سُقيتِ الغَوادي مِن طُلولٍ وَأَربُعِ
وَحُيِّتِ مِن دارٍ لِأَسماءَ بَلقَع
The valleys were watered from early dawn and the fourth hour,
And I was greeted from a house for Asma in Balqa.
وَإِن كُنتُ لا مَوعودُ أَسماءَ راجِعي
بِنُجحٍ وَلا تَسويفُ أَسماءَ مُقنِعي
Though I am not one whom Asma hopes will return
Successfully, nor does putting off Asma convince me.
وَلا نافِعي سَكبُ الدُموعِ الَّتي جَرَت
لَدَيها وَلا فَرطُ الحَنينِ المُرَجَّعِ
Neither my pouring forth tears that flowed before her,
Nor my abundant yearning brings me back together with her.
فَلا وَصلَ إِلّا أَن يُطيفَ خَيالُها
بِنا تَحتَ جُؤشوشٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ أَسفَعِ
So there is no union unless her image comes upon us
Beneath a canopy of the darkest night.
أَلَمَّت بِنا بَعدَ الهُدُوِّ فَسامَحَت
بِوَصلٍ مَتى نَطلُبهُ في الجِدِّ تَمنَعِ
She blamed me after cordiality, then permitted
A union I seek seriously but she refuses.
وَما بَرَحَت حَطّى مَضى اللَيلُ فَانقَضى
وَأَعجَلَها داعي الصَباحِ المُلَمَّعِ
She did not move until the night passed and went away,
And the caller to dawn, adorned with light, hastened her.
فَوَلَّت كَأَنَّ البَينَ يَخلُجُ شَخصَها
أَوانَ تَوَلَّت مِن حَشايَ وَأَضلُعي
She turned away as if parting convulsed her being
When she turned from my pride and ribs.
وَرُبَّ لِقاءٍ لَم يُؤَمَّل وَفُرقَةٍ
لِأَسماءَ لَم تُحذَر وَلَم تُتَوَقَّعِ
How often there is a meeting not hoped for and a separation
From Asma not feared nor expected.
أَرانِيَ لا أَنفَكُّ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ
تُعاوِدُ فيها المالِكِيَّةُ مَضجَعي
Do you see me cease every night
When the Pleiades return to my resting place,
أُسَدُّ بِقُربٍ مِن مُلِمٍّ مُسَلِّمِ
وَأَشجى بِبَينٍ مِن حَبيبٍ مُوَدِّعِ
Lying down close by an intimate companion
Yet more lovelorn for a beloved who has bid farewell?
فَكائِن لَنا بَعدَ النَوى مِن تَفَرُّقٍ
تُزَجّيهِ أَحلامُ الكَرى وَتَجَمُّعِ
So what will happen to us after resolve is separation
Agitated by dreams of fate and gathering.
وَمِن لَوعَةٍ تَعتادُ في إِثرِ لَوعَةٍ
وَمِن أَدمُعٍ تَرفَضُّ في إِثرِ أَدمُعِ
And a torment that follows upon torment
And tears pouring after tears.
فَهَلّا جَزى أَهلُ الحِمى فَيضَ عَبرَتي
وَشَوقي إِلى أَهلِ الحِمى وَتَطَلُّعي
Why can't the people of the sanctuary reward my flowing tears
And my longing for the people of sanctity and my aspiration?
سَيَحمِلُ هَمّي عَن قَريبِن وَهِمَّتي
قَرا كُلِّ ذَيّالٍ جُلالٍ جَلَنفَعِ
Soon it will carry my concerns on its neighing
To every magnificent, glorious, splendid knight.
يُناهِبنَ أَجوازَ الفَيافي بِأَرجُلٍ
عِجالٍ إِلى طَيِّ الفَيافي وَأَذرُعِ
It will raid the open deserts on legs
Quick to the open desert and forearms.
مَتى تَبلُغُ الفَتحَ بنَ خاقانَ لا تُنَح
بِضَنكٍ وَلا تَفزَع إِلى غَيرِ مَفزَعِ
When you attain victory by the grace of Chosroes, do not waver
In distress nor panic without a refuge.
