلُّ مَن أَولَى جَميلاً

وفوقَ السّمْحِ مَن أَولَى ووالَى

and the best thing is the outcome its praiser hopes for.

I have a master - if I name him one day

إذا ما غَبَّ رِفْدُكَ صار عِبْئاً

وخيرُ الأْمرِ أحمَدُهُ مَآلا

his name for me will bring good fortune.

If I name him I will tell of me

ولي مَولىً إذا أُسمِيه يَوماً

يكونُ ليَ اسْمُه بالسّعْدِ فالا

what I will be when I see him.

So days of celebration continue for him each year

إذا أسمَيْتُهُ أَخبَرْتُ عنّي

بما سأكونُ حينَ أَراه حالا

with the Three Meteors, and happiest is their completion.

So the letter that begins the title is enough

فلا زالتْ له في كُلِّ عامٍ

تَعُدُّ يَداهُ أعيادٌ تَوالى

with the second name to find connection.

And to count the days of congratulations

على عَدَدِ الثّلاثةِ من شهابٍ

وأسْعَد فامْتثِلْهنّ امْتِثالا

by their number when the year passes.

Like that, eternally, the nations continue

فحَرْفا أوَّلِ التّلقيبِ كافٍ

بثاني الاِسْمِ أنَ يَجِدَ اتّصالا

to count for him connection and separation.

وأن يَعتَدَّ أيَّامَ التّهاني

بعِدَّتها إذا ما الحَوْلُ حالا

كذلكَ دائماً ما زال تُحْصي

له الأُمَمُ اتِّصالاً وانْفِصالا