قِفْ بالرّكائِبِ أو سُقْها بِتَرْتِيبِ
عَسى تَسير إلى الحيّ الأعاريبِ
Stand by the remnants, or drive them in order,
Perhaps you may go to the dwellings of Arabs,
وَاسْأَلْ نَسيما ثَنَتْ أَعْطَافَنَا سَحَراً
مِنْ أَيْنَ جاءَتْ ففِيها نَفْحَةُ الطِّيبِ
And ask the breeze that folded our necks at dawn,
Whence it came, for it holds the scent of musk.
وفي الركائبِ مَطْوِيٌّ على حُرقٍ
يَلْحقْنَ مُرْد الهَوى العُذْرِي بالشِّيبِ
And in the remnants is one bent with burning,
Who joins the herd of passionate love in old age,
يَلْقى الفُرَاقَ بِصَبْرٍ غَيْرِ منْتصرٍ
على النّوَى وبِوَجْدٍ غير مَغْلوبِ
Who meets separation with unrelenting patience,
Over desires, and with unvanquished fervor.
يا ربّة الهَوْدَج المَحْميّ جَانبه
إِلامَ حُبّكَ يُغْريني ويُغْري بي
O mistress of the protected litter, her flanks guarded,
Why does your love tempt me and tempt my father?
ظَنَنْتُ إنّ شَبابِي فيكَ يَشْفَعُ لي
وإنَّ جُودَ يَدِي يَقْضِي بِتَقْرِيبي
I thought my youth would intercede for me,
And my open hand would bring me near.
وقعْتِ بي وبآمالي عَلى خِدَعٍ
مِنَ المُنَى بَيْنَ تَصْدِيقِ وتكْذيبِ
You played tricks on me and my hopes,
With promises between belief and denial.
وَأنّ أبْعدَ حالاتِ المحبَّةِ أنْ
يَلْقى الوَفاءَ مُحِبٌّ عِنْدَ مَحْبُوبِ
That the furthest of love's states is that
A lover meets loyalty from the beloved.
كَمْ قَدْ شَقِيتُ بِعُذّالي عَلَيكَ وكَمْ
شَقوا بِصَدّي وإعْراضي وتَقْطِيبي
How I have suffered from your disapproval, and how
They have suffered from my rejection and frown.
أَسْعى إِلَيْكَ وَيَسْعَى بي مَلامُهُمُ
فَإِنّني بَيْنَ تأويبٍ وتأنيبِ
I strive toward you as their blame drives me away,
So I am between apology and rebuke.
صَدَّتْ بِلاَ سَبَبٍ عَنّي فَقُلْتُ لَهَا
يا أُخْتَ يُوسُفَ ما لِي صَبْرَ أَيُّوبِ
She turned from me without cause, so I said:
O sister of Joseph, I have not Job's patience.
تَرَحَّلي أَو أَقيمي أَنْتِ لي سَكَنٌ
وَأَنْتِ غايةُ آمالي ومَطْلوبِي
Travel or stay, you are my peace,
And you are the aim of my hopes and desire.
شَيْئانِ قَدْ أمِنّا مِنْ ثالثٍ لَهُما
وَجْدي عَليكِ وإحْسانُ ابن يَعْقوبِ
Two things I am safe from a third,
My fervor for you, and the kindness of the son of Jacob.
أَغرّ لا الوَعْدُ مَمْطولٌ لديهِ وَلَا
أُسْلُوبه في النَّدى عَنِّي بِمَسْلُوبِ
Alluring is he whose promise is not drawn out,
Nor his manner in intimacy taken from me.
إذا سَطا قُلْتُ يا أُسْدَ العَرينِ قِفي
وَإنْ بَدَا قُلْتُ يَا شَمْسَ الضُّحَى غِيبي
When he is harsh I say, “O lion of the den, stop!”
And when he appears I say, “O sun of the morn, hide!”
يَبيتُ بِالبأسِ مِنْهُ البِشْرُ مُبتسماً
والسّيْفُ غَيْرُ صَقيلٍ غَيْرُ مَرْهوبِ
He sleeps with might that makes mortals smile,
And the sword is bare, neither burnished nor dreaded.
صُمّ المسائِل فِي يَوْمِ الجِدالِ لَهُ
أَمْضى وأنفذ مِنْ صُمّ الأَنَابِيبِ
He is deafer to questions on debate day than
The deafness of pipes is more decisive and penetrating.
يَا مَنْ لَهُ الودّ مِنْ سِرّي وَمِنْ عَلَني
وَمَنْ إِلى بابِهِ شدّي وتَقْرِيبي
O you who possesses my secret and public affection,
And whom my devotion and proximity is bound to.
كَمْ رُمْتُ لَوْلاَ اشْتياقي إن تُباعِدني
لِكي تَرى صِدْقَ ودّي بَعْد تجريبي
How often, if not for my longing, I'd distance myself
So you may see the truth of my affection after testing me.
