أَشادِنَ إِنَّ ريمَةَ لا تُصادُ
وَإِنَّ لِقاءَ ريمَةَ مُستَزادُ
They reproached me, saying Reema cannot be attained,
Yet meeting Reema is what I seek.
أَشادِنَ كَيفَ رَأيُكِ في صَديقٍ
بِهِ عَقدٌ بِريمَةَ أَو وِجادُ
They reproached me, what think you of a friend
Betrothed to Reema or hopes for union with her?
بِريمَةَ خالَفَت عَيني سُهوداً
وَبِئسَ خَليفَةُ النَومِ السُهادُ
Reema's eyes have mocked my worship,
Ill-omened is the deputy of drowsiness.
أَشادِنَ لَو أَعَنتِ فَإِنَّ عَيني
لَها سَبَلٌ وَلَيسَ لَها رُقادُ
They reproached me, if you were to help me
My eyes that have no rest would find relief.
أُغادي الهَمَّ مُنفَرِداً لَصوقاً
عَلى كَبِدي كَما لَصِقَ القُرادُ
I battle anxiety alone, clinging
To my liver as lice cling.
وَأَفرَحُ أَن أُعادَ وَقَد أُراني
أُذادُ عَنِ الحَديثِ وَلا أُعادُ
I rejoice being restored when it was thought
I no longer conversed or responded.
أَشادِنَ قَد مَضى لَيلٌ وَلَيلٌ
أُكابِدُهُ وَقَد قَلِقَ الوِسادُ
They reproached me, night after night has passed
I endure them as my pillow was disturbed.
فَأَيُّ فَتىً أُصيبَ بِمِثلِ ما بي
يُصابُ عَلى الهَوى أَو يُستَزادُ
What youth was struck with what struck me?
Smitten by love or seeking more of it?
أَشادِنَ إِنَّها طِلقٌ وَإِنّي
أَبا لَكِ لا أَنامُ وَلا أَكادُ
They reproached me, she is free and I
Cannot sleep or rest.
وَما عَن نائِلٍ كَلَفي وَلَكِن
شَقيتُ بِها وَمُزنَتُها جَمادُ
No seeker has my condition but
I was miserable for her while she is indifferent.
إِذا ما باعَدَت قَرُبَت بِرَأيٍ
وَإِن قَرُبَت فَشيمَتُها البِعادُ
When she drew near she blamed me,
And if she was distant her nature was avoidance.
وَقالَت قَد كَبِرتَ فَلَستَ مِنّا
وَلَيسَ لِما مَضى مِنكَ اِرتِدادُ
She said you are too old now, you are not one of us,
No going back to what passed between you.
فَحَسبي مِن مُهازَلَةِ الغَواني
وَمِن كَأسٍ لِسَورَتِها فَسادُ
It suffices me to jest with youths
And a cup whose wine sours.
تَرَكتُ اللَهوَ بَل نَفِدَ التَصابي
وَأَيُّ العَيشِ لَيسَ لَهُ نَفادُ
I have left frivolity but life without it
Is not life, for life has no end.
وَحاجَةِ صاحِبٍ ثَقُلَت عَلَيهِ
حَمَلتُ وَلا يَقومُ لَها الوِجادُ
A friend's need weighed heavy on him
I took it though it was no light burden.
وَصَفراوَينِ مِن بَقَرٍ وَراحٍ
أَصَبتُهُما وَما حَسُنَ السَوادُ
Two yellow cows and a camel I bought
Though the black would have been comelier.
وَذَكَّرَني الحَمامُ فِراقَ إِلفٍ
عَلى الرَوحاءِ لَيسَ لَهُ مَعادُ
The dove reminds me of departed friends
At the ruins, no reunion.
وَيَومٌ في ذُرى جُشَمِ بنِ بَكرٍ
نَعِمتُ بِهِ وَنَدماني زِيادُ
A day in the camp of Jusham bin Bakr
I enjoyed but regretMultiply me.