حَليفُ نَداً إِن سيلَ فاضَت حِياضُهُ
وَذو كَرَمٍ إِلّا يُسَل يَتَبَرَّعِ
An ally of help when his torrents overflow
And one noble only when asked gives generously.
تُؤَمَّلُ نُعماهُ وَيُرجى نَوالُهُ
لِعانٍ ضَريكٍ أَو لِعافٍ مُدَقَّعِ
His favors are hoped for and his bounty sought
By one emaciated or another well-fed.
وَيَبتَدِرُ الراءونَ مِنهُ إِذا بَدا
سَنا قَمَرٍ مِن سُدَّةِ المُلكُ مُطلَعي
And the onlookers seek from him when there appears
The splendor of full moons from the veil of kingship rising.
إِذا ما مَشى بَينَ الصُفوفِ تَقاصَرَت
رُؤوسُ الرِجالِ عَن طِوالٍ سَميدَعِ
When he walks between ranks, the heads of men
Bow down before the tall and towering.
يَقومونَ مِن بُعدٍ إِذا بَصُروا بِهِ
لِأَبلَجَ مَوفورِ الجَلالَةِ أَروَعِ
They stand from afar when they catch sight of him
For the shining full moons of majesty most radiant.
وَيَدعونَ بِالأَسماءِ مَثنىً وَمَوحَداً
إِذا حَضَروا بابَ الرُواقِ المُرَفَّعِ
And they call him in plural and singular
When they approach the door of the lofty porch.
إِذا سارَ كُفَّ اللَحظُ عَن كُلِّ مَنظَرٍ
سِواهُ وَغُضَّ الصَوتُ عَن كُلِّ مَسمَعِ
When movement of glances stops from everything else
And voices hush from all hearing,
فَلَستَ تَرى إِلّا إِفاضَةَ شاخِصٍ
إِلَيهِ بِعَينٍ أَو مُشيرٍ بِإِصبَعِ
You see only the outpouring of upturned eyes
To him or fingers pointing to him.
مُراعٍ لِأَوقاتِ المَعالي مَتى يَلُح
لَهُ شَرَفٌ يوجَف إِلَيهِ فَيوضِعِ
Heeding the times of glory when an honor befits him
At which he rushes so it may be placed before him.
عَفُوٌّ عَنِ الجانينَ حَتّى يَرُدُّهُم
إِلَيهِ وَإِلّا يَعفُ يَأخُذ فَيُسرِعِ
Forgiving of sinners until he returns them
To himself, otherwise he pardons, seizes and hurries.
عَليمٌ بِتَصريفِ اللَيالي كَأَنَّهُ
يُعاني صُروفَ الدَهرِ مِن عَهدِ تُبَّعِ
Knowledgeable of the course of nights as if
He suffers the turns of fate since ancient Tubba.
حَليمٌ فَإِن يُبلَ الجَهولُ بِحِقدِهِ
يَبِت جارَ رَأسِ الحَيَّةِ المُتَطَلِّعِ
Forbearing, so if an ignorant one vents his spite,
He passes the night with his head at the asp's path.
وَلا يَبتَدي بِالحَربِ أَو يُبتَدي بِها
وَقورُ الأَناةِ أَريَحِيُّ التَسَرُّعِ
He neither starts war nor starts it with him
Dignified, slow to anger, hastily advancing.
وَقَد آيَسَ الأَعداءَ مَحكُ مُضاجيرٍ
لَجوجٍ مَتى يَحزُز بِكَفَّيهِ يَقطَعِ
He has despaired enemies with his twisted grimace
When he frowns with his palms, he cuts them off.
طَلوبٌ لِأَقصى الأَمرِ حَتّى يَنالُهُ
وَمُغرىً بِغاياتِ الحَقائِقِ مولَعِ
Seeking the farthest extent of command until he attains it
And tempted by the limits of truths, obsessed.
