زَمانَ الهَوى ما أَنتَ لي بِزَمانِ
وَلا لَكَ مِن قَلبي أَعَزُّ مَكانِ
The time of love is not for me a time,
Nor in my heart is there a dearer place for you.
أَبَعدَ القِبابِ اللاءِ زُلنَ عَنِ الحِمى
أُراعي الهَوى في أَربُعٍ وَمَغانِ
Beyond the ruined abodes the doe strayed,
I roamed between the hills and the valleys.
وَسَيري أَمامَ الحَيِّ وَاللَيلُ حابِسٌ
عَلى الظَعنِ مِن جُدلٍ لَنا وَمَثاني
My travel ahead of the living, and the night holding back
The slander about us two and retribution.
وَمُلتَبِسٍ بِالرَكبِ بادَرتُ خَلفَهُ
أُلَوِّحُ بِالأَردانِ وَهُوَ يَراني
And mingled with the caravan, I hastened behind it
Waving with the sleeves, and it could see me.
وَآخَرُ هَزَّتني إِلَيهِ اِرتِياحَةٌ
وَمِن دونِهِ ذو صَفصَفٍ وَرِعانِ
And another the delight pulled me towards it
While beyond it was one with chief and shepherd boys.
تَحَمَّلتُ سَهماً أَوَّلاً مِن فِراقِهِ
فَلَمّا رَآني لا أَخورُ رَماني
I took a first arrow from his separation,
So when he saw me not weakening, he threw at me.
أَقولُ لَهُ وَالدَمعُ يَأخُذُ ناظِري
بِأَبيَضَ مِن ماءِ الشُؤونِ وَقاني
I say to him while tears seize my eyes
With the whitest of tearful affairs and ochre.
أَتَرضى عَنِ الدُنيا وَمَولاكَ ساخِطٌ
وَتَمضي طَليقاً وَاِبنُ عَمِّكَ عاني
Are you pleased with the world while your master is angry
And you walk free while the son of your uncle suffers?
وَفي ذَلِكَ الوادي الَّذي أَنبَتَ الهَوى
جَنابانِ مِن نُوّارِهِ أَرِجانِ
In that valley which grew the love
Two fires of its light, trellises.
وَماءٌ تَشيهِ الريحُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
كَما رَقَمَ البُردَ الصَبيغَ يَماني
And water the wind stirs every evening
As the cold embroidered the Yemani indigo.
مَرَرتُ بِغِزلانٍ عَلى جَنَباتِهِ
فَأَطلَقنَ دَمعي وَاِختَبَلنَ جَناني
I passed does by its sides
Who freed my tears and tangled my madness.
وَعاجَلَني يَومُ الرَفيقَينِ في الهَوى
عَشِيَّةَ ما لي بِالفِراقِ يَدانِ
The day of the two friends in love hastened me
One evening when I had no power over separation.
يَقولانِ أَحياناً بِقَلبِكَ نَشوَةٌ
وَما عَلِما أَنَّ الغَرامَ سَقاني
They sometimes say delight is in your heart
And they don’t know that passion made me drunk.
وَكَم غادَرَ البَينُ المُفَرِّقُ مِن فَتىً
يُمَسِّحُ قَلباً دائِمَ الخَفَقانِ
How many did separation, the separator, take from a youth
Wiping a heart constantly throbbing
وَمُنتَزِعٍ مِن بَينِ جَنبَيهِ زَفرَةً
تُخَلّي دُموعَ العَينِ في الهَمَلانِ
And snatching a sigh from between his sides
Emptying the tears of the eye onto the cheeks.
وَما الحُبَّ إِلّا فُرقَةٌ بَعدَ أُلفَةٍ
وَإِلّا حِذارٌ بَعدَ طولِ أَمانِ
Love is only separation after intimacy
And caution after long safety.
هُوَ الشُغُلُ اِستَولى عَلى كُلُّ مُهجَةٍ
وَأَلقى ذِراعَيهِ بِكُلِّ جَنانِ
It is the occupation which seized every infatuated one
And threw its arms around every garden.
سَلَوتُ الهَوى وَالشَوقُ إِلّا ذُؤابَةٌ
تُراجِعُ قَلبي مِن نَوىً وَتَداني
I distracted myself from passion but yearning is only
A fox returning to my intent and drawing near.
وَصِرتُ أَرى أَنَّ الشُجونَ عَلاقَةٌ
تَليقُ بِقَلبِ العاجِزِ المُتَواني
And I came to see that grief is a connection
Befitting the heart of the helpless weak one.
فَها أَنا ذا لا أُمتِعُ العَينَ بِالكَرى
وَتَأمُلُ قَودَ النَومِ بَعدَ حِرانِ
So here I am, unable to delight the eye with seeing
And the lids covet the fuel of sleep after insomnia.
تَقَلَّصُ عَن مَسِّ النُعاسِ جُفونُها
كَما قُلِّصَت لِلبارِدِ الشَفَتانِ
They shrink from touching drowsiness
As the lips shrink from the cold.
