وَفى بِمَواعيدِ الخَليطِ وَأَخلَفوا
وَكَم وَعَدوا القَلبَ المُعَنّى وَلَم يَفوا
They broke their word though we met as comrades,
And oft did they promise my trusting heart but fail.
وَما ضَرَّهُم أَن لَم يَجودوا بِمُقنِعٍ
مِنَ النَيلِ إِذ مَنَّوا قَليلاً وَسَوَّفوا
Little they reck that they gave no cup to slake me,
Though they promised rivers of wine that should never fail.
أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ لَفتَةٌ ثُمَّ عَبرَةٌ
عَلى رَسمِ دارٍ أَو مَطيٌّ مُوَقَّفُ
Each day a bane then a burning sigh
For the line of a camp, or a halted steed.
وَرَكبٍ عَلى الأَكوارِ يَثني رِقابَهُم
لِداعي الصِبا عَهدٌ قَديمٌ وَمَألَفُ
A tribe, their necks bowed in the drowsy air,
Obeying the zephyr's urge and the plead.
فَمِن واجِدٍ قَد أَلزَمَ القَلبَ كَفَّهُ
وَمِن طَرَبٍ يَعلو اليَفاعَ وَيُشرِفُ
Some stoop, hearts gripped in the hand of longing,
Others topsyturvy and distraught.
وَمُستَعبِرٍ قَد أَتبَعَ الدَمعَ زَفرَةً
تَكادُ لَها عوجُ الضُلوعِ تَثَقَّفُ
Others still, tears pursue their sighs
Till the shaking ribs seem ready to snap.
قَضى ما قَضى مِن أَنَّةِ الشَوقِ وَاِنثَنى
بِدارِ الجَوى وَالقَلبُ يَهفو وَيَرجُفُ
Spend the day pining, night in the tribe,
The heart fluttering, pulsing in fright,
وَلَم تُغنِ حَتّى زايَلَ البُعدُ بَينَنا
وَحَتّى رَمانا الأَزلَمُ المُتَغَطرِفُ
Nothing avails till we meet again
And the Grim Tyrant's caprice unite.
كَأَنَّ اللَيالي كُنَّ آلَينَ حَلفَةً
بِأَن لا يُرى فيهِنَّ شَملٌ مُؤَلَّفُ
As though the nights conspired together
To grant no wished-for union and delight
أَلَمَّ خَيالُ العامِريَّةِ بَعدَما
تَبَطَّنَنا جَفنٌ مِنَ اللَيلِ أَوطَفُ
Till in the dark engulfed, thought wanders
To hosts noisy with zeal for the fight,
يُحَيِّي طِلاحاً حينَ هَمّوا بِوَقعَةٍ
تَهاوَوا عَلى الأَذقانِ مِمّا تَعَسَّفوا
Clamoring and tumbling in chaos
For one rash drink of death's bitter cup
وَقيذينَ قَد مالَ النُعاسُ بِهامِهِم
كَما أَرعَشَت أَيدي المُعاطينَ قَرقَفُ
Others whom sleep weighs on their eyelids
As though drunkards' hands were trembling and numb
أَعاريبَ لا يَدرونَ ما الريفُ بِالفَلا
وَلا يَغبِطونَ القَومَ إِمّا تَرَيَّفوا
Vagabonds knowing naught of the countryside,
Caring naught how the cultured fare,
رَذايا هَوىً إِن عَنَّ بَرقٌ تَطاوَلوا
وَإِن عارَضوا الطَيرَ الغَوادي تَعَيَّفوا
Sparks aspiring if lightning took them,
Taking aim if they saw hawks in air.
تَوارِكَ لِلشَقِّ الَّذي هُوَ آمِنٌ
نَوازِلَ بِالأَرضِ الَّتي هِيَ أَخوَفُ
Shunning the safe shore for the fraught,
Seeking the dangerous, shunning the tame.
أَيا وَقفَةَ التَوديعِ هَل فيكِ راجِعٌ
إِشارَتَهُ ذاكَ البَنانُ المُطَرَّفُ
O bitter halt where we turned to part,
Did your waving grove give a sign?
وَهَل مُطمِعي ذاكَ الغَزالُ بِلَفتَةٍ
وَإِن ثَوَّرَ الرَكبُ العِجالَ وَأَوجَفوا
O did my love with a tender look
Hint though the troop trotted on as if lame?
