شَوقٌ لَهُ بَينَ الأَضالِعُ هاجِسُ
وَتَذَكُّرٌ لِلصَدرِ مِنهُ وَساوِسُ
Longing has a whisper between the ribs,
Longing resides in his ribs, ever restless,
And remembrance brings troubling whispers to the breast.
And memories stir in his heart, ever wistful.
وَلَرُبَّما نَجّى الفَتى مِن هَمِّهِ
وَخدُ القِلاصِ وَلَيلُهُنَّ الدامِسُ
And often a young man is delivered from his cares
At times the youth's cheek would save him from sorrow,
By the young she-camels’ swift gait and their pitch-dark night.
And the soft curls of night, ever wakeful.
ما أَنصَفَت بَغدادُ حينَ تَوَحَّشَت
لِنَزيلِها وَهيَ المَحَلُّ الآنِسُ
Baghdad was unfair when it grew inhospitable
Baghdad was unfair when it shunned
To its guest, though it is a welcoming abode.
Its dweller, though once a congenial abode.
لَم يَرعَ لَي حَقَّ القَرابَةِ طَيِّئٌ
فيها وَلا حَقَّ الصَداقَةِ فارِسُ
Tayyiʾ did not honor my claim of kinship
Neither Tayyi nor the Persian held sacred
There; nor did Fāris honor the claim of friendship.
Our kinship or friendship, as custom bestowed.
أَعَلِيُّ مَن يَأمُلكَ بَعدَ مَوَدَّةٍ
ضَيَّعتَها مِنّي فَإِنّي آيِسُ
O ʿAlī, who can hope in you after a friendship
High hopes, who pins on you after affection
Of mine you squandered? For I have lost hope.
You've severed from me? I'm filled with despair.
واعَدتَني يَومَ الخَميسِ وَقَد مَضى
مِن بَعدِ مَوعِدِكَ الخَميسُ الخامِسُ
You promised to meet me on Thursday; already there has passed
You promised we'd meet on Thursday, but passed
The fifth Thursday since your appointed date.
Were five Thursdays since the day you picked there.
قُل لِلأَميرِ فَإِنَّهُ القَمَرُ الَّذي
ضَحِكَت بِهِ الأَيّامُ وَهيَ عَوابِسُ
Tell the emir—for he is the moon that
Tell the Prince, for he is the moon that
Made the days smile, though they were frowning:
Lit up gloomy days with his smile so rare.
قَدَّمتَ قُدّامي رِجالاً كُلُّهُم
مُتَخَلِّفٌ عَن غايَتي مُتَقاعِسُ
You placed ahead of me men, every one of whom
You've paraded before me men, each of whom
Falls short of my goal, hanging back.
Falls short of my goal, lazy and careless.
وَأَذَلتَني حَتّى لَقَد أَشمَتَّ بي
مَن كانَ يَحسُدُ مِنهُمُ وَيُنافِسُ
And you abased me, till you made others gloat over me—
You've humbled me until those envious
Those among them who used to envy and rival me.
Of me rejoiced and gloated at my fall.
وَأَنا الَّذي أَوضَحتَ غَيرَ مُدافَعٍ
نَهجَ القَوافي وَهيَ رَسمٌ دارِسُ
And I am the one who made clear, unchallenged,
Yet I, though unguarded, elucidated
The path of rhymes, when they were a faded trace.
The path of verse, a perilous scrawl.
وَشُهِرتُ في شَرقِ البِلادِ وَغَربِها
فَكَأَنَّني في كُلِّ نادٍ جالِسُ
And I became famed in the lands’ east and west,
Known am I in East and West together,
So it is as though I sit in every gathering.
Like one seated in every council and hall.
هَذي القَوافي قَد زَفَفتُ صِباحَها
تُهدى إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ عَرائِسُ
These rhymes—I have led their lovely ones in bridal procession,
These lines at dawn I have neatly marshalled,
Presented to you as though they were brides.
To be gifted to you, like brides for a ball.
وَلَكَ السَلامَةُ وَالسَلامُ فَإِنَّني
غادٍ وَهُنَّ عَلى عُلاكَ حَبائِسُ
May you have safety and peace, for I
With you is wellness and peace. As for me,
Am departing in the morning, while they remain pledged to your glory.
I take leave while they remain in your thrall.
Sol 6.1