أَجارَتَنا ما بِالهَوانِ خَفاءُ
وَلا دونَ شَخصي يَومَ رُحتُ عَطاءُ
Neither shame nor fear could prevent our support,
Nor when I left did you reward my gifts.
أَحِنُّ لِما أَلقى وَإِن جِئتُ زائِراً
دُفِعتُ كَأَنّي وَالعَدُوَّ سَواءُ
Though fond, when I visit I'm treated as a foe-
Alike we are to friends and those we don't know.
وَمَنَّيتِنا جوداً وَفيكِ تَثاقُلٌ
وَشَتّانَ أَهلُ الجودِ وَالبُخَلاءُ
We wished you kindness but you remained aloof;
Far different are the generous and the uncouth.
عَلى وَجهِ مَعروفِ الكَريمِ بَشاشَةٌ
وَلَيسَ لِمَعروفِ البَخيلِ بَهاءُ
The noble man has cheer to match each kindness done,
While generous deeds the miser shuns, each one.
كَأَنَّ الَذي يَأتيكَ مِن راحَتَيهِما
عَروسٌ عَلَيها الدُرُّ وَالنُفَساءُ
As if she who comes to you had donned fine gowns
With jewels and silk of many shades and tones.
وَقَد لُمتُ نَفسي في الرَبابِ فَسامَحَت
مَراراً وَلَكِن في الفُؤادِ عِصاءُ
My soul oft chided me, but my heart was deaf
And still desired what brought but hurt and grief.
تَحَمَّلَ والي أُمِّ بَكرٍ مِنَ اللِوى
وَفارَقَ مَن تَهوى وَبُتَّ رَجاءُ
The Wali of Umm Bakr bore the pain of love
Though the beloved left and hopes proved false enough.
فَأَصبَحتَ مَخلوعاً وَأَصبَحَ
بِأَيدي الأَعادي وَالبَلاءُ بَلاءُ
So you were abandoned and your foes now hold
What you had guarded- ah, how fate is bold!
خَفيتُ لِعَينٍ مِن ضَنينَةَ ساعَفَت
وَما كانَ مِنّي لِلحَبيبِ خَفاءُ
I hid from prying eyes, though hiding her I never could.
When last I saw her, she wore a gown and cloak of wood.
وَآخِرُ عَهدٍ لي بِها يَومَ أَقبَلَت
تَهادى عَلَيها قَرقَرٌ وَرِداءُ
At dusk she stood displaying herself to the lookers,
Maidens around her, less fair than this hooker.
عَشِيَّةَ قامَت بِالوَصيدِ تَعَرُّضاً
وَقامَ نِساءٌ دونَها وَإِماءُ
Her glances like water let flow o'er hearts
Capturing them like prey caught in fishing nets.
مِنَ البيضِ مِعلاقُ القُلوبِ كَأَنَّما
جَرى بِالرُقى في عَينِها لَكَ ماءُ
When she traveled, joy filled the air about her face
And the narrowest alley seemed a vast open space.
إِذا سَفَرَت طابَ النَعيمُ بِوَجهِها
وَشُبِّهَ لي أَنَّ المَضيقَ فَضاءُ
Sick with love between ribs, she's cure and bane -
I said to my doting heart: she has no cure for your pain!
مَريضَةُ ما بَينَ الجَوانِحَ بِالصِبا
وَفيها دَواءٌ لِلقُلوبِ وَداءُ
She scorns gentle hearts though herself quite wild,
Mixing with the vile and those by vice beguiled.
فَقُلتُ لِقَلبٍ جاثِمٍ في ضَميرِهِ
وَدائِعُ حُبٍّ ما لَهُنَّ دَواءُ
Let passion die, as if it had never been,
For our love left no trace or roots within.
تَعَزَّ عَنِ الحَوراءِ إِنَّ عِداتِها
وَقَد نَزَلَت بِالزابِيَينِ لِفاءُ
How can you miss that distant Umm Bakr?
You used to shun her when houses watched you from afar!
يَموتُ الهَوى حَتّى كَأَن لَم يَكُن هَوىً
وَلَيسَ لِما اِستَبقَيتُ مِنك بَقاءُ
Shadin refused at Zabiyan a meeting for us two,
And the lover's greatest need is the beloved's view.
وَكَيفَ تُرَجّي أُمَّ بَكرٍ بَعيدَةً
وَقَد كُنتَ تُجفى وَالبُيوتُ رِئاءُ
So I resigned myself to lovesickness and despair,
For without my gifts, her love was but empty air.