عَشيَّةَ لا يَنفَكُّ لَحظٌ مُبَهَّتٌ
مُراقَبَةً مِنّا وَدَمعٌ مُكَفكَفُ
Evenings when eager gaze met gaze
And tears flowed free and men kissed.
فَلِلَّهِ مَن غَنّى الحُداةُ وَراءَهُ
وَلِلَّهِ ما وارى العَبيطُ المُسَجَّفُ
God spare the reveling rake full of song
And the wanton number full of sins.
وَسائِلَةٍ عَنّي كَأَنِّيَ لَم أَلِج
حِمى قَومِها وَاليَومُ بِالنَقعِ مُسدِفُ
One asks of me as though I never trod
Her tribe, while the day for war drums is ripe.
لَئِن كُنتُ مَجهولاً بِذُلِّيَ في الهَوى
فَإِنّي بِعِزّي عِندَ غَيرِكِ أَعرَفُ
If unknown to her for love's sick pain
I am best known for my worth by another.
فَلا تَعجَبي أَنّي تَعَرَّقَني الضَنى
فَإِنَّ الهَوى يَقوى عَلَيَّ وَأَضعُفُ
Marvel not that grief has mastered me,
For passion saps me though I am strong.
يُقَرَّعُ بِاِسمي الجَيشُ ثُمَّ يَرُدُّني
إِلى طاعَةِ الحَسناءِ قَلبٌ مُكَلَّفُ
I am summoned by name to ride then returned
To serve my belle by a heart held in thrall.
سَلي بي أَلَم أَنغَلُّ في لَهَواتِها
وَفَحلُ الرَدى دوني بِنابَيهِ يَصرُفُ
Ask me why I haunt the lands of delight
While the steed of mischief curbs me with his rein.
سَلي بي أَلَم أَحمِل عَلى الضيمِ ساعِدي
وَقَد ثُلِمَ الماضي وَرُضَّ المُثَقَّفُ
Ask me why I flinch not from injury
Though the past is flawed and the scar still hurts.
سَلي بي أَلَم أَثنِ الأَعِنَّةَ ظافِراً
تُحَدِّثُ عَن يَومي نِزارٌ وَخِندِفُ
Ask me why I hone not my trophied blade
That tells of my day, my star flashed and serf.
وَحَيٍّ تَخَطَّت بي أَعَزَّ بُيوتِهِ
صُدورُ المَواضي وَالوَشيجُ المُرَعَّفُ
By what villager's hovels my thoroughbred passed,
My lordly chest pushing through the throng.
سَلي بي أَلَم أَصبِر عَلى الظَمءِ بَعدَما
هَوى بِالمَهاري نَفنَفٌ ثُمَّ نَفنَفُ
Ask me why I have not slaked my thirst
Though stirrup cups passed and did pass along.
وَكُلُّ غُلامٍ مِلءُ دِرعَيهِ نَجدَةٌ
وَلَوثَةُ أَعرابيَّةٍ وَتَغَطرُفُ
On each saddlebag a line of pure stock
On each damsel a veil or a shawl.
عَلى كُلِّ طاوٍ فيهِ جَدٌّ وَمَيعَةٌ
وَطاوِيَةٍ فيها هِبابٌ وَعَجرَفُ
The evening's potion is poured and the dregs
Are bitter gall that sears as it falls.
وَقَد أُتبِعَت سُمرُ العَوالي زِجاجَها
وَحَنَّ مِنَ الإِنباضِ جَزعٌ مُعَطَّفُ
On each warrior glory and purpose shine
On each winsome maid a skirt and a scarf.
فَإِن تَسمَعوا صَوتَ المُرِنّاتِ تَعلَموا
بِمَن جَعَلَت تَدعو النَواعي وَتَهتُفُ
Hear the ringing neighs and you understand
Whose soft voice summoned the echoing vale.
لَنا الدَولَةُ الغَرّاءُ ما زالَ عِندَها
مِنَ الجَورِ واقٍ أَو مِنَ الظُلمِ مُنصِفُ
Ours is the state where justice prevails,
Where wrongs are redressed and never deferred.
بَعيدَةُ صَوتٍ في العُلى غَيرُ رافِعٍ
بِها صَوتَهُ المَظلومُ وَالمُتَحَيَّفُ
None hear the oppressed, none hear the cry
Of the victim seeking justice, his plaint unheard.
وَنَحنُ أَعَزُّ الناسِ شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً
وَأَكرَمُ أَبصارٍ عَلى الأَرضِ تَطرِفُ
Greatest of men in East and West are we,
Noblest of sight upon earth's broad flank.
