أَلا هَل إِلى بابِ البَريدِ سَبيلُ
فَلَيلي بِزَوراءِ العِراقِ طَويلُ
Alas! Is there a way to the post office?
My nights in Zorah of Iraq are so long.
مَتى تَلتَقي أَجفانُ عَينَيَّ وَالكَرى
وَهَل يَتَلاقى بُكرَةٌ وَأَصيلُ
When will my eyelids meet the beloved
And will the morning and evening ever meet?
سَلامٌ عَلى أَكنافِ جِلَّقَ إِنَّها
لأَوطارِ قَلبي مَسرَحٌ وَمَقيلُ
Greetings to the folds of Jilqaq, for they are
Theaters for my heart and its dwelling.
رُبوعُ الهَوى أَمّا الهَواءُ فَشَمأَلٌ
بِهِنَّ وَأَمّا الماءُ فَهوَ شَمولُ
The meadows of passion, the air in them is perfumed
As for the water, it is clear.
وَأَهيَفَ أَمّا خَصرُهُ فَمُخَصَّرٌ
خَفيفٌ وَأَمّا رِدفُهُ فَثَقيلُ
How delicate his waist is yet firm
His hips are light and heavy.
فَفيهِ يَحارُ الغُصنُ وَهوَ مُهَفهَفٌ
وَمِنهُ يَغارُ الظَّبيُ وَهوَ كَحيلُ
The branch in it wanders while it sways
And the gazelle is jealous yet beautiful.
هَلُمّوا اِنظُروا حالي وَفي خَدِّهِ دَمي
شَهيدٌ فَقولوا قاتِلٌ وَقَتيلُ
Come and see my state with blood on his cheek
A martyr, so say he's a killer and killed.
أَزيدُ لَهُ ذُلّاً وَيَزدادُ عِزَّةً
وَكُلُّ مُحِبٍّ لِلحَبيبِ ذَليلُ
The more humbled for him, the more honored he becomes
And every lover to the beloved is humbled.
فَوَجدي كَثيرٌ مِثلُ أَيّامِ بُعدِهِ
وَصَبري كَأَيّامِ الدُّنُوِّ قَليلُ
My patience is little like the days of separation
And my patience is abundant like days of nearness.
وَما حَسَنٌ عَن ذَلِكَ الحُسنِ سَلوَةٌ
وَلا الصَّبرُ عَن ذاكَ الجَمالِ جَميلُ
No solace from that beauty like patience
Nor patience from that beauty is beautiful.
أَبى أَن يُوافيني بِسُؤلي رَسولُ مَن
رِضاهُ لِقَلبي يا عَذولِيَ سولُ
The messenger of whom his acceptance is joy to my heart
Refused to bring me my request, O Most High!
فَدَمعي مُطيعٌ لي مَتى ما دَعوتُهُ
وَصَبري لَدَيهِ لا يُطاعُ عَذولُ
My tears obey me whenever I call them
But my patience does not obey the Most High.
وَكَم لَيلَةٍ باتَ الحَبيبُ مُنادِمي
فَأَنجَزَني فيها الوُعودَ مَطولُ
How many nights the beloved kept me company
Yet the procrastinator fulfilled his promises.
فَباتَ يُعاطيني المُدامَ كَريقِهِ
وَدَمعي عَلى الخَدِّ الأَسيلِ يَسيلُ
He would share wine with me while my tears
Flowed down my cheeks.
إِذا الخَمرُ حَلَّت في اللَّهى اِرتاعَ هَمُّنا
لَها فَدَعاهُ فَاِستَجابَ رَحيلُ
Whenever wine stirred joy, our worries
Called upon it, so it departed.
تَبيتُ كُؤوسُ الراحِ تَطلُعُ أَنجُماً
لَها في اللَّهى حَتّى الصَّباحِ أُفولُ
The cups of comfort appear like stars in joy
Until the dawn makes them disappear.
يَطوفُ بِها وَسنانُ لِلوَردِ خَجلَةٌ
إِذا ما بَدا مِن خَدِّهِ وَذُبولُ
His teeth circle the rose bud in shyness
When they appear from his cheek, blooming.
تُخالِسُهُ اللَّحظَ العُيونُ مَهابَةً
فَهُنَّ صَحيحاتُ النَواظِرِ حُولُ
The glances secretly behold him in awe
They are the sound gazes, surrounding.
لَنا سَفَرٌ بِاللَّحظِ في وَجَناتِهِ
وَلَيسَ لَهُ حَتّى يَغيبَ قُفولُ
Through his glances we travel his gardens
With no return until he disappears.
تَبَدَّلت مِن سُودٍ بِبيضٍ لَهُنَّ في
فُؤادي وَفَودِي صَولَةٌ وَصَليلُ
They changed from black to white, raging
And resonating within my heart and insides.
لِشَيبي نُصولٌ مِن فُؤادي خِضابُها
بِما مالَهُ حَتّى المَماتِ نُصولُ
My temples took on gray hair whose dye is
From my heart, clinging to death.
