مَنْ مُجِيرِي مِنْ حَالِكَاتِ اللَّيَالِي؟
نُوَبَ الدَّهْرِ مَا لَكُنَّ وَمَا لِي؟!
Who will protect me from the nights that turn?
The ages have passed, but for what purpose?
قَدْ طَوَانِي الظَّلَامُ حَتَّى كَأَنِّي
فِي دَيَاجِي الْوُجُودِ طَيْفُ خَيَالِ
Darkness has enveloped me, till I seem
A specter in the obscurity of existence.
كُلُّ لَيْلٍ لَهُ زَوَالٌ وَلَيْلِي
دَقَّ أَطْنَابَهُ لِغَيْرِ زَوَالِ!
Every night ends, but mine has stretched
Its ropes endlessly, denying end.
كُلُّ لَيْلٍ لَهُ نُجُومٌ، وَلَكِنْ
أَيْنَ أَمْثَالُهُنَّ مِنْ أَمْثَالِي؟
Every night has stars, but where are mine
Compared to those that stud my firmament?
تَثِبُ الشَّمْسُ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَشَمْسِي
عُقِلَتْ دُونَهَا بِأَلْفِ عِقَالِ
The sun leaps up in heaven, while my sun
Is fettered, a thousand chains deny ascent.
لَا أَرَى حِينَمَا أَرَى غَيْرَ حَظِّي
حَالِكَ اللَّوْنِ عَابِسَ الْآمَالِ
Whenever I see aught but my own fortune,
That sullen, glowering, joyless visage, woe!
هُوَ جُبٌّ أَعِيشُ فِيهِ حَزِينًا
كَاسِفَ النَّفْسِ دَائِمَ الْبَلْبَالِ
It is a deep ravine wherein sadly
I dwell, downcast, eternally distraught.
مَا رَأَتْ بَسْمَةَ الشُّمُوسِ زَوَايَا
هُ، وَلَا دَاعَبَتْ شُعَاعَ الْهِلَالِ
Never have its sunless stones known laughter
Or traced upon them moonbeams’ soft assault.
فَإِذَا نِمْتُ فَالظَّلَامُ أَمَامِي
أَوْ تَيَقَّظْتُ فَالسَّوَادُ حِيَالِي
Asleep, darkness awaits me, or I wake
To find the blackness massed before my gaze.
أَتَقَرَّى الطَّرِيقَ فِيهِ بِكَفِّي
بَيْنَ شَكٍّ وَحَيْرَةٍ وَضَلَالِ
I grope the road, mid doubt, perplexity,
And wander lost, to left hand or to right.
وَأُحِسُّ الْهَوَاءَ فَهْوَ دَلِيلِي
عَنْ يَمِينِي أَسِيرُ أَوْ عَنْ شِمَالِي
I feel the very wind, it is my guide,
Whether I turn northward or south I hie.
كُلَّمَا رُمْتُ مِنْهُ يَوْمًا خَلَاصًا
عَجَزَتْ حِيلَتِي وَرَثَّتْ حِبَالِي
Whene’er I strive from it to win release
Someday, my wits and stratagems all fail.
عَبَثًا أُرْسِلُ الْأَنِينَ مِنَ الْجُبِّ
إِلَى سَاكِنِي الْقُصُورِ الْعَوَالِي!
In vain unto the lofty manors’ lords
I loose my moan from out the sunless wold.
مَنْ لِسَارٍ بِلَيْلَةٍ طُولُهَا الْعُمْـ
ـرُ، يَجُوبُ الْأَوْجَالَ لِلْأَوْجَالِ؟
Who can endure a lifelong night whose length
Defies surcease, roving from wold to wold,
مُتَرَدٍّ فِي هَاوِيَاتِ وِهَادٍ
لَاهِثٍ فَوْقَ شَامِخَاتِ جِبَالِ
Restive ‘mid lowland swamps, breathless to scale
Unscalable pinnacles of mountain heights,
عِنْدَ صَحْرَاءَ لِلْأَعَاصِيرِ فِيهَا
ضَحِكُ الْجِنِّ أَوْ نَحِيبُ السَّعَالِي
Where mock the Jinn or moan the desert gales
In a Sahara where Spring never blooms
لَمْ يَزُرْهَا وَشْيُ الرَّبِيعِ وَلَكِنْ
لَكَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ نَسِيجِ الرِّمَالِ
But woven for you is all you wish of sand,
Untrod by humankind, without resort.
لَيْسَ لِلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهَا مِنْ مَطَارٍ
أَوْ بَنِي الْإِنْسِ حَوْلَهَا مِنْ مَجَالِ
Dread overwhelms the vitals, timorous fear,
Its surface sterile, rugged as a blade,
خَلَقَ اللهُ قَفْرَهَا ثُمَّ سَوَّى
مِنْ ثَرَاهُ أَنَامِلَ الْبُخَّالِ
Endlessly stretching like a hope gone wrong,
Whose limits no persistence can invade.
