ما بالُ دَفِّكَ بِالفِراشِ مَذيلا
أَقَذىً بِعَينِكَ أَم أَرَدتَ رَحيلا
What's with your tossing around in bed so late?
Are your eyes sore, or did you intend departure?
لَمّا رَأَت أَرَقي وَطولَ تَقَلُّبي
ذاتَ العِشاءِ وَلَيلِيَ المَوصولا
When she saw my wakefulness and constant turning,
The possessor of the evening meal and my connected night.
قالَت خُلَيدَةُ ما عَراكَ وَلَم تَكُن
قَبلَ الرُقادِ عَنِ الشُؤونِ سَؤولا
Khulaydah said “What's wrong with you? You weren't like this
Before sleep, occupied with worries.”
أَخُلَيدَ إِنَّ أَباكِ ضافَ وِسادَهُ
هَمّانِ باتا جَنبَةً وَدَخيلا
I said “O Khulaydah, your father spread his pillow
Preoccupied with two concerns, an outsider and intruder.
طَرَقا فَتِلكَ هَماهِمي أَقريهِما
قُلُصاً لَواقِحُ كَالقِسِيِّ وَحولا
They knocked on the door, so those are my concerns.
Welcome them, O you with straight and twisted spear.
شُمَّ الكَواهِلِ جُنَّحاً أَعضادُها
صُهباً تُناسِبُ شَدقَماً وَجَديلا
With shoulders whose wings suit a lined, poetic mouth
And gray temples that match an articulate, eloquent man.
كانَت نَجائِبَ مُنذِرٍ وَمُحَرِّقٍ
أُمّاتُهُنَّ وَطَرقُهُنَّ فَحيلا
They were signals of warning and burning,
Their mothers and their knocking are cunning.
وَكَأَنَّ رَيِّضَها إِذا باشَرتَها
كانَت مُعاوِدَةَ الرَحيلِ ذَلولا
It's as if when you release it, intending return,
It comes back again, accustomed to departure.
حوزِيَّةً طُوِيَت عَلى زَفَراتِها
طَيَّ القَناطِرِ قَد نَزَلنَ نُزولا
Bent over its neighs, it descended slopes
Folding the aqueducts, dismounting.
وَكَأَنَّما اِنتَطَحَت عَلى أَثباجِها
فُدُرٌ بِشابَةَ قَد تَمَمنَ وُعولا
As if it crouched over its shanks
A young camel, grown up and braying.
قُذُفَ الغُدُوِّ إِذا غَدَونَ لِحاجَةٍ
دُلُفَ الرَواحِ إِذا أَرَدنَ قُفولا
Thrown towards morning errands when they set out
And returning home when they intend to come back.
لا يَتَّخِذنَ إِذا عَلَونَ مَفازَةً
إِلّا بَياضَ الفَرقَدَينِ دَليلا
They do not take a wilderness route
Unless guided by the whiteness of the two temple muscles.
قوداً تَذارَعُ غولَ كُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ
ذَرعَ النَواسِجِ مُبرَماً وَسَحيلا
Led by every long speckled hyena
And the outstretched hand of the weaver fully extended.
وَإِذا تَرَقَّصَتِ المَفازَةُ غادَرَت
رَبِذاً يُبَغِّلُ خَلفَها تَبغيلا
When the wilderness quaked, it left behind
A stupid lizard clasping its back.
زَجِلَ الحُداءِ كَأَنَّ في حَيزومِهِ
قَصَباً وَمُقنِعَةَ الحَنينِ عَجولا
The singing of the ostrich, as if its throat contains
Reeds and a loving, passionate deaf person.
وَإِذا تَرَجَّلَتِ الضُحى قَذَفَت بِهِ
فَشَأَونَ عُقبَتَهُ فَظَلَّ ذَميلا
When the forenoon dismounted it, it threw him
So his heel was exposed and he remained humiliated.
حَتّى إِذا حَسَرَ الظَلامُ وَأَسفَرَت
فَرَأَت أَوابِدَ يَرتَعينَ هُجولا
Until when darkness pulled over and the ruins
Saw wandering game animals confused.
حَدَتِ السَرابَ وَأَلحَقَت أَعجازَها
روحٌ يَكونُ وُقوعُها تَحليلا
It rounded up the mirage and aligned its heels
With a spirit whose fall is dissolution.