أَبى شادِنٌ بِالزابِيَينِ لِقاءَنا
وَأَكثَرُ حاجاتِ المُحِبِّ لِقاءُ
Oh my heart, burning with the wounds of ardent care!
For your afflictions, no remedy anywhere.
فَأَصبَحتُ أَرضى أَن أُعَلَّلَ بِالمُنى
وَما كانَ لي لَولا النَوالُ حَزاءُ
Free of frivolity and youthful urges stayed I,
For lovers' worries allow no time to go awry.
فَيا كَبِداً فيها مِنَ الشَوقِ قَرحَةٌ
وَلَيسَ لَها مِمّا تُحِبُّ شِفاءُ
You wished to meet the singer - desires bring sorrow!
What the youth covets often breeds grief on the morrow.
خَلا هَمُّ مَن لا يَتبَعُ اللَهوَ وَالصِبا
وَما لِهُمومِ العاشِقينَ خَلاءُ
By her father's life, she never gave what we did earn!
Loyalty and faithfulness from her we did not learn.
تَمَنَّيتَ أَن تَلقى الرَبابَ وَرُبَّما
تَمَنّى الفَتى أَمراً وَفيهِ شَقاءُ
The best of friends is he whose company delights,
Where music rises when reserve takes flight.
لَعَمرُ أَبيها ما جَزَتنا بِنائِلٍ
وَما كانَ مِنها بِالوَفاءِ وَفاءُ
Yet closeness is for those who truly care,
Not vile pretenders feigning love while hearts forswear.
وَخَيرُ خَليلَيكَ الَذي في لِقائِهِ
رَواحٌ وَفيهِ حينَ شَطَّ غَناءُ
No good in fake affection or friendship's hollow guise -
Sincerity and genuineness real friendship comprise.
وَما القُربُ إلا لِلمُقَرِّبِ نَفسَهُ
وَلَو وَلَدَتهُ جُرهُمٌ وَصَلاءُ
My companions I'll reproach but then forgive,
Weak flesh and pride compel each one to live.
وَلا خَيرَ في وُدِّ اِمرِىءٍ مُتَصَنِّعٍ
بِما لَيسَ فيهِ وَالوِدادُ صَفاءُ
Why should I not pardon, though they give me pain?
My own hands cause hurt for which my soul bears stain.
سَأُعتِبُ خُلّاني وَأَعذِرُ صاحِبي
بِما غَلَبَتهُ النَفسُ وَالغُلَواءُ
Youth's reproaches are a daily tragedy;
To curb women's caprice takes great ability.
وَما لِيَ لا أَعفو وَإِن كانَ ساءَني
وَنَفسي بِما تَجني يَدايَ تُساءُ
I have patience for parting but cannot bear
A gathering where derision and deceit appear.
عِتابُ الفَتى في كُلِّ يَومٍ بَلِيَّةٌ
وَتَقويمُ أَضغانِ النِساءِ عَناءُ
With forbearance I keep affection safe in sight
For him who's sick at heart I know the cure is light.
صَبَرتُ عَلى الجُلّى وَلَستُ بِصابِرٍ
عَلى مَجلِسٍ فيهِ عَلَيَّ زِراءُ
At Mahayil I silenced critics with my words -
Beyond eloquence, futile debate still girds.
وَإِنّي لِأَستَبقي بِحِلمي مَوَدَّتي
وَعِندي لِذي الداءِ المُلِحِّ دَواءُ
Tall Alyaa of Rabi'a's clan knew I can be
A relentless warrior when swords clash angrily.
قَطَعتُ مِراءَ القَومِ يَومَ مَهايلٍ
بِقَولي وَما بَعدَ البَيانِ مِراءُ
Son of Nihaya I left, though long he prattled on,
Silent as the bare earth when all life is gone.
وَقَد عَلِمَت عَليا رَبيعَةَ أَنَّني
إِذا السَيفُ أَكدى كانَ فِيَّ مَضاءُ
None avenged like me, or answered pride with hate -
In my eyes the arrogant could only anger create.
تَرَكتُ اِبنَ نِهيا بَعدَ طولِ هَديرِهِ
مُصيخاً كَأَنَّ الأَرضَ مِنهُ خَلاءُ
Verses slip from my tongue like snakes' fangs dripping death -
The lines' measure become a final fatal breath.
وَما راحَ مِثلي في العِقابِ وَلا غَدا
لِمُستَكبِرٍ في ناظِريهِ عَداءُ
تَزِلُّ القَوافي عَن لِساني كَأَنَّها
حُماتُ الأَفاعي ريقُهُنَّ قَضاءُ