تَنَكَّرَ شَيبي مُذ تَوَلَّت شَبيبَتي
فَلي أَسَفٌ بَعدَ الشَبابِ يَطولُ
My old age changed since my youth bid farewell
So I have prolonged sorrow after youth.
وَمالي إِذا ما عَضَّني الدَهرُ ظالِماً
فَأَعرَضَ عَنّي صاحِبٌ وَخَليلُ
What do I care if time treats me unjustly
When a friend and confidant turn away from me?
سِوى المَلِكِ اِبنِ الناصِرِ الظاهِرِ الَّذي
نَداهُ بِإِدراكِ النَّجاحِ كَفيلُ
Except for the King, son of Nasir the Apparent
His support for success suffices as guarantor.
إِذا ما غِياثُ الدينِ غاثَ بِجودِهِ
جَرَت فَوقَ أُكمِ المُعتَفينَ سُيولُ
When the helper of the faith helps with his generosity
Floods flow above the brows of the hopeful.
مَواهِبُهُ كومُ الذُرى وَسَلاهِبٌ
فَفيها رُغاءٌ مُطرِبٌ وَصَهيلُ
His gifts are like a pile of pearls with
Murmuring and neighing rivulets.
إِذا ما غَزا غازي الأَعادي فَكُلُّهُم
بُغاثٌ عَلَيها بِالبُزاةِ يَصولُ
When the invader invades, they all
Pounce viciously upon them.
تَحُلُّ مُلوكُ الأَرضِ مِن دونِ شَأوِهِ
فَفيهِم لَدَيهِ دِقَّةٌ وَخمولُ
The kings of earth without his glory
Are to him submissive and apathetic.
هُوَ اللَّيثُ في يَومِ الكَريهَةِ مُقدِماً
لَهُ الدَّمُ غَيلٌ وَالذَوابِلُ غيلُ
He is the lion on days of fighting, blood
Before him is a deluge and the valleys, a flood.
فَكُلُّ شُجاعٍ مِن سُطاهُ ذَليلُ
وَكُلُّ جَوادٍ مِن نَداهُ بَخيلُ
Every brave one under his authority is humbled
And every generous one by his bounty, stingy.
وَتَقصُرُ مِن جَدواهُ أَعمارُ مالِهِ
وَلَكِنَّ أَعمارَ الثَناءِ تَطولُ
His treasures may run out from his generosity
But the ages of praise for him are endless.
فَأَيّامُهُ بيضٌ وُصِلنَ بِمِثلِها
لَها غُرَرٌ مَعلومَةٌ وَحُجولُ
His days are white, connected to the like of them
With known, guaranteed treasures.
بِهِ نُصِرَ الإِسلامُ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
أَتى الناسَ مِن بَعدِ الرَّسولِ رَسولُ
Through him, Islam was helped until it was as though
After the Prophet, a messenger came to the people.
وَطُلَّ دَمُ الأَعداءِ حَتّى دِيارُهُم
رُسومٌ عَوافٍ بَعدَهُم وَطُلولُ
The blood of enemies flowed until their homes
Became vacant ruins after them.
وَحامى عَنِ المَعروفِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ
حَليفٌ يُحامي دونَهُ وَقَبيلُ
He protected virtue as if he
Were an ally protecting it instead of a tribe.
أَأَرهَبُ مِن رَمضاءِ عُسرٍ وَظِلُّهُ
مَديدٌ لِمَن يَأوي إِلَيهِ ظَليلُ
Shall I fear the heat of hardship, while its shadow
Extends for one who takes refuge in it?
لَقَد أَبَتِ الأَيّامُ إِلّا خَصاصَتي
بِهِنَّ فَهَل عِندي لَهُنَّ ذُحولُ
Indeed, time insisted on oppressing me
So order it to return, maybe it will change.
وَلا بُدَّ أَن آوي إِلى ملكٍ بِهِ
عَلى جَيش لَزباتِ الزَمانِ أَصولُ
You are he whom no confusion from glory seizes
When all are seized by confusion from glory.
وَيَكفيهِ أَنَّ الناسَ قَد مَنَعوا الحَبا
فَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا إِلَيهِ سَبيلُ
My time did me wrong, so order it
To return, maybe it will change.
أَلا أَيُّها المَلكُ الَّذي مَكرُماتُهُ
لَها خَطَرٌ في العالَمينَ جَليلُ
You are he whose generosity was never found
To procrastinate despite frequent extravagance.
شَأَوتَ مُلوكَ الأَرضِ شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً
فَما لَكَ في كُلِّ المُلوكِ عَديلُ
Are clouds blamed for constant rain?
They have spread over the hills, floods.
وَلَو أَنَّني أَسطيعُ زُرتُ مُمَلَّكاً
جَداهُ عَلى عافي نَداهُ هطولُ
In Aleppo, the messengers of wishes, Aleppo,
So for them is none but what the Abode of Peace has sent.