وَجَرى عَلى حَدَبِ الصُوى فَطَرَدنَهُ
طَردَ الوَسيقَةِ في السَماوَةِ طولا
And it ran on the ridge of the enclosure, chasing it
Like chasing the stallion in the race course.
في مَهمَهٍ قَلِقَت بِهِ هاماتُها
قَلَقَ الفُؤوسِ إِذا أَرَدنَ نُصولا
In confusion, its zeal shook its thoughts
Like the confusion of spears when they intend to set out.
حَتّى وَرَدنَ لِتِمِّ خِمسٍ بائِصٍ
جُدّاً تَعاوَرَهُ الرِياحُ وَبيلا
Until they arrived at the ruins of a dilapidated well,
A barrier which the winds swapped and replaced.
سُدُماً إِذا اِلتَمَسَ الدِلاءُ نِطافَهُ
صادَفنَ مَشرِفَةَ المَثابِ دَحولا
They collected supplies from their bags
Various pieces of wood that you see connected.
جَمَعوا قُوىً مِمّا تَضُمُّ رِحالُهُم
شَتّى النِجارِ تَرى بِهِنَّ وُصولا
They watered valleys whose echo in the evening
You hear from their depths splashing.
فَسَقَوا صَوادِيَ يَسمَعونَ عَشِيَّةً
لِلماءِ في أَجوافِهِنَّ صَليلا
Until when the argument of its panting cooled down
And they remained behind their withers bent over.
حَتّى إِذا بَرَدَ السِجالُ لُهاثَها
وَجَعَلنَ خَلفَ غُروضِهِنَّ ثَميلا
And they flooded out after their exhaustion, gushing
From He Who Has Lightning when they shepherded sheep.
وَأَفَضنَ بَعدَ كُظومِهِنَّ بِجِرَّةٍ
مِن ذي الأَبارِقِ إِذ رَعَينَ حَقيلا
They sat on their saddles so the sound of tree trunks tapping
Bounced off the smooth pebbles where they settled.
قَعَدوا عَلى أَكوارِها فَتَرَدَّفَت
صَخِبَ الصَدى جَذَعَ الرِعانِ رَجيلا
The touch of hands followed anxiously
Casting glances at the two caves furtively.
مُلسَ الحَصى باتَت تَوَجَّسَ فَوقَهُ
لَغَطَ القَطا بِالجَلهَتَينِ نُزولا
It came with a faint soul after six months
Who had either died or barely clung to life.
يَتبَعنَ مائِرَةَ اليَدَينِ شِمِلَّةً
أَلقَت بِمُختَرَقِ الرِياحِ سَليلا
It shook its saddlebags, unloading provisions for the departing caravan
Like the shaking of an ostrich divorcing its pair.
جاءَت بِذي رَمَقٍ لِسِتَّةِ أَشهُرٍ
قَد ماتَ أَو جَرَضَ الحَياةَ قَليلا
Inform the Commander of the Faithful with a message
Of complaint prolonged and painful wailing.
نَفَضَت بِأَصهَبَ لِلمِراحِ شَليلَها
نَفضَ النَعامَةِ زِفَّها المَبلولا
From an emigrant whose worries to you have multiplied
If he could find a way to meet you.
أَبلِغ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ رِسالَةً
شَكوى إِلَيكَ مُطِلَّةً وَعَويلا
Constant roaming and time have tried him
With sorrow and he hates to be negligent.
مِن نازِحٍ كَثُرَت إِلَيكَ هُمومُهُ
لَو يَستَطيعُ إِلى اللِقاءِ سَبيلا
And old age on its appearance has passed
Periods that melted away his honor.
طالَ التَقَلُّبُ وَالزَمانُ وَرابَهُ
كَسَلٌ وَيَكرَهُ أَن يَكونَ كَسولا
So most of his concerns are like the bending of a bow
Crooked when straightened, intending deviation.
وَعَلا المَشيبُ لِداتِهِ وَمَضَت لَهُ
حِقَبٌ نَقَضنَ مَريرَهُ المَجدولا
Like the remnants of an Indian, his eyelids
Have withered but there is no weakness in his bones.
فَكَأَنَّ أَعظُمَهُ مَحاجِنُ نَبعَةٍ
عوجٌ قَدُمنَ فَقَد أَرَدنَ نُحولا
Worries have accustomed and overtaken him and joy avoids him
So that he awakes feeling heavily burdened.
