لَعَمري لَئِن أَضحى عَنِ الغيدِ عادِيا
لَقَد فَضَّهُ سِرّاً إِلى البيدِ بادِيا
By my life, though he has parted from his love at dawn,
Indeed he confided to the desolate his secret displayed.
وَوَدَّعَهُ مَغنىً مِنَ اللهو آهِلاً
وَأَرخَصَهُ دَمعاً عَلى المَجدِ غالِيا
And bid farewell to pleasure, now grown old,
And let fall a tear, though glory is precious.
وَأَصبَحَ في بَحرٍ مِنَ الهَمِّ غائِصاً
فَأَطلَقَها مِن مُقلَتَيهِ لَآلِيا
And plunged into a sea of cares
That burst forth from his eyelids unrestrained.
أَساءَكِ أَن أَضحى عَنِ الذُلِّ راحِلاً
وَسَرَّكِ أَن أَمسى على الغَيرِ ثاوِيا
How I wished that he had parted from humiliation
And that you were pleased that he passed the night blaming others.
أَبيحيهِ عَدلاً مِن خَلائِقِكِ الَّتي
أَراها بِأَيدي الحادِثاتِ عَوارِيا
Reprove him justly for qualities of yours
That I see made bare by the hands of events.
إلى الأَمنِ مِنّي أَن تَرِثَّ وَصائِلي
وَإِن قَطَعَت بَعدَ اللَيالي لَيالِيا
Grant me safety from inheriting his farewells
Though after nights, nights again should divide.
أَتَخشَينَ إِن طالَ اللِقاءُ تَسَلِّيا
وَتَخشَينَ إِن طالَ الفِراقُ تَأَسِّيا
Do you fear that if we meet I may jest?
Or fear that if we part I may grieve?
هِبي لي عِنانَ الرَكبِ كَالدَمعِ بَعدَها
فَإِنَّكِ ما اِستَغدَرتِ إِلّا وَفائِيا
Give me the camel's rein after her;
You erred not save that my fidelity was surety.
لَغادَرتِ بِالعَهدِ الغَوانِيَ أَن وَفَت
رِجالاً وَبِالغَدرِ الرِجالَ غَوانِيا
With fidelity you left men of passion,
And with treachery you left passionate men.
وَلا تُخدَعي بالدَمعِ فَالدَمعُ بَعضُهُ
سَرابٌ وَظَنّي نَحوَهُ ما سَرى بِيا
And be not deceived by tears; some tears
Are mirage, and my belief in them went not straight.
وَلَكِن أَبَت هَذي الخُدودُ بِأَن تُرى
عَلى عَطَلِ الأَحوالِ إِلّا حَوالِيا
But these cheeks refused to show
Aught but my condition, however times be inert.
عَجِبتُ لَها إِذ ضَلَّ عَقلي وَناظِري
بِها وبَدَت لِلناظِرينَ دَرارِيا
I wondered, when my reason went astray and my sight
Strayed toward them, and to lookers they glistened.
تَقولُ أَتَرمي النَفسَ قُلتُ لِعِلَّةٍ
وَتَرمي النَوى بِالمُقتِرِينَ المَرامِيا
You said, "Would you cast away your soul?" I said, "For an aim."
And cast the stone at those who throw stones loftily.
لَعَلِّيَ يَشفيني البِعادُ فَأَنشَدَت
كَفى بِكَ داءً أَن تَرى المَوتَ شافِيا
Perhaps distance may cure me. Then she recited:
"Enough that you see death as your physician."
وَقالَت أَمانٍ وَدَّعَت فَأَجبتُها
ولِلَهِ أَلطافٌ تُنيلُ الأَمانِيا
She said "Farewell" and went her way. I replied:
God has favors that grant all wishes.
بَكَيتُ فَما آنَستُ لِلدَمعِ راحَةً
نَعَم ما شُفِيَ مَن ظَنَّ أَن لا تَلاقِيا
I wept but sensed no comfort for tears.
Yes, none is cured who thinks you will not meet.
وَإِنّيَ مِن فَوقِ التُرابِ وَتَحتَهُ
لِأَحمِلُ عَهداً مِثلَ حُبِّكِ باقِيا
I, above dust and beneath it,
Will keep a pact like my love for you enduring,
وَأَبلى وَإِن لَم يَبلَ حُبّي فَإِنَّهُ
كَعَهدِكَ لَم يَشمَت بِهِ الدَهرُ بالِيا
And though my love may not last, it is
Like your pact, Time has not gloated at its fading.
وَفيك لَبِسنا اللَيلَ ما شابَ رَأسُنا
إِلى أن خَلَعناهُ وَشِبنا نَواصِيا
Through you we wore the night until our hair whitened
As we put it off, our temples turned hoary.
وَأَرضَيتُ في حبّيكِ مَن أَغضَبَ العُلا
وَيا لَيتَهُ لَو كانَ عَنِّيَ راضِيا
I pleased in my love for you those angered by greatness.
Would that he were pleased with me!