بَنو كُلِّ فَيّاضِ اليَدَينِ مِنَ النَدى
إِذا جادَ أَلغى ما يَقولُ المُعَنِّفُ
Sons of the open-handed, sons of dew
Of liberal hand makes vows of the mean shrink.
وَكُلِّ مُحَيّاً بِالسَلامِ مُعَظَّمٍ
كَثيرٍ إِلَيهِ الناظِرُ المُتَشَوِّفُ
Each hailer of peace is exalted in rank,
Each gazer enraptured as though at a shrine.
وَأَبيَضَ بَسّامٍ كَأَنَّ جَبينَهُ
سَنا قَمَرٍ أَو بارِقٌ مُتَكَشِّفُ
White smiling it seems as if his brow
Were ray of moonlight or lightning's shine.
حَيِيٌّ فَإِن سيمَ الهَوانَ رَأَيتَهُ
يَشُدُّ وَلا ماضي الغِرارَينِ مُرهَفُ
Raise the cloak of humiliation, still you will know
No coward's mantle can make his glories fade.
لَنا الجَبَهاتُ المُستَنيراتُ في العُلى
إِذا اِلتَثَمَ الأَقوامُ ذُلّاً وَأَغدَفوا
For us the luminous brows that rise
When nations crouch, abased and afraid.
أَبونا الَّذي أَبدى بِصِفّينَ سَيفَهُ
ضُغاءَ اِبنِ هِندٍ وَالقَنا يَتَقَصَّفُ
Our father revealed his sword and its edge
At Siffin till Hind's son was prone.
وَمِن قَبلِ ما أَبلى بِبَدرٍ وَغَيرَها
وَلا مَوقِفٍ إِلّا لَهُ فيهِ مَوقِفُ
Before that, Badr and thicker frays
In each a mighty feat was shown.
وَرِثنا رَسولَ اللَهِ عُلويَّ مَجدِهِ
وَمُعظَمُ ما ضَمَّ الصَفا وَالمُعَرَّفُ
We inherited the Prophet's sublime renown,
We the Precinct's honor and grace.
وَعِندَ رِجالٍ أَنَّ جُلَّ تُراثِهِ
قَضيبٌ مُحَلّىً أَو رِداءٌ مُفَوَّفُ
Some say our heritage was but
Staff streaked with honey or perfumed cloth.
يُريدونَ أَن نُلقي إِلَيهِم أَكُفَّنا
وَمِن دَمِنا أَيديهِمُ الدَهرَ تَنطِفُ
They wish our hands to them were thrown
Who doctored faith and made themselves its face.
فَلِلَّهِ ما أَقسى ضَمائِرَ قَومِنا
لَقَد جاوَزوا حَدَّ العُقوقِ وَأَسرَفوا
This humblest father you see
First in glory, last in the race,
يَضَنّونَ أَن نُعطى نَصيباً مِنَ العُلا
وَقَد عالَجوا دَينَ العُلى وَتَسَلَّفوا
Who reconciles the kings when enraged
And murder is writ on each hardened face.
وَهَذا أَبي الأَدنى الَّذي تَعرِفونَهُ
مُقَدَّمُ مَجدٍ أَوَّلٌ وَمُخَلَّفُ
If he says, stop wrath, let calm thoughts rule,
They halt though churning with ire inside.
مُؤَلِّفُ ما بَينَ المُلوكِ إِذا هَفَوا
وَأَشفَوا عَلى حَزِّ الرِقابِ وَأَشرَفوا
If he says, peace, don't push things too far,
Their heads bow though their hearts swell with pride.
إِذا قالَ رُدّوا غارِبَ الحِلمِ راجَعوا
وَإِن قالَ مَهلاً بَعضَ ذا الجَدِّ وَقَّفوا
Only yesterday, their sovereign prayed
While turned from him in hatred and doubt.
وَبِالأَمسِ لَمّا صالَ قادِرُ مُلكِهِم
وَأَعرَضَ مِنهُ الجانِبُ المُتَخَوَّفُ
He tended him gently until the rancor faded
And smiling came after the storm and the shout.
تَلافاهُ حَتّى سامَحَ الضَغنَ قَلبُهُ
وَأَسمَحَ لَمّا قيلَ لا يَتَأَلَّفُ
The Lord's Regent he was, his deeds healing
The royal treasure, graceful and deft.