بِكَ انْتصرْتُ عَلى الأَيَّام مُقْتَدِراً
فَبِتْنَ مِنِّي بحدٍّ جِدّ مَرْهُوبِ
Through you I gained victory over the days, prevailing,
So beware my limit, stern, dreaded.
وَأَنْتَ أَتْقَنْتَ بالإِحْسانِ تَرْبِيتي
وأَنْتَ أَحْسَنْتَ بالإِتْقانِ تأديبي
You perfected my upbringing with benevolence,
And you perfected my discipline with precision.
وأَنْتَ أكْسَبتني رأياً غَنيتُ بِهِ
عَنْ أَن أُكَابِدَ مِنْ هَوْلِ التّجاريب
And you granted me an opinion that enriched me,
Freeing me from the horrors of trials.
فاسألْ مَعانيكَ عَنِّي فَهْيَ تَخْبرُني
تُخْبِرُكَ عَنْ كَرمٍ مِنْهُنَّ مَوْهُوبِ
So ask your meanings about me, for they will tell you,
And tell you of generosity in them unasked.
مَنْ سَيَّر الشُهبَ مِنْ نَظْمي الشُّموسَ ضُحىً
أَضاءَ ما بَيْنَ تَشْريقٍ وَتَغْريبِ
He who made my poetry's stars shine at dawn,
Illuminated what’s between sunrise and sunset.
قَدْ جَرَّد البِيضَ مِنْ ذِهْني ومِنْ هِمَمي
وقُلِّدَ البيضَ مِنْ مَدْحِي وَتَشْبيبي
He stripped nonsense from my mind and resolve,
And nonsense was collared by my praise and poetry.
وَمِنْ مُحَمَّد إِقْدامي وَمِعْرفَتي
وَمِنْ مُحمَّدَ إِعْرامي وتهذيبي
And from Muhammad is my resolve and knowledge,
And from Muhammad my confidence and discipline.
لا رأي لي في جيادِ الخيلِ أَرْكَبُها
إذا نَهضْتُ فَعَزْمي خَيْرُ مَرْكُوبِ
I have no opinion in choosing steeds to mount,
For when I set out, my will is the best mount.
أَعاذَكَ اللَّه مِنْ هَمٍّ أُكابِدُهُ
أَقولُ كَرْهاً لأحْشائِي بِهِ ذُوبي
May God protect you from a care I suffer,
That bitterly I say melts my innards.
مُلئتَ بالدّهر عِلْماً وَهُوَ يَمْلأُ بِي
جَهْلاً وَيَحْسَبُ مِنِّي غير مَحْسُوبِ
You have filled lifetimes with knowledge, while it
Fills me with ignorance, and counts me unreckoned.
إِحْدَى الأَعاجيبِ عِنْدِي مِنْهُ لو وُصِفَتْ
لَكَانَ وَصْفي لَهَا إِحْدى الأَعاجِيبِ
One of the wonders in my eyes, if described,
My description of it would be one of the wonders.
لا يَسْتَقِرُّ بِوَجْهٍ غَيْر مُبْتَذِلٍ
ولا يَسيرُ بِعرْضٍ غَير مَثْلُوبِ
He does not settle for an uncustomary dignity,
Nor walk with undeserved distinction.
ولا يبيتُ له جارٌ بلا فَرقٍ
ولا يُسَرُّ لَهُ ضَيْفٌ بِتَرْحَيب
He has no neighbor without distinction,
Nor a guest made happy by his welcoming.
يَصدّ عَنِّي إذا قابلتُه غَضباً
ككافرٍ صَدّ عَنْ بَعْضِ المحارِيبِ
He deflects my encounter if it is with anger,
Like an infidel deflected from some shrines.
وَلَوْ ضَربتُ بأدنى الفِكْرِ قُلْتُ لَهُ
قَتَلْتَ في شرّ ضَرْبٍ شَرّ مَضْرُوبِ
And if I strike with the slightest thought I would say,
“You have killed, with the worst of blows, the worst of beaten.”
فِدا نِعالِكَ ما ضَمَّت أَسرّتُهُ
وَإِنْ فُدِينَ بِمَمْقُوتٍ ومَسْبُوبِ
His shoes that trod are worth sacrificing for,
Even if ransomed by reviled and outcast.
إِن المعالي بَراءٌ مِنْ تَجَشُّمِها
تَلبَّسَ المَجْدُ فِيها بالأَكاذِيبِ
Glories are innocent of undertaking them,
While glory dressed itself in lies through them.
فَلَيْتَ كُلّ مُريبٍ غابَ عاتِبُهُ
فِداء كلّ بريء العِرْضِ مَعْتُوبِ
Would that each doubtful critic's reproach depart,
Ransoming each innocent of accused honor.
وَلَيْتَ أَنّي لَمْ أُدْفَعُ إِلى زَمنٍ
ألقى الأسُودَ بِهِ طَوْعَ الأَرانيبِ
Would that I were not pushed to a time,
Where the lions obey the weakest of rabbits.