إِذا ما شِئتُ غَنّاني كَريمٌ
لَهُ حَسَبٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ تِلادُ
When I wish, a generous singer
Of status though not noble birth
يَصُبُّ لِسانُهُ طُرَفاً عَلَينا
كَما تَتَساقَطُ النُطَفُ السَدادُ
Pours his voice upon us
As heavy rain pours.
فَلَمّا حَثَّتِ الصَهباءُ فينا
وَغَرَّدَ صاحَبي وَخَلا المِسادُ
When the blond girl incited us
My companion sang and we were secluded together.
شَرِبنا مِن بَناتِ الدَنِّ حَتّى
تَرَكنا الدَنَّ لَيسَ لَهُ فُؤادُ
We drank from the daughters of the vine until
We drained it, leaving no life in it.
وَعَيشٌ قَد ظَفَرتُ بِهِ كِداداً
أَلَذُّ العَيشِ ما جَلَبَ الكِدادُ
A living I obtained with struggle
Is the sweetest living that struggle brings.
وَأَملاكٌ وَهَبتُ لَهُم ثَنائي
وَلَيسَ كَزاخِرِ النيلِ الثِمادُ
Possessions I bestowed upon them
Not equal to the Nile at fullest flood.
وَجَدتُ لِبَعضِهِم جوداً وَبَعضٌ
كَماءِ البَحرِ أَكدَرُ لا يُرادُ
For some I was generous but some
Were like sea water, undesired.
وَلَيسَ الجودُ مُنتَحَلاً وَلَكِن
عَلى أَحسابِها تَجري الجِيادُ
Generosity is no pretense but
Horses run the course set for them.
فَتىً مِمَّن نَزَلتُ بِهِ وَلَكِن
بِرَوحٍ تُكشَفُ الكُرَبُ الشِدادُ
A lad with whom I stayed but
With a spirit exposing hardship.
قَريعُ بَني المَهَلَّبِ حينَ يَغدو
بِهِ يَبكي العِدا وَبِهِ يُجادُ
The plague of Bani Mahallab's foes
He goes out against them and they flee.
إِذا مَرَتِ الرِياحُ يَمينَ رَوحٍ
جَرَت ذَهَباً وَطابَ لَها الجِلادُ
When the winds blow past Rooh's tomb
Gold flows and the structure stands beautifully.
يَضُمُّ سِلاحُهُ مَلِكاً هُماماً
عَلَيهِ مَهابَةٌ وَلَهُ اِقتِصادُ
His weapon contains a mighty king
Before whom is awe and his rule judicious.
وَرِئبالُ العِراقِ إِذا تَداعَت
عَلى أَبطالِها البيضُ الحِدادُ
The torrents of Iraq when unleashed
Upon its heroes bring white mourning.
يَعيشُ بِفَضلِهِ ناءٍ وَدانٍ
كَما تَحيا عَلى الغَيثِ البِلادُ
By his grace live the weak and lowly
As the land lives when rain comes.
وَجارِيَةٍ مِنَ الغُرِّ العَوالي
تُزَفُّ إِلى المُلوكِ وَلا تُقادُ
A slave girl from lofty stock
Led to kings, she cannot be guided.
تَسُرُّكَ بِاللِقاءِ وَلا تَراها
وَيُعطي مالَهُ فيها الجَوادُ
She delights you when met but you do not see her
Yet the generous gives his wealth for her.
أَقولُ لَها وَقَد خَرَجَت بِلَيلٍ
مُناصَحَةً وَلِلنُصحِ اِجتِهادُ
I say to her, having gone out by night
In counsel, and counsel takes effort:
زُري رَوحاً فَلَن تَجدي كَرَوحٍ
إِذا أَزِمَت بِكِ السَنَةُ الجَمادُ
Visit Rooh, you will not find one like Rooh
Should old age bind you.
