حُيِّيتُما مِن مَربَعٍ وَمَصيفِ
كانا مَحَلّى زَينَبٍ وَصَدوفِ
Greetings to you both, springtime dwelling and summer abode,
once the home of Zaynab and Saduf.
وَكُسيتُما زَهرَ الرَبيعِ وَعُشبَهُ
مُتَآلِفينَ بِأَحسَنِ التَأليفِ
May you both be clothed in spring’s blossoms and grass,
harmoniously joined in fairest harmony.
فَلَقَد عَهِدتُكُما وَفي مَغناكُما
سُؤلُ المُحِبِّ وَحاجَةُ المَشعوفِ
For I knew you both when, within your precincts,
lay the lover’s desire and the passion-struck man’s need:
مِن كُلِّ مُرهَفَةٍ يُجيلُ وُشاحَها
عِطفا قَضيبٍ في القَوامِ قَضيفِ
each slender-waisted beauty whose sash set swaying
the supple bend of a slim, reed-like form;
تَهتَزُّ في هَيَفٍ وَما بَعَثَ الهَوى
مِنهُنَّ مِثلَ المُرهَفاتِ الهيفِ
she trembled in her graceful slenderness—and passion never stirred
among them blades so slender and keen.
بيضٌ مَزَجنَ لي الوَصالَ بِهِجرَةٍ
وَوَصَلنَ لي الإِغرامَ بِالتَكليفِ
Fair ones who mingled union for me with desertion,
and joined my infatuation to torment,
إِذ لا يُنَهنِهُني العَذولُ وَلا أُرى
مُتَوَقِّفاً لِلَّومِ وَالتَعنيفِ
when no reproving friend could check me, nor was I
one to halt for blame or rebuke.
حَتّامَ تُفرِطُ في التَصابي لَوعَتي
وَتُفيضُ واكِفَ دَمعِيَ المَذروفِ
How long will my anguish run to excess in youthful passion,
and pour forth my streaming, cascading tears?
فَلتَعزِفَنَّ عَنِ البَطالَةِ هِمَّتي
وَليَقصُرَنَّ عَلى الدِيارِ وُقوفي
Let my resolve now turn away from idleness,
and let my lingering at the dwellings be cut short.
وَلَأَشكُرَنَّ أَبا عَلِيَّ إِنَّ مِن
جَدوى يَدَيهِ تالِدي وَطَريفي
Surely I shall thank Abu Ali—for from
the bounty of his hands come both my inherited and newfound wealth.
أَعلى مَكاني طَولُهُ فَأَحَلَّني
في باذِخٍ عِندَ السِماكِ مُنيفِ
His munificence raised my station and lodged me
upon a towering height, lofty as al-Simāk.
صَنَعَ الصَنائِعَ في الرِجالِ وَلَم يَكُن
كَمُلَعَّنٍ في البَحثِ وَالتَكشيفِ
He bestowed benefactions upon men, and was not
like one accursed in probing and importunity.
وَكفى صُروفَ الدَهرِ مُضطَلِعاً بِها
وَالدَهرُ تِربُ حَوادِثٍ وَصُروفِ
He stood firm enough to shoulder fortune’s vicissitudes,
while Time is the companion of calamities and reversals.
فَمَتى خَشيتَ مِنَ الزَمانِ مُلِمَّةً
لاقَيتُها فَدَفَعتُها بِوَصيفِ
Whenever you fear some calamity from the age,
I meet it and repel it through Wasif—
بِالأَبيَضِ الوَضاحِ حينَ تَنوبُهُ
حاجاتُنا وَالأَزهَرِ الغِطريفِ
through the bright, radiant one, whenever visited by
our needs, the splendid and high-born lord:
خِرقٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ بانَ مُبَرِّزاً
بِكَمالِهِ وَفَعالِهِ المَوصوفِ
a bold youth among men, plainly preeminent,
renowned for his perfection and his deeds;
مَلِكٌ يُضيءُ مِنَ الطَلاقَةِ وَجهُهُ
فَتَخالُهُ بَدرَ السَماءِ الموفي
a king whose face shines with open cheer,
so that you fancy him the full moon at its zenith.
اللَهُ جارُك حَيثُ كُنتَ مُمَتَّعاً
بِمَواهِبِ الإِعزازِ وَالتَشريفِ
May God be your protector wherever you are, enjoying
gifts of honor and ennoblement.
إِنّي لَجَأتُ إِلى ذَراكَ مُخَيِّماً
فيهِ وَعُذتُ بِظِلِّكَ المَألوفِ
Indeed, I have sought refuge in your protection, pitching my tent
there, and sheltered in your familiar shade.
ما مَوضِعي بِمُذَمَّمٍ عِندي وَلا
سَبَبي وَقَد أَكَّدتَهُ بِضَعيفِ
My standing with you is not blameworthy, nor is
my bond—whose tie you have made firm—weak.
لي حاجَةٌ شَرُفَت وَلَيسَ بِبالِغٍ
فيها الَّذي أَمَّلتُ غَيرُ شَريفِ
I have an exalted need, and none who is
base can attain what I have hoped for in it.
وَقَدِ اِبتَدَأتَ بِمِثلِها لا مائِلاً
فيها إِلى مَطلٍ وَلا تَسويفِ
You have already begun with one like it, showing no
delay in it, nor postponement.
فَلَئِن ثَنَيتَ بِها فَلَيسَ بِمُنكَرٍ
أَن تُتبِعَ المَعروفَ بِالمَعروفِ
If you follow it with another, it is no strange thing
that you should follow one kindness with another.