تُجَمجِمُ لِلأَطماعِ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ
وَتُقلِعُ عَن قَلبي بِغَيرِ بَيانِ
They stay awake covetously every night
And pull away from my heart without explaining.
غَرِضتُ مِنَ العَلياءِ وَهيَ تَطولُ بي
كَما غَرِضَ المَقصوصُ بِالطَيَرانِ
I aimed for the highest which lengthens towards me
As the truncated aims to fly.
وَلَو شِئتُ جَلّى بي إِلى غايَةِ العُلى
جَوادي وَلَكِنّي أَرُدُّ عِناني
If I wished, my steed would carry me to the highest elevation,
But I pull back my reins.
وَمَولىً دَعا غَيري إِلى ما يُريدُهُ
وَلَو أَنَّني مِمَّن يُجيبُ دَعاني
And a master called others to what he wants
And if I were one who answers a call.
وَحاوَلَ أَمراً يَعصِبُ الريقُ دونَه
بِناجِدِ مَزؤودِ الفُؤادِ جَبانِ
And he attempted a matter which the coward’s saliva blocks
With the carpet of one with a fearful, cowardly heart.
يُناثِعُنِ الشَحناءَ أَنّى لَقيتُهُ
وَلَو أَنَّني يَوماً حَذِرتُ رَقاني
The thin-flanked one reproaches me wherever I meet him,
And if only one day I was on guard against my inclinations.
وَعَوراءَ لَم أُنصِت إِلَيها وَلَم أُرِد
جَواباً لَها وَالقَولُ لَيسَ بِوانِ
And a twisted one whose counsel I did not listen to and did not
Want to answer, though my reply would not be deviant.
وَلَكِنَّني أَغضَيتُ عَنها كَأَنَّما
أَقولُ بِسَمعي أَو أَعي بِلِساني
But I turned away from her as if
I say in my hearing or understand with my tongue.
أَرى السَرحَ أَولى بي مِنَ الكورِ في الوَغى
وَما ناقَتي إِلّا فِداءُ حِصاني
I see safety more fitting than war in the commotion
And my she-camel is only the redemption of my steed.
وَلَمّا تَعاطَينا النِزالَ اِنبَرى لَنا
مَلَبٌّ عَلى أَعوادِهِ بِلُبانِ
And when we fought, a hero rose for us
On his legs like incense.
فَسَدَّدَ رُمحاً لَم يَكُن بِمُثَقَّفٍ
وَجَرَّدَ عَضباً لَم يَكُن بِيَماني
He straightened a spear that was not well-aimed
And bared a rage that was not Yemani.
حَذارِ بَني العَنقاءِ مِن مُتَطاوِلٍ
إِلى الحَربِ لا يَخشى جِنايَةَ جانِ
Beware, O sons of the she-camels, of an arrogant one
To war who does not fear the crime of souls.
وَداهِيَةٍ تُصمي القُلوبَ كَأَنَّما
تَمَطَّرُ عَن قَوسٍ مِنَ الشَرَيانِ
And a cunning one who deafens hearts as if
She rains from a bow of veins.
فَهَذا وَعيدٌ سَطوَتي مِن وَرائِهِ
وَعُنوانُ ناري أَن يَبينَ دُخاني
So this is my threat which lies behind it
And the title of my fire that its smoke appear.
فَلا يَحسَبِ الأَعداءُ كَيدي غَنيمَةً
وَلا أَنَّني في الشَرِّ غَيرُ مُعانِ
The enemies should not count my power as loot
Nor that I in evil am without helper.
فَإِنّي بِحَمدِ اللَهِ أَقوى عَلى الأَذى
وَأَنمى عَلى البَغضاءِ وَالشَنَآنِ
With God’s praise I am strongest against harm
And grow with hatred and enmity.
وَأَبيَضَ مِن عَليا مَعَدٍّ كَأَنَّما
تَلاقى عَلى عِرنينِهِ القَمَرانِ
Whiter than a high, prepared sword as if
The moon and sun met on its blade.
إِذا رُمتُ طَعناً بِالقَريضِ حَمَيتُهُ
وَإِن رُمتُ طَعناً بِالرِماحِ حَماني
If I stab with verse, I protect it
And if I stab with spears, they protect me.
يَجودُ إِذا ضَنَّ الجَبانُ بِنَفسِهِ
وَيَمضي إِذا مازَلَّتِ القَدَمانِ
It is generous when the coward is stingy with himself
And progresses when feet slip.
بَصيرٌ بِتَصريفِ الأَعِنَّةِ إِن سَرى
لِيَومِ نِزالٍ أَو لِبَومِ رِهانِ
Insightful into directing help on the day of fighting
Or in winning the bet.
تَرامى بِهِ الأَيّامُ وَهوَ مُصَمِّمٌ
كَما يَرتَمي بِالماتِحِ الرَجَوانِ
Days are thrown at him while he is determined
As amber is thrown at the sitter.