وَأَروَيتُ خَدّي مِن دُموعٍ وَرُبّما
غَضِبتُ فَأَروَيتُ العُلا وَالعَوالِيا
I watered my cheek with tears, and sometimes
I grew angry and watered the heights and the lofty places.
وَفيكِ دَعَتني قَفرَةٌ فَأَجَبتُها
فَهابَ صَداها أَن يَكونَ جَوابِيا
In you a barren spot called me and I answered it,
So my reply shied from being an answer.
أَبَحتُكِ سِرّاً في الفُؤادِ بِرَدِّهِ
سَيبقى وَإِن أَفنَيتُ فيكِ فُؤادِيا
In my heart I concealed a secret love for you
That will remain though you destroy my heart.
شَفى ناصِحٌ فيكُم يُرَدُّ بِغَيظِهِ
عَلى أَنَّهُ كانَ الصَديقَ المُصافِيا
A counselor blamed you to appease his anger
As if he were the loyal, untainted friend.
وَوَاللَهِ لا حكَّمتُ واشِيَ حُبِّها
وَلَو كانَ فيها الحُبُّ بِالحُبِّ واشِيا
By God, I would not have made a tattler an arbiter,
Even if the love were a tattler in it.
تَمَلّى بِقَلبٍ سَرَّ دَهرَكِ شُغلُهُ
فَلَم يَخلُ مِن هَمٍّ بِأَن كانَ خالِيا
One busied with a heart that your cares filled
So it had no care though empty.
أَغِثني بِماءِ الوَصلِ مَأواكِ إِنَّهُ
حِمىً كانَ مِن رَهجِ الحَمِيَّةِ كاسِيا
Help me at your trysting-place with the water of union.
It is a refuge that was hot from the burning wind.
وَأَروَيتُ نارَ الحُبِّ فيهِ وَرُبَّما
تَعَلَّقَتِ النيرانُ ما كانَ حامِيا
And I watered there the fire of love, and sometimes
The flames caught that which did not burn.
وَمِن أَجلِها أَبكي جُفوناً وَأَتَّقي
جُفوناً وَأَخشاها جُفوناً عَوادِيا
For her sake I weep eyes that watch
And eyes that I fear, eyes that attack.
وَأُثني عَلى نارٍ ضُلوعاً وَأَلتَظي
وُلوعاً وَأَستَشفي دُموعاً جَوارِيا
For a fire I praise ribs that blaze
And suffer burning and heal tears that scald.
إِلَيكَ وَلا أُسميكَ أَضمَرتُ رِحلَةً
وَأَبدَأَها لِلخَلقِ كَونُكَ بادِيا
I set out to you, but do not name you, a journey
And begin it though you are visible to people.
وَغَيرُكُمُ الأَسماءُ تَسمو بِقَدرِهِ
وَقَدرُكُمُ زادَ الأَسامي تَسامِيا
Others are named according to their worth,
But your worth made names more lofty.
سُلَيمانُ مَلكٌ إِذ سَما بِيَ قَصدُهُ
رَكِبتُ إِلَيهِ الريحَ أَبغي الغَوادِيا
When Solomon's desire summoned me,
I rode the wind, seeking the plains.
تَراها وَلُجُّ البَحرِ يُزبدُ ماؤُهُ
عَقارِبَ يَستَبطِنَّ مِنهُ أَفاعِيا
You see it when the sea churns with waves
Scorpions lurking underneath drink from it.
وَأَحسَبُ أَخلاقَ اللَياليَ ما عَفَت
لَها عَن سُراها أَو حُسِبنَ لَيالِيا
I reckon the character of nights, what they conceal
Of their mysteries, are not counted as nights.
وَلَو لَم تَكُن مِثلَ اللَياليَ لَم تَكُن
تُثيرُ مَنايا أَو تُنيلُ أَمانِيا
Had they not been like nights, they would not
Stir sorrows or attain wishes.
فَيا عَجَباً مِنها لَيالي جيرَةٍ
سَرَينَ فَيَمَّمنَ النُجومَ هَوادِيا
Strange are they, neighboring nights
That roamed and stared at the stars blankly,
طَلَعنَ مَعَ التَقويسِ مِنها أَهِلَّةً
وَكُنَّ مِنَ الأَلوانِ مِنها دَآدِيا
Rose with the bow from them, crescent shaped,
And were of their colors colors rich.
يَطِرنَ بِحِملٍ وَاِسوِدادِ خَواطِرٍ
وَيَسلُكُ فَيا راكبوها مَغانِيا
They flutter with a burden and blackened thoughts
And he travels! So steer them, you voyagers of cares!
وَجُنحٍ أَرَشنا بِالصَباحِ جَناحَهُ
فَسِرنا سِهاماً كَالسِهامِ مَواضِيا
On wings we fluttered at dawn, their wing,
And sped, arrows like arrows in meadows.
وَنُصغي لَها بِالقَلبِ أُذناً سَميعَةً
يَبيتُ لَها فَختُ السِماكِ مُناجِيا
We listen in our hearts to them attentively
So the fish of the deep spend the night conversing.
عَشِيَّةَ أَعطَينا الرِياحَ عِنانَها
وَأَعطَيتُ أَحكامَ الزَمانِ عِنانِيا
At evening we gave the winds their reins
And I gave the epochs of time my reins.