كَبَقِيَّةِ الهِندِيِّ أَمسى جَفنُهُ
خَلَقاً وَلَم يَكُ في العِظامِ نَكولا
And his heart has folded over the decree of fate
A cobbler, who has taken the awl as a friend.
تُغلى حَديدَتُهُ وَتُنكِرُ لَونَهُ
عَينٌ رَأَتهُ في الشَبابِ صَقيلا
O Guardian of God’s Command, my tribe
Its protection has become dispersed remnants.
أَلِفَ الهُمومُ وَسادَهُ وَتَجَنَّبَت
رَيّانَ يُصبِحُ في المَنامِ ثَقيلا
They crossed the Najd, roaming as if they are
A people who wrongfully killed a victim.
وَطَوى الفُؤادَ عَلى قَضاءِ صَريمَةٍ
حَذّاءَ وَاتَّخَذَ الزَماعَ خَليلا
They sing poetry of a slanted enclosure
Where at every stop, they leave behind people.
أَوَلِيَّ أَمرِ اللَهِ إِنَّ عَشيرَتي
أَمسى سَوامُهُمُ عِزينَ فُلولا
Two months of Spring whose milk they do not taste
Except sour, unripe, and nauseating.
قَطَعوا اليَمامَةَ يَطرُدونَ كَأَنَّهُم
قَومٌ أَصابوا ظالِمينَ قَتيلا
Until when its paths converge and the shepherds
Herd in its pasture, harvested and reaped.
يَحدونَ حُدباً مائِلاً أَشرافُها
في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ يَدَعنَ رَعيلا
They came to their women in misfortune without leaving
Anything but the evil of destitution under them.
شَهرَي رَبيعٍ ما تَذوقُ لَبونُهُم
إِلّا حُموضاً وَخمَةً وَدَويلا
O Guardian of God’s Command, we are a people
Upright, bowing morning and evening dutifully.
حَتّى إِذا جُمِعَت تُخَيِّرَ طِرقُها
وَثَنى الرِعاءُ شَكيرَها المَنخولا
Arabs who see God as having rights in our wealth
The due charity legislated in revelation.
وَأَتَوا نِسائَهُمُ بِنيبٍ لَم يَدَع
سوءُ المَحابِسِ تَحتَهُنَّ فَصيلا
A people who when deprived of their livelihood
And losing the declaration of God’s Oneness.
أَوَلِيَّ أَمرِ اللَهِ إِنّا مَعشَرٌ
حُنُفاءُ نَسجُدُ بُكرَةً وَأَصيلا
So relieve the oppressions that have weakened our children
And save our torn condition, consumed.
عَرَبٌ نَرى لِلَّهِ في أَموالِنا
حَقَّ الزَكاةِ مُنَزَّلاً تَنزيلا
We will then see your charity if you give it
As a grace from our Lord and generosity from you.
قَومٌ عَلى الإِسلامِ لَمّا يَمنَعوا
ماعونَهُم وَيُضَيِّعوا التَهليلا
You are the Caliph, wise in judgment and action
And when you want punishment for an oppressor.
فَاِدفَع مَظالِمَ عَيَّلَت أَبناءَنا
عَنّا وَأَنقِذ شِلوَنا المَأكولا
Your father struck with his sword in Medina alone
A people who altogether were recalcitrant.
فَنَرى عَطِيَّةَ ذاكَ إِن أَعطَيتَهُ
مِن رَبِّنا فَضلاً وَمِنكَ جَزيلا
They killed the son of ‘Affan the Caliph wrongfully
He appealed but I saw none as abandoned as him.
أَنتَ الخَليفَةُ حِلمُهُ وَفَعالُهُ
وَإِذا أَرَدتَ لِظالِمٍ تَنكيلا
After that, their stick cracked
And their sword was surrendered and removed.
وَأَبوكَ ضارَبَ بِالمَدينَةِ وَحدَهُ
قَوماً هُمُ جَعَلوا الجَميعَ شُكولا
Until the blind chaos of strife
Ignited whose record was serious.
قَتَلوا اِبنَ عَفّانَ الخَليفَةَ مُحرِماً
وَدَعا فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ مَخذولا
The Umayyads weighed their matter so they summoned for it
Those who were neither deceived nor unknown.