رَهْبَةٌ تَمْلَأُ الْجَوَانِحَ رُعْبًا
وَأَدِيمٌ وَعْرٌ كَحَدِّ النِّصَالِ
Therein the sightless strayed, a waif, distraught,
His course unsure, unknowing where to turn.
وَامْتِدَادٌ كَأَنَّهُ الْأَمَلُ الطَّا
ئِشُ مَا ضَاقَ ذَرْعُهُ بِمُحَالِ
In its roar no cool wind gave him ease,
Nor soothed its furious heat the shade of palm.
سَارَ فِيهَا الْأَعْمَى وَحِيدًا شَرِيدًا
حَائِرًا بَيْنَ وَقْفَةٍ وَارْتِحَالِ
His staff grew tired of ceaseless blows that rained
Upon the ground, marking his hapless state.
فِي هَجِيرٍ مَا خَفَّ حَرُّ لَظَاهُ
بِنَسِيمٍ، وَلَا بِبَرْدِ ظِلَالِ
His voice is raised, but no respondent stirs—
The universe emptied of all mortal souls!
مَلَّ عُكَّازُهُ مِنَ الضَّرْبِ فِي الْأَرْ
ضِ عَلَى خَيْبَةٍ وَرِقَّةِ حَالِ
And who is there in a lagoon of woe
That is his world, his days in long array?
يَرْفَعُ الصَّوْتَ لَا يَرَى مِنْ مُجِيبٍ
أَقْفَرَ الْكَوْنُ مِنْ قُلُوبِ الرِّجَالِ!
Darkness on darkness crowds each one before,
As nights repeat themselves night after night.
مَنْ لِهَاوٍ فِي لُجَّةٍ هِيَ دُنْيَا
هُ وَأَيَّامُ بُؤْسِهِ الْمُتَوَالِي؟
The ocean gapes to suck him down full fain,
Then casts him up again, all members smashed.
ظُلَمٌ بَعْضُهَا يُزَاحِمُ بَعْضًا
كَلَيَالٍ كَرَرْنَ إِثْرَ لَيَالِي
You glimpse no more than hands that signal need
When tongues are stilled, all power to speak denied.
يَفْتَحُ الْمَوْجُ مَاضِغَيْهِ فَيَهْوِي
ثُمَّ يَطْفُو مُحَطَّمَ الْأَوْصَالِ
While winds, yes winds assail the poor and weak
Like lifetimes prey upon contracted spans.
لَا تَرَى مِنْهُ غَيْرَ كَفٍّ تُنَادِي
حِينَمَا عَقَّهُ لِسَانُ الْمَقَالِ
He hears the ships around him trumpet blasts
Of parting, but who cares for one like him?
وَالرِّيَاحُ الرِّيَاحُ تَعْصِفُ بِالْمِسْ
كِينِ عَصْفَ الْأَيَّامِ بِالْآجَالِ
He hears the dance, the music, voices lifted
In union’s bliss or loss’s long lament.
يَسْمَعُ السُّفْنَ حَوْلَهُ مَاخِرَاتٍ
مَنْ يُبَالِي بِمِثْلِهِ مَنْ يُبَالِي؟
The happy tribe ignores him, turns away,
Amused by wine and daughters of the great.
يَسْمَعُ الرَّقْصَ وَالْأَهَازِيجَ تَشْدُو
بَيْنَ وَصْلِ الْهَوَى وَهَجْرِ الدَّلَالِ
Why trouble their delights with such a wretch
Who piles disasters on his own head?
شُغِلَ الْقَوْمُ عَنْهُ بِالْقَصْفِ وَاللَّهْ
وِ وَهَامُوا بِحُبِّ بِنْتِ الدَّوَالِي
They want no pall to mar their feast’s decor
With plaints of woe or cries of misery.
مَا لَهُمْ وَالصَّرِيعَ فِي غَمْرَةِ اللُّجِّ
يَصُدُّ الْأَهْوَالَ بِالْأَهْوَالِ
So harden hearts! How base a boast that they
Can shame man’s dignity and noble strain!
لَا يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُشَابَ لَهُمْ صَفْ
وٌ بِنَوْحٍ لِلْبُؤْسِ أَوْ إِعْوَالِ
Who will this sightless one a staff extend?
Though tight his belly, never he complained.
هَكَذَا تُمْحِلُ الْقُلُوبُ، وَأَنْكَى
أَنْ تُبَاهِي بِذَلِكَ الْإِمْحَالِ!
Whoever saw him saw the mass of woes,
An emaciated shamble, nothing more—
هَكَذَا تُقْبَرُ الْمُرُوءَةُ فِي النَّا
سِ، وَيُقْضَى عَلَى كَرِيمِ الْخِلَالِ!