وَلاطَمتُ بِالوَجناءِ وَجنَةَ مَهمَهٍ
تَلا وَخدَها وَسطَ الفَلاةِ ذَميلُ
Its arrows are envied by shooting stars
A warrior wishes they were his horses.
تَعَدّى إِلَيها مِن نُحولي زِمامَها
بِإِدمانِيَ السَيرَ الحَثيثَ نُحولُ
He is the defeater, the Almighty, who snatches the kingdom
And sees depriving the weak as injustice.
فَيَمَّمتُ مِنهُ البَحرَ بِالدُّرِّ قاذِفاً
وَمِنهُ فُراتٌ لِلعُفاةِ وَنيلُ
The garden does not seem brocade with its plants appearing
Since for the clouds in it, tails were drawn.
وَلَكِنَّ ضَعفَ الحالِ أَوهى عَزيمَتي
فَسُقتُ إِلَيهِ الشِّعرَ وَهوَ رَسولُ
With the freshest scattering from you in every gathering
The encomiast stands for it and recites.
وَذَلِكَ مَلكٌ كُلُّ صَعبٍ مُمَنَّعٍ
جَموحٍ لَهُ في العالَمينَ ذلولُ
So one with a barren, eternal kingdom remains
While pillars collapse yet he does not.
وَقَد عَلِمَت أَعداؤُهُ أَنَّ أُمَّهُم
مَتى أَمَّهُم مِن بَأسِهِ لَثكولُ
With the finest rhyme I have composed and sent
Maybe it will find acceptance with him.
يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ مادِحوهُ فَكُلُّهُم
لَهُ بِالتِماسِ العُذرِ مِنهُ سَؤولُ
In it are poetic feet, which are its melodies
Offered by generosity which is active.
إِلى دَوحَةِ المَجدِ المُؤَثَّلِ يَنتَمي
وَفيها فُروعٌ دونَهُ وَأُصولُ
I trust a provision from him will come hastened
So for he whom I mean and depend on.
تَقومُ مُلوكُ الأَرضِ في الأَرضِ مُثَّلاً
لَهُ وَلَهُ فَوقَ السِّماكِ مُثولُ
When all are confused and bewildered by glory
You are he whom confusion does not seize.
وَقافِيَةٍ حَبَّرتُها فَبَعَثتُها
عَسى أَن يُوافيها لَدَيهِ قَبولُ
My time did me wrong, so order it
To return, maybe it will change.
فَفيها مَفاعيلٌ وَهُنَّ هَناتُهُ
يُقَدِّمُها الإِحسانُ وَهوَ فَعولُ
You are he whose generosity in spending was never
Found to neglect despite frequent extravagance.
وَثِقتُ بِرِزقٍ مِنهُ يَأتي مُعَجَّلاً
كَذَلِكَ مَن أُعنى بِهِ وَأَعولُ
Are clouds blamed when constantly raining?
They spread over the hills, floods.
إِذا ما اِعتَرى كُلّاً ذُهولٌ عَنِ العُلا
فَأَنتَ الَّذي لا يَعتَريهِ ذُهُولُ
In Allepo, the messengers of wishes, Allepo
So for them is only what the Abode of Peace has sent.
غَدا زَمَني جَوراً عَلَيَّ فَمُرهُ أَن
يَعودَ لَعَلَّ الحالَ فيهِ تَحولُ
Its arrows are shooting stars, envied
A warrior wishes they were his horses.
فَأَنتَ الَّذي في جودِهِ لَم يَقُم لَهُ
عَلى كَثرَةِ الإِسرافِ فيهِ عَذولُ
He who snatches the kingdom from the tyrant
Sees depriving the weak as plunder.
وَهَل تُعذَلُ السُّحبُ المَواطِرُ في الحَيا
وَقَد طَبَّقَت مِنها التِلاعَ سُيولُ
The garden's plants do not seem like brocade
Since for the clouds in it, tails were drawn.
فَفي حَلَبٍ رُسلُ المُنى حَلَبٌ فَما
لَها غَيرَ ما دار السَلامِ رَسيلُ
With the finest praise of you in every gathering
The praiser stands for it and says:
لِشَهبائِها الشُّهبُ الثَّواقِبُ حُسَّدٌ
تَمَنّى لِغازٍ أَنَّهُنَّ خُيولُ
So one remains with a barren, eternal kingdom
While pillars collapse yet he does not.
هُوَ السالِبُ الجَبّارِ بَيضَةَ مُلكِهِ
يَرى أَنَّ حِرمانَ العُفاةِ غُلولُ
فَما الرَّوضُ كَالدّيباجِ يَبدو نَباتُهُ
وَقَد سُحِبَت للسُّحبِ فيهِ ذُيولُ
بِأَطيَبَ نَشراً مِنكَ في كُلِّ مَحفلٍ
يَقومُ بِهِ المُطري لَهُ فَيَقولُ
فَلا زالَ ذا مُلكٍ عَقيمٍ مُؤَبَّدٍ
تَزولُ الرَّواسي وَهوَ لَيسَ يَزولُ