فَتَصَدَّعَت مِن بَعدِ ذاكَ عَصاهُمُ
شِقَقاً وَأَصبَحَ سَيفُهُم مَسلولا
Marwan was their wisest when
The most serious matters occurred and the best questioned.
حَتّى إِذا اِستَعَرَت عَجاجَةُ فِتنَةٍ
عَمياءَ كانَ كِتابُها مَفعولا
For a period he raised his tail in Medina
And saw cultivation and palm trees in it.
وَزَنَت أُمَيَّةُ أَمرَها فَدَعَت لَهُ
مَن لَم يَكُن غُمراً وَلا مَجهولا
And the homes of a kingdom that strife destroyed
With doves nesting in it shaded.
مَروانُ أَحزَمُها إِذا نَزَلَت بِهِ
حُدبُ الأُمورِ وَخَيرُها مَسؤولا
I swear a sincere oath
I will not lie to the Caliph at all today.
أَزمانَ رَفَّعَ بِالمَدينَةِ ذَيلَهُ
وَلَقَد رَأى زَرعاً بِها وَنَخيلا
I have not visited the family of Abu Khubayb
Intending to change my pledge ever.
وَدِيارَ مُلكٍ خَرَّبَتها فِتنَةٌ
وَمُشَيَّداً فيهِ الحَمامُ ظَليلا
Nor have I come to Nujaydah ibn ‘Uwaymir
Seeking guidance so he increases my misguidance.
إِنّي حَلَفتُ عَلى يَمينٍ بَرَّةٍ
لا أَكذِبُ اليَومَ الخَليفَةَ قيلا
It is from the Blessing of the Merciful, not my scheming
I consider it an excess favor upon me.
ما زُرتُ آلَ أَبي خُبَيبٍ وافِداً
يَوماً أُريدُ لِبَيعَتي تَبديلا
For a period, I held firm to my people and the community
As a rider holds firm the saddle of his riding camel.
وَلا أَتَيتُ نُجَيدَةَ اِبنَ عُوَيمِرٍ
أَبغي الهُدى فَيَزيدَني تَضليلا
I left every hypocrite turning about
Who found the slopes as his true religion.
مِن نِعمَةِ الرَحمَنِ لا مِن حيلَتي
إِنّي أَعُدُّ لَهُ عَلَيَّ فُضولا
The dogmatic of the scrubby pasture, its puppies still
Among the dissenters, commotion and tails.
أَزمانَ قَومي وَالجَماعَةَ كَالَّذي
لَزِمَ الرِحالَةَ أَن تَميلَ مَميلا
From all of them, taking the pledge has ended
Wiping the palms passing the handkerchief.
وَتَرَكتُ كُلَّ مُنافِقٍ مُتَقَلِّبٍ
وَجَدَ التَلاتِلَ دينَهُ مَدخولا
If the Quraysh ignited their fires
And bent their resentments and camel humps.
ذَخِرَ الحَقيبَةِ ما تَزالُ قُلوصُهُ
بَينَ الخَوارِجِ هِزَّةً وَذَويلا
Your father is their master and you their leader
And strongest in firm resolve when matters turn serious.
مِن كُلِّهِم أَمسى أَلَمَّ بِبَيعَةٍ
مَسحَ الأَكُفِّ تَعاوَرُ المَنديلا
The emissaries disobeyed when you sent them
And came with claims, if you had known the aggression.
وَإِذا قُرَيشٌ أَوقَدَت نيرانَها
وَثَنَت ضَغائِنَ بَينَها وَذُحولا
Those whom you ordered to be just
Did not do what you ordered in the least.
فَأَبوكَ سَيِّدُها وَأَنتَ أَميرُها
وَأَشَدُّها عِندَ العَزائِمِ جولا
They took the officer and cut up his chin
With the whips, standing tied up.
إِنَّ السُعاةَ عَصَوكَ حينَ بَعَثتَهُم
وَأَتَوا دَواعِيَ لَو عَلِمتَ وَغولا
Until when they left in his bones
No flesh or sense intact.
إِنَّ الَّذينَ أَمَرتَهُم أَن يَعدِلوا
لَم يَفعَلوا مِمّا أَمَرتَ فَتيلا
Out of fear of the burning heat of a ‘Shumus’
He forgot the pact, left under its blazing sun.