The prime of youth, yet bowed his head like eld’s,
Humble as those whom weight of years has drained.
مَنْ لِهَذَا الْأَعْمَى يَمُدُّ عَصَاهُ
عَاصِبَ الْبَطْنِ لَمْ يَبُحْ بِسُؤَالِ؟
Silent as darkness, mourners might suppose
In his gaunt form man’s anguish truly spelled.
مَنْ رَآهُ يَرَى خَلِيطًا مِنَ الْبُؤْ
سِ هَزِيلًا يَسِيرُ فِي أَسْمَالِ
Lost to all light and life—after the eyes,
Can lips know sweetness or the taste of joy?
هُوَ فِي مَيْعَةِ الصِّبَا وَتَرَاهُ
مُطْرِقَ الرَّأْسِ فِي خُشُوعِ الْكِهَالِ
Afflicted by misfortune and mankind,
He bore time’s outrage, victim of disdain.
سَاكِنًا كَالظَّلَامِ، يَحْسَبُهُ الرَّا
ءُونَ مَعْنًى لِلْيَأْسِ فِي تِمْثَالِ
He never viewed the blossom-dotted fields
With coloring bright, or glory in their prime.
فَقَدَ الضَّوْءَ وَالْحَيَاةَ، وَهَلْ بَعْـ
ـدَ ضِيَاءِ الْعَيْنَيْنِ سَلْوَى لِسَالِ؟
He never raised his eyes to heaven’s face
Or marked its shining hosts in vast array.
مَطَلَتْهُ الْأَيَّامُ وَالنَّاسُ حَقًّا
فَقَضَى عَيْشَهُ شَهِيدَ الْمِطَالِ
He never saw the Nile in winding trains
With skirted tails stride proudly, long and lithe.
مَا رَأَى الرَّوْضَ فِي مَآزِرِهِ الْخُضْـ
ـرِ يُبَاهِي بِحُسْنِهَا وَيُغَالِي
He never knew the silver of the dawn
Or on night’s glossy locks delighted gazed.
مَا رَأَى صَفْحَةَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا رُكِّـ
ـبَ فِيهَا مِنْ بَاهِرَاتِ اللَّآلِي
Then let him witness human majesty
If life has cheated him of beauty’s sight.
مَا رَأَى النِّيلَ فِي الْخَمَائِلِ يَخْتَا
لُ بِأَذْيَالِهِ الْعِرَاضِ الطِّوَالِ
Let him feel tenderness and kindness too
If brightness never blessed his searching gaze.
مَا رَأَى فِضَّةَ الضُّحَى فِي سَنَاهَا
أَوْ تَمَلَّى بِعَسْجَدِ الْآصَالِ
‘God takes one thing and gives another thing
And recompenses justly, without fail.’
فَدَعُوهُ يَشْهَدْ جَمَالًا مِنَ الْإِحْـ
ـسَانِ، إِنْ فَاتَهُ شُهُودُ الْجَمَالِ
He senses dangers to the spirit none
Suspect, where creeping worms of greed assail.
وَدَعُوهُ يُبْصِرْ ذُبَالًا مِنَ الرَّحْـ
ـمَةِ إِنْ عَقَّهُ ضِيَاءُ الذُّبَالِ
And unconfused, he sees the truth glow bright
In all its glory, thus illuminated.
قَدْ خَبَرْتُ الدُّنْيَا فَلَمْ أَرَ أَزْكَى
مِنْ يَمِينٍ تَفَتَّحَتْ عَنْ نَوَالِ!
Sheikh Ibn Arabi shone like a planet
In the long darkness of past ages’ night,
أَيُّهَا الْوَادِعُونَ يَمْشُونَ زَهْوًا
بَيْنَ جَبْرِيَّةٍ وَبَيْنَ اخْتِيَالِ
And, as foretold, the seal of those his peer,
Annulled perceptions of the learned elite
يُنْفِقُونَ الْقِنْطَارَ فِي تَرَفِ الْعَيْـ
ـشِ، وَلَا يُحْسِنُونَ بِالْمِثْقَالِ
Succor the helpless and the destitute
Shield them from shame and being downtrod
وَيَرَوْنَ الْأَمْوَالَ تُنْثَرُ فِي اللَّهْ
وِ، فَلَا يَجْزَعُونَ لِلْأَمْوَالِ
Teach them—some doorway may to living ope
Provide the keys that open every lock
إِنَّ فِي بَلْدَةِ الْمُعِزِّ جُحُورًا
مُتْرَعَاتٍ بِأَدْمُعِ الْأَطْفَالِ
Do not compound his blindness with ignorance
Lest he know greater woe and doubled knocks
كُلُّ جُحْرٍ بِالْبُؤْسِ وَالْفَقْرِ مَمْلُو
ءٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ مِنَ الزَّادِ خَالِي
All of time’s slings one can in patience bear
Except the sightlessness of minds untaught
بَسَقَتْ فِيهِ لِلْجَرَاثِيمِ أَفْنَا
نٌ تَدَلَّتْ بِكُلِّ دَاءٍ عُضَالِ
Teach him, for knowledge is the lamp of life
Scorn not to act, hesitate not to give
لَوْ رَأَيْتَ الْأَشْبَاحَ مِنْ سَاكِنِيهِ
لَرَأَيْتَ الْأَطْلَالَ فِي الْأَطْلَالِ!