وَقُلتُ لِمَغرورٍ بِهِ حانَ وَاِرتَمَت
بِهِ مُطمِعاتُ الحَينِ في غَيرِ مَطمَعِ
And I said to one deluded with him, the hopes
Of the opportune moment in other than hopes have faded for him.
تَرَكتَ اِقتِبالَ العَفوِ وَالعَفوُ مُعرِضٌ
إِذِ السِلمُ باقٍ وَالقُوى لَم تَقَطَّعِ
You have neglected seeking pardon though pardon turns away
Since peace remains and strength is not yet cut off.
أَفَالآنَ حاوَلتَ الرِضا بَعدَما مَضَت
عَزيمَةُ غَضبانٍ عَلى الشَرِّ مُجمِعِ
Have you now tried acceptance after the resolve
Of an angry one intent on evil has passed?
إِذا بَدَرَت مِنهُ العَزيمَةُ لَم يَقِف
وَإِن جازَ عَنهُ الأَمرُ لَم يَتَتَبَّعِ
When resolve appears from him, he does not stand still
And if the matter goes beyond him, he does not pursue.
هَجومٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ مِن كُلِّ وِجهَةٍ
رِذا هَجهَجوا في وَجهِهِ لَم يُرَوَّعِ
Charging the enemies from every direction,
Roaring if they roar in his face, unafraid.
أَمينُ بَني العَبّاسِ في سِرِّ أَمرِهِم
وَعُدَّتُهُم لِلخالِعِ المُتَمَنِّعِ
Trustworthy of the Abbasids in the secret of their affair
And their equipment for the defiant apostate.
فَما هُوَ بِالسَهلِ الشَكيمَةِ دونَهُم
وَلا فيهِمِ بِالمُدهِنِ المُتَصَنِّعِ
He is not lowly among them nor
A sycophant or pretender among them.
وَيُرضيكَ مِن والي الأَعِنَّةِ كَرُّهُ
وَإِقدامُهُ في المَأزِقِ المُتَشَنِّعِ
And the hatred of the governor of scoundrels pleases you
As does his daring in the snarled and tangled.
لَهُ الأَثَرُ المَحمودُ في كُلِّ مَوقِفٍ
وَفَصلُ الخِطابِ الثَبتُ في كُلِّ مَوضِعِ
He has the praised effect in every stance
And the decisive word in every position.
لَكَ الخَيرُ إِنّي لاحِقٌ بِكَ فَاتَئِد
عَلَيَّ وَإِنّي قائِلٌ لَكَ فَاسمَعِ
Goodness to you, I will follow you so be
Forewarned about me, and I am saying to you, so listen.
مَكانِيَ مِن نُعماكَ غَيرُ مُؤَخَّرٍ
وَحَظِّيَ مِن جَدواكَ غَيرُ مُضَيَّعِ
My position from your favors is not delayed
And my share from your endeavors not wasted.
وَإِنّي وَإِن بَلَّغتَني شَرَفَ العُلا
وَأَعتَقتَ مِن ذُلِّ المَطالِعِ أَخدَعي
And even if you have raised me to the honor of elevation
And freed me from the disgrace of low horizons,
فَما أَنا بِالمَغضوضِ فيما أَتَيتَهُ
إِلَيَّ وَلا المَوضوعِ في غَيرِ مَوضِعي
I am not sullen about what you have brought
To me nor misplaced in other than my position.
وَقَد نافَسَتني عُصبَةٌ مِن مُقَصِّرٍ
وَمُنتَحِلٍ مالَم يَقُلهُ وَمُدَّعِ
And a group of failing and falsely laying claim
To what was not said have competed with me.
إِذا ما اِبتَدَرنا غايَةً جِئتُ سابِقاً
وَجاءوا عَلى آثَرِ حَسري وَظُلَّعِ
When we vie for a goal, I come first
And they follow in the tracks of my misfortune and shade.
فَلا تُلحِقَن بي مَعشَراً لَم يُؤَمِّلوا
لَحاقي وَلَم يَجروا إِلى أَمَدٍ مَعي
Do not liken me to a group who did not hope
To catch up to me nor race with me to any goal.