أَخَذوا العَريفَ فَقَطَّعوا حَيزومَهُ
بِالأَصبَحِيَّةِ قائِمَن مَغلولا
Duhym wrote and those gathered around it
Unjustly, so its justice was duplicated.
حَتّى إِذا لَم يَترُكوا لِعِظامِهِ
لَحماً وَلا لِفُؤادِهِ مَعقولا
They went early with their writ of accusation
The whips overpowered its saddle straps.
نَسِيَ الأَمانَةَ مِن مَخافَةِ لُقَّحٍ
شُمُسٍ تَرَكنَ بِضَبعِهِ مَجزولا
From an agent of yours whom if you dismiss
He intends betrayal and aggression.
كَتَبَ الدُهَيمُ وَما تَجَمَّعَ حَولَها
ظُلماً فَجاءَ بِعَدلِها مَعدولا
He corrupts the trust, if you were to know his actions
You would leave him completely separated.
وَغَدَوا بِصَكِّهِمُ وَأَحدَبَ أَسأَرَت
مِنهُ السِياطَ يَراعَةً إِجفيلا
Writings he left made the wealthy destitute
And the poor dejected.
مِن عامِلٍ مِنهُ إِذا غَيَّبتَهُ
غالى يُريدُ خِيانَةً وَغُلولا
They took his supplies so he sits
Unable to journey from his towns.
خَرِبَ الأَمانَةِ لَو أَحَطتَ بِفِعلِهِ
لَتَرَكتَ مِنهُ طابِقاً مَفصولا
He invokes the Commander of the Faithful while over him
Is a tear the winds blow about.
كُتُباً تَرَكنَ غَنِيَّنا ذا خَلَّةٍ
بَعدَ الغِنى وَفَقيرَنا مَهزولا
Like a dove whose wing the archers broke
Crying out on the road aimlessly.
أَخَذوا حُمولَتَهُ فَأَصبَحَ قاعِداً
لا يَستَطيعُ عَنِ الدِيارِ حَويلا
Spring has arrived and its step has come near
And it saw knots in its surroundings scattered about.
يَدعو أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ
خَرقٌ تَجُرُّ بِهِ الرِياحُ ذُيولا
With cheeks glowing in it, graying
Picking at the hands, its appearance bound up.
كَهُداهِدٍ كَسَرَ الرُماةُ جَناحَهُ
يَدعو بِقارِعَةِ الطَريقِ هَديلا
Like the smoke of a campsite at the top of a hill
Two brambles have scattered in the rain.
وَقَعَ الرَبيعُ وَقَد تَقارَبَ خَطوُهُ
وَرَأى بِعَقوَتِهِ أَزَلَّ نَسولا
If I survive, I will call for a piercing stab
That leaves the noble obligations few.
مُتَوَضِّحَ الأَقرابِ فيهِ شُهبَةٌ
نَهِشَ اليَدَينِ تَخالُهُ مَشكولا
I see one who leaves ambitions for God consciousness
From us came with good morals in that.
كَدُخانِ مُرتَجِلٍ بِأَعلى تَلعَةٍ
غَرثانَ ضَرَّمَ عَرفَجاً مَبلولا
Their dwellings were built above a position
Where fleas cannot find rest.
وَلَئِن سَلِمتُ لَأَدعُوَنَّ بِطَعنَةٍ
تَدَعُ الفَرائِضَ بِالشُرَيفِ قَليلا
And it came alive to greet them so he set upon them
A pact that Muslims see as burdensome.
وَأَرى الَّذي يَدَعُ المَطامِعَ لِلتُقى
مِنّا أَتى خُلُقاً بِذاكَ جَميلا
I left my people dividing their matters
To you, or lingering for a bit?
بُنِيَت مَرافِقُهُنَّ فَوقَ مَزَلَّةٍ
لا يَستَطيعُ بِها القُرادُ مَقيلا
They took the newborn violently unjust
And it is ascribed to the Commander horrible.
وَأَتاهُمُ يَحيا فَشَدَّ عَلَيهِمُ
عَقداً يَراهُ المُسلِمونَ ثَقيلا
وَتَرَكتُ قَومي يَقسِمونَ أُمورَهُم
أَإِلَيكَ أَم يَتَلَبَّثونَ قَليلا
أَخَذوا المَخاضَ مِنَ الفَصيلِ غُلُبَّةً
ظُلماً وَيُكتَبُ لِلأَميرِ أَفيلا