If time and family and friends abandon him
Then for such a one prove kinder kin
يَرْهَبُ النُّورُ أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِهِ مَرًّا
وَتَخْشَى أَذَاهُ رِيحُ الشَّمَالِ
Revelation calls to treat the blind with care
And openhanded meet another’s needs
تَحْسَبُ الطِّفْلَ فِيهِ فِي كَفَنِ الْمَوْ
تَى وَقَدْ ضَمَّهُ الرِّدَاءُ الْبَالِي
Let generations telling Egypt’s tale
For ages hence prepare, make straight their path.
أَيُّهَا الْأَغْنِيَاءُ أَيْنَ نَدَاكُمْ؟
بَلَغَ السَّيْلُ عَالِيَاتِ الْقِلَالِ!
With hands so generous, privation’s gloom
Shall be dispelled, and nations seek the heights.
هُمْ عِيَالُ الرَّحْمَنِ مَاذَا رَأَيْتُمْ
أَوْ صَنَعْتُمْ لِهَؤُلَاءِ الْعِيَالِ؟
Gone want and riches, but the righteous works
Shall by the doers in remembrance live!
رُبَّ أَعْمَى لَهُ بَصِيرَةُ كَشْفٍ
نَفَذَتْ مِنْ غَيَاهِبِ الْأَسْدَالِ!
أَخَذَ اللهُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَأَعْطَى
وَأَعَاضَ الْمِكْيَالَ بِالْمِكْيَالِ
يَلْمَحُ الْخَطْرَةَ الْخَفِيَّةَ لِلنَّفْـ
ـسِ لَهَا فِي الصُّدُورِ دَبُّ النِّمَالِ
وَيَرَى الْحَقَّ فِي جَلَالَةِ مَعْنَا
هُ فَيَحْيَا فِي ضَوْءِ هَذَا الْجَلَالِ
كَانَ شَيْخُ الْمَعَرَّةِ الْكَوْكَبَ السَّا
طِعَ فِي ظُلْمَةِ الْقُرُونِ الْخَوَالِي
فَأَتَى وَهْوَ آخِرٌ «مِثْلَمَا قَا
لَ» بِمَا نَدَّ عَنْ عُقُولِ الْأَوَالِي
أَنْقِذُوا الْعَاجِزَ الْفَقِيرَ وَصُونُوا
وَجْهَهُ عَنْ مَذَلَّةٍ وَابْتِذَالِ
عَلِّمُوهُ، يَطْرُقْ مِنَ الْعَيْشِ بَابًا
وَامْنَحُوهُ مَفَاتِحَ الْأَقْفَالِ
لَا تَضُمُّوا إِلَى أَسَاهُ عَمَى الْجَهْـ
ـلِ فَيَلْقَى النَّكَالَ بَعْدَ النَّكَالِ
كُلُّ شَيْءٍ يُطَاقُ مِنْ نُوَبِ الْأَيَّـ
ـامِ إِلَّا عَمَايَةَ الْجُهَّالِ
عَلِّمُوهُ، فَالْعِلْمُ مِصْبَاحُ دُنْيَا
هُ وَلَا تَكْتَفُوا بِصُنْعِ السِّلَالِ
إِنْ جَفَاهُ الزَّمَانُ وَالْآلُ وَالصَّحْـ
ـبُ فَكُونُوا لِمِثْلِهِ خَيْرَ آلِ
نَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ فِي التَّرَفُّقِ بِالْأَعْـ
ـمَى وَبسْطِ الْيَدَيْنِ لِلسُّؤَّالِ
سَوْفَ تَتْلُو الْأَجْيَالُ تَارِيخَ مِصْرٍ
فَأَعِدُّوا التَّارِيخَ لِلْأَجْيَالِ
بِالْأَيَادِي الْحِسَانِ يُمْحَى دُجَى الْبُؤْ
سِ وَتَسْمُو الشُّعُوبُ نَحْوَ الْكَمَالِ
يَذْهَبُ الْفَقْرُ وَالثَّرَاءُ وَيَبْقَى
مَا بَنَى الْخَيِّرُونَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ!