إِذا خَلّى مَكانَ المُلكِ رَوحٌ
فَلَيسَ لِمَن يُطيفُ بِهِ رُقادُ
When a place fit for a king loses Rooh
He who comes to it finds no rest.
وَحاسِدُ قُبَّةٍ بُنِيَت لِرَوحٍ
أَطالَ عِمادَها سَلَفٌ وَآدوا
An envier of the dome built for Rooh
Extolled its pillars which ancients and time have erected
فَقُلتُ لَهُ أَراكَ حَسَدتَ رَوحاً
كَذاكَ المُلكُ يَحسُدُهُ العِبادُ
So I said to him, I see you envy Rooh
For sovereignty is envied by subjects.
تَشَدَّد لا تَمُت حَسَداً وَغَمّاً
لِرَوحٍ مُلكُهُ وَلَكَ الكِيادُ
Endure, die not in envy and sorrow
For Rooh whose reign while you have naught.
أَغَرُّ عَلى المَنابِرِ أَريَحِيٌّ
كَأَنَّ جَبينَهُ القَمَرُ الفِرادُ
Rooh has led the armies against you
With fathers who commanded and led,
وَضامِنُ عَسكَرٍ وَعِنانُ خَيلٍ
نَهيدُ بِهِ العَدُوَّ وَلا نُهادُ
Of those who descended on death
And if they brought you good, have returned.
كَأَنَّ المُستَزيدي فَضلِ رَوحٍ
غَوارِبَ دَجلَةَ الجَونِ اِستَزادوا
How will you fare if you war with Rooh?
You will fail and loads of woe burden you.
أَذَلَّ لِطالِبِ العُضُلاتِ رَوحٌ
فَواضِلَهُ وَعَزَّ بِهِ الجِهادُ
The kings of two lands contested him
And virtues prevail but are not overcome.
وَقَومٌ نالَهُم بِجَدىً وَقَومٌ
أَصابَتهُم كَتائِبُهُ فَكادوا
Abu Khalaf, yours is the highest nobility
And the house of Bani Mahallab and family line.
أَلا يا أَيُّها الرَجُلُ المُباهي
بِأُسرَتِهِ وَلَيسَ لَهُ عِمادُ
When present you are their axis
And if absent you are not sought.
لَقَد قادَ الجُنودَ عَلَيكَ رَوحٌ
بِآباءٍ لَهُ أَمَروا وَقادوا
The tribes return to you bearing gifts
As `Aad returned to the idols.
مِنَ المُتَنَزِّلينَ عَلى المَنايا
وَإِن جَلَبوا لَكَ المَعروفَ عادوا
Your hospitality is vast and your gifts plentiful
Your adornment, the sunoor and spears.
وَكَيفَ تَراكَ إِن حارَبتَ رَوحاً
هَبِلتَ وَتَحتَكَ العَيرُ الكُدادُ
One hand of yours remains for the lofty
The other for generosity is lauded.
مُلوكُ القَريَتَينِ تَنازَعَتهُ
وَأَخلاقٌ تَسودُ وَلا تُسادُ
You ascend to the heights and advance war
While slumber eludes your vigilance.
أَبا خَلَفٍ لَكَ الشَرَفُ المُعَلّى
وَبَيتُ بَني المُهَلَّبِ وَالعِدادُ
إِذا شَهِدوا فَأَنتَ لَهُم دُوارٌ
وَإِن غابوا فَلَيسَ بِكَ اِفتِقادُ
تَثوبُ لَكَ القَبائِلُ مُجلِباتٍ
كَما ثابَت عَلى النُصُبَينِ عادُ
فِناؤُكَ واسِعٌ وَنَداكَ ضافٍ
وَحِليَتُكَ السَنَوَّرُ وَالنِجادُ
وَما زالَت يَدٌ لَكَ لِلعَوالي
وَأُخرى لِلسَماحَةِ تُستَجادُ
تَراحُ إِلى العُلا وَتَسوسُ حَرباً
وَلا يورى لِيَقظَتِكَ الزِنادُ