إن يحْجِبِ الأَضْعَفُ الأَقْوَى فَلاَ عَجَبٌ
فَرُبَّ عَقْلٍ بِسَتْرِ الوَهْمِ مَحْجُوبِ
If the weaker can veil the stronger, no wonder,
For many a mind is veiled by fancy's curtain.
والدّهْرُ لَيْسٍ بِمأمونٍ على بَشرٍ
يُديرهُ بَيْنَ تنعيمٍ وَتَعْذيبِ
Time is unsafe for any mortal,
Whom it turns between bliss and torment.
فلا يَرُقْ مَسْكَنٌ فيهِ لِساكِنِه
ولا يَثقْ صاحِبٌ فيهِ بِمَصْحُوبِ
No dwelling in it settles its dweller,
Nor does a companion trust in it his fellow.
وَإِنَّما الناسُ إِلّا أَنْتَ في سِنَةٍ
مُعلّلين بِتَرْغيبٍ وتَرْهيبِ
For people are only you in an era,
Swayed by intimidation and enticement.
أَلَسْتَ مِنْ نَفَرٍ لَمْ يُثْنَ دُونَهُمُ
عادٍ بِنَجْحٍ ولا عافٍ بتَخْييبِ
Are you not of a band before whom
Neither ‘Aad with success nor Aaf with failure bowed?
عَالِينَ في رُتَبٍ عافينَ عَنْ رِيبِ
دانينَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ نائينَ عن حُوبِ
Exalted in station, abstaining from blemish,
Near in nobility, distant from shame.
كَريمٌ ما أَظْهرُوه مِنْ شَمائلهم
كريمٌ ما سَترُوه في الجلابيبِ
Noble is their outward qualities,
Noble what they concealed in robes.
صَاغَتْ عِبارتُهُمْ حُسْنَ البديع بها
مِنَ البلاغَةِ في أَسْنى القَوالِيبِ
Their phrases wrought elegance's beauty through them,
Of eloquence, in the sublimity of execution.
مِنْ كلّ مُنْتَهِجٍ جُوْداً ومُبْتَهِجٍ
بِشْراً إِلى حَلَبِ الفَيْحَاءِ مَنْسُوبِ
From every well-treading path of munificence and felicity,
Descended from the milking of Fayhaan's udder.
عَفٌّ كريمُ السّجايا مُحْسِنٌ عَلَمٌ
مِنَ الهُدَى في سَبيل اللَّه مَنْصُوبِ
Chaste, noble in nature, bestower of good, a flag
Planted for God in the path of guidance.
فيهم لِكلّ فتىً يَغْشاهُمُ أَبداً
إِنْصافُ مَعْدلة في كُلّ أُسْلوبِ
In them, for every young man who comes upon them,
Is the justice of a balanced approach in every manner.
لكلِّ ذي كِبَرٍ إِكبارُ تَكْرُمةٍ
وكلِّ ذِي صِغَر تَصْغير تَحْبيبِ
For every venerable elder, veneration of honor,
And every smaller one, belittlement of endearment.
فاهنأ بذا العيدِ يا عيداً تُقلّلهُ
وابْشِرِ بِسَعْدٍ وأجر فيه مَجْلوبِ
So delight in this feast, O feast that you reduce,
And rejoice in fortune and abundant reward.
وَاسْلَمْ على ما بِهذي الناسِ مِن عَطَبٍ
في العلمِ أو في الحَجَى أَو في التَّراتيبِ
And submit to the faults these people have
In knowledge, logic, or systems.
فَلَيْسَ مَجْدُكَ في مَجْدٍ بِمُحْتَجَبٍ
وَلَيْسَ مَدْحُكَ في مَدْحٍ بمكذوبِ
For your glory is not in hidden glory,
Nor your praise in unreliable praise.
وَلَيْس تَلقى اللّيالي غير مُنْصَرفٍ
وليس تَرْقى المعالي غَيْرَ مَخْطوبِ
You do not meet nights without progressing,
Nor attain heights without being gifted them.
دَعْني وشِعْري ومَنْ في جَفْنِهِ مَرضٌ
دُوني يُزلْ مَرضَ الأَجْفان تطبيبي
Leave me and my poetry, for he who is diseased in his lids,
My healing of eyelids’ illness refutes me.
وَخُذْ شَواهِد ما أَمْليتُ مِنْ فِكَرٍ
تُثْني عَليكَ بِمَلْفُوظٍ وَمَكْتُوبِ
And take examples of what thoughts I expressed,
That compliment you in both word and script.
فَالدرُّ يحْسُنُ مَثْقُوباً لِناظِمِهِ
وَحُسْنُ لَفْظي دَرّ غَيْرُ مَثْقُوبِ
For the pearl looks finer pierced for its stringer,
And the beauty of my words is an unpierced pearl.
وكُلَّما قِيلَ شِعْرٌ أَو يُقالُ فما
أَراه إِلّا رَذاذاً مِنْ شَآبيبي
And whenever poetry is spoken or recited, I do not
See it as anything but sprinkles of my showers.