إِذا ما اِحتَبى يَومَ الخِصامِ كَأَنَّما
يُحَدِّثُنا عَن يَذبُلٍ وَأَبانِ
When war was heated, it was as if
He told us about withering and whitening.
أَبا أَحمَدٍ أَنتَ الشُجاعُ وَإِنَّما
تَجُرُّ العَوالي عُرضَةً لِطِعانِ
Abu Ahmad you are the brave one, and yet
You drag the highest as prey for spears.
وَلَمّا غَوى الغاوُونَ فيكَ وَفُرِّجَت
ضُلوعٌ عَلى الغِلِّ القَديمِ حَواني
And when the misguided went astray regarding you and
Ribs were opened to old injustice, it disturbed me.
نَجَوتَ عَنِ الغُمّاءِ وَهيَ قَريبَةٌ
نَجاءَ الثُرَيّا مِن يَدِ الدَبَرانِ
You were saved from gloom though it was near
As a fledging is saved from the predator.
وَغَيرُكَ غَضَّ الذُلُّ مِن نَجَواتِهِ
وَطامَنَ لِلأَيّامِ شَخصَ مُهانِ
While others' disgrace lessened their salvation
And they surrendered to days utterly disgraced.
وَحالَ الأَذى بَينَ المُرادِ وَبَينَهُ
كَما حيلَ بَينَ العيرِ وَالنَزَوانِ
Harm came between the goal and them
As it comes between the camel train and the rest stop.
وَكانَ كَفَحلِ البَيتِ يَطمَحُ رَأسَه
فَأَلقى عَلى حُكمِ الرَدى بِجِرانِ
It was as the horse of the house aspiring
So fate cast it with a bridle of clay.
وَآخَرُ راخى مِن قُواكَ بِبِدعَةٍ
سَتَشرُدُ في الدُنيا بِغَيرِ عِنانِ
And another relaxed from your strength with innovation
Which will wander in the world without reins.
فَأَشهَدُ أَن ما عَرَّقَت فيهِ هاشِمٌ
وَلا عُلَّ يَوماً مِن لَبانِ حَصانِ
I bear witness that the Hashimi did not
Sweat over ambergris in his life.
إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَحفَظ ذِماماً لِقَومِهِ
فَأَحجِ بِهِ أَن لا يَفي بِضَمانِ
When a man does not restrain ties for his people
Make pilgrimage with it so you do not fulfill a guarantee.
وَنازَعَكَ العَلياءَ مِن آلِ غالِبٍ
شُعوبٌ وَمِن أَدٍّ وَمِن غَطَفانِ
The elite of Ghalib’s family and sons of Add and Ghatafan opposed you
Horsemen who meet destruction with their souls without crying “So-and-so help!”
فَوارِسُ يَلقَونَ الرَدى بِنُفوسِهِم
سِراعاً وَلا يَدعَونَ يالَ فُلانِ
If you wished, their spears would not have faced you
As their tips bent crooked towards you.
وَلَو شِئتَ لَمّا طالَعَتكَ رِماحُهُم
وَأَطرافُها عوجٌ إِلَيكَ دَواني
You spilled blood which time has no seeker
As Kharqa spilled the blood of Qaab Luban.
هَرَقتَ دِماءً ما لَها الدَهرَ طالِبٌ
كَما هَرَقَت خَرقاءُ قَعبَ لِبانِ
You scattered horses between their houses while they were
Safe from events.
وَحَيٍّ بَثَثتَ الخَيلَ بَينَ بُيوتِهِم
وَكانوا عَلى أَمنٍ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ
You made them walk the high parts of every house
From the terror, all the builders.
أَقَمتَهُمُ مِن رَوعَةٍ عَن شِوائِهِم
يَمُشّونَ بِالأَعرافِ كُلَّ بَنانِ
Shall I show patience for injustice when you aid me
And my seller is long behind my hatred?
أَأُغضي عَلى ضَيمٍ وَعِزُّكَ ناصِري
وَباعي طَويلٌ مِن وَراءِ سِناني
Whenever the guest turns to me at night
And the backs of houses are my pillow.
إِذا فَعَداني الضَيفُ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ
وَكُبَّت بِأَعجازِ البُيوتِ جِفاني
No desired one who has behind him
A more overwhelming tribe of the Prophet’s family shuddered.
وَما اِرتاعَ مَطلوبٌ يَكونُ وَراءَهُ
بِأَغلَبَ مِن آلِ النَبِيِّ هِجانِ
Goodness to you, I will not accept other than you as ruler
Over me nor give leadership of my time.
لَكَ الخَيرُ لا أَرضى بِغَيرِكَ حاكِماً
عَلَيَّ وَلا أُعطي القِيادَ زَماني
And if I seek the goal of glories, my highest aim,
Many an inanimate thing was counted among the living.
وَإِن أَطلُبِ الضَخمَ اللَغاديدِ غايَتي
فَرُبَّ جَمادٍ عُدَّ في الحَيَوانِ