نَسيرُ رِياحاً وَالرِياحُ نُسيرُها
وَنَثبُتُ أَطواداً خِفافاً رَواسِيا
We race winds and they race us
And we stand firm, light swift steeds.
بَنَينا فُوَيقَ الماءِ مِنها مَعاقِلاً
وَلا أَسرَ إِلّا أَن وَضَعنا المَراسِيا
Of the water's expanse we built from them fortresses,
Nor did we tie up except when we dropped anchor.
فَأَرسَلتُ فَوقَ الريحِ مِنها طَوافِياً
وَأَمسَكتُ تَحتَ البَحرِ مِنها طَوافِيا
I launched galleys above the wind from them
And held back galleys beneath the sea from them.
رَكَضنَ مُنيباتٍ إِلى اللَهِ أَرجُلاً
وَقُمنَ مُنيباتٍ إِلَيهِ صَوارِيا
Thoroughbreds galloped to God on legs
And thoroughbreds rose to Him, towering.
وَأَيُّ غُرابٍ يَجمَعُ الشَملَ غَيرُها
وَيَرجو الغَريبُ الدارِ مِنها التَدانِيا
What crow but them will bring the tribe together again
And the stranger hopes through them for approach?
عَلَيَّ لِنَفسي أَن أُطيعَ اِشتِطاطَها
عَلَيَّ إِذا لَم تَبغِ إِلّا المَعالِيا
Woe to me, if I obey the rage of my soul,
Woe to me, if it craves nothing but the heights!
وَأَلّا أَكُرَّ القَلبَ صُبحاً أَمامِيا
وَأَلّا أَجُرَّ الطَرفَ لَيلاً وَرائِيا
I must not crane my heart forward by day
Nor crane my eye backward by night.
إِذا ناصِرُ الأَملاكِ ناجَتهُ هِمَّتي
فَهَيهاتَ يَمضي مِن يَدي الدَهرُ ناجِيا
When my wish's ally conversed with Him,
Then far-fetched that time should pass conversing!
وَأَوَّلُ شَرطٍ بَعدَ شَوقي التَزَمتُهُ
بِأَنَّ ثَنائي لا أُوَلّيهِ ثانِيا
The first condition that I obliged after longing
Is that my praise is given to none but you.
نَزَلتُ فِناءً مِنكَ كَالدَهرِ رَحبُهُ
فَأَملَيتُ شُكراً فيكَ لِلدَهرِ مالِيا
I alighted through you to a vast courtyard
And so brimmed with thanks to you for time's plenty.
أَرى كُلَّ ذِكرٍ غَيرَ ذِكرِكَ يَنقَضي
فَدونَ العُلا ما لا يَمَلُّ التَقاضِيا
I see all remembrance but yours perishing.
Apart from the heights, nothing is inexhaustible to repay!
يَجودُ وَلَو بِالسَيفِ إِن ظَلَّ غائِراً
وَيَندى وَلَو بِالماءِ إِن باتَ صادِيا
It runs freely even by the sword if hidden
And flows even by water if passing the night stagnant.
إِذا غَضبَةٌ مِنهُ كَفى اللَهُ شَرَّها
أُفيضَت عَلى الأَيّامِ عادَت لَيالِيا
When an outburst of anger from Him is enough, God spare its evil!
It overflows the days and they return nights.
بِآيَةِ أَنَّ النَقعَ يَأكُلُ نورَها
وَتَرجِعُ بِالبيضِ النُجومُ بَوادِيا
It is shown by the bats eating its light
And stars revert to the wastes with their whiteness.
وَكانَت بُيوتُ المُلكِ مَنقوضَةَ البِنا
فَجِئتُم عَلى الأَعقابِ فيها قَوافِيا
The homes of kings lay in rubble
So you came on their heels and rhymed their ends.
سَطَوتُم فَلَم تَبقوا عَدُوّاً مُبائِناً
وَجُدتُم فَلَم تَبقوا عَدُوّاً مُداجِيا
You mastered, leaving no resisting foe,
You charged, leaving no attacking foe.
وَجَرَّدتُمُ بَينَ الزَمانِ وَبَينَنا
سِيوفاً عَلى أَيدي العَوادي عَوادِيا
And you bared between time and us
Swords in the hands of foes, returning foes.
وَأَمهَرتُمُ الدُنيا سُيوفاً بَواسِماً
نَكَحنَ رِقاباً لِلأَعادي بَواكِيا
And you sharpened swords on the world, Indian swords
That marry the necks of foes, weeping.
بَعَثتَ الرَدى نَحوَ المَقاتِلِ رائِداً
وَقامَ النَدى بَينَ الأَماني مُنادِيا
You unleashed havoc toward the fighter, a guide,
And glory stood between hopes, crying aloud.
فَأَبقى بِها الرَحمَنُ مُلكَكَ إِنَّها
مَواضٍ بِها الأَعمارُ تَغدو مَواضِيا
So the Merciful made your rule endure; they are
Places where lifetimes spend the night at meadows.