وَكانَ وَليُّ العَقدِ وَالعَهدِ بَينَهُ
وَبَينَ بَهاءِ المُلكِ يَسعى وَيَلطُفُ
Till Uqbah's whisperings bred secret treason,
Offering the rope of betrayal to cleft.
وَلَمّا اِلتَقى نَجوى عُقَيلٍ لِنَبوَةٍ
وَمَدَّ لَهُم حَبلاً مِنَ الغَدرِ مُحصَفُ
He turned his shoulder, abandoning them
To the lance's point and the sword's thirst.
لَوى عِطفَهُ لَيَّ القَنيِّ رِقابَهُم
وَلَو لِسِواهُ اِستَعطَفوا ما تَعَطَّفوا
Had it been other they had sought his grace
And had not spurned it and been the first.
وَسَل مُضَراً لَمّا سَما لِدِيارِها
فَهَبَّ وَنامَ العاجِزُ المُتَضَعَّفُ
Summoning Mudar, its protection he vowed.
The helpless fell and slept as if drunk
تَوَلَّجَها كَالسَيلِ صُلحاً وَعَنوَةً
فَأَبقى وَرَدَّ البيضَ ظَمأى تَلَهَّفُ
He flooded it, peace and by force, a torrent
Leaving the white stars thirsty, forlorn, sunk.
لَهُ وَقَفاتٌ بَالحَجيجِ شُهودُها
إِلى عَقِبِ الدُنيا مِنىً وَالمُخَيَّفُ
Scenes of his glory at Minna ever live,
Signposts for time and for night's dark gate.
وَمِن مَأثُراتٍ غَيرَ هاتيكَ لَم تَزَل
لَها عُنُقٌ عالٍ عَلى الناسِ مُشرِفُ
Deeds not those alone by which towers are raised
High over men by will or by fate.
حَمى فاهُ عَن بُسطِ المُلوكِ وَقَد كَبَت
عَلَيها جِباهٌ مِن رِجالٍ وَآنُفُ
Their clamor for power he turned into shame
Though over them regal brows frowned.
زِمامُ عُلاً لَو غَيرُهُ رامَ جَرَّهُ
لَساقَ بِهِ حادٍ مِنَ الذُلِّ مُعنِفُ
Reins once his, another would find them jerked
And himself deep in humiliation drowned.
جَرى ما جَرى قَبلي وَها أَنا خَلفَهُ
إِلى الأَمَدِ الأَقصى أُغِذُّ وَأوجِفُ
My deeds pace his though I follow behind
To time's furthest edge sustained, secure.
وَلَولا مُراعاةُ الأُبوَّةِ جُزتُهُ
وَلَكِن لِغَيرِ العَجزِ ما أَتَوَقَّفُ
But for respect I would make him regret
Though not from weakness do I abstain.
حَذَفتُ فُضولَ العَيشِ حَتّى رَدَدتُها
إِلى دونِ ما يَرضى بِهِ المُتَعَفِّفُ
I put away plenty, reducing it
To what an ascetic would see fit.
وَأَمَّلتُ أَن أَجري خَفيفاً إِلى العُلى
إِذا شِئتُمُ أَن تَلحَقوا فَتَخَفَّفوا
I hoped to rise light to the most high
If you too would rise, make yourself light.
حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ البُدنِ تَدمى نُحورُها
وَبِالنَفَرِ الأَطوارِ لَبّوا وَعَرَّفوا
I swear by the firm-necked steeds, their flanks flecked with blood,
That carried the pure when all fled the fight.
لَأَبتَذِلَنَّ النَفسَ حَتّى أَصونَها
وَغَيرِيَ في قَيدٍ مِنَ الذُلِّ يَرسُفُ
I will hazard my soul to save it
While others are shackled in chains of disgrace.
فَقَد طالَما ضَيَّعتُ في العَيشِ فُرصَةً
وَهَل يَنفَعُ المَلهوفُ ما يَتَلَهَّفُ
Long the chance for great deeds slipped away
While the longing soul still longing pined.
وَإِنَّ قَوافي الشِعرِ ما لَم أَكُن لَها
مُسَفسَفَةٌ فيها عَتيقٌ وَمُقرِفُ
My poetry's rhymes, I was never enthralled
By forms borrowed freely or slaves of their time.
أَنا الفارِسُ الوَثّابُ في صَهَواتِها
وَكُلُّ مُجيدٍ جاءَ بَعدِيَ مُردَفُ
I am the stalwart knight who ventures them boldly
With each innovator following behind.
