أَعاذِلَ قَد نَهَيتِ فَما اِنتَهَيتُ
وَقَد طالَ العِتابُ فَما اِنثَنَيتُ
I reproach you, though you’ve been forbidden, yet undeterred am I,
Reprimands prolonged, but steadfast remain, I won’t be turned awry.
أَعاذِلَ ما مَلَكتِ فَأَقسِريني
وَما اللَذّاتُ إِلّا ما اِشتَهَيتُ
I implore you, for you have bewitched me, and made my passions rise,
There’s no pleasure left, but what you rouse, no joy outside your eyes.
أُطيعُكِ ما عَطَفتِ عَلَيَّ بِرّاً
وَإِن حاوَلتِ مَعصِيَتي عَصَيتُ
I’ll obey while you show kindness, though if you spurn me, I’ll defy,
Reproach me now, though years have passed, and youthful games gone by,
أَعاذِلَ قَد كَبِرتُ وَفِيَّ مَلهىً
وَلَو أَجرَيتُ غايَتَكِ اِرعَوَيتُ
Had I fulfilled your every whim, I’d have lost my sanity.
Those busybodies cast their eyes on me with wicked glee,
لَقَد نَظَرَ الوُشاةُ إِلَيَّ شَزراً
وَمِن نَظَري إِلَيها ما اِشتَفَيتُ
But from ogling them, I’ve abstained, no urge in me they rouse.
And they say he lingered there, that he might catch her house,
وَقَالوا قَد تَعَرَّضَ كَي يَراها
وَماذا ضَرَّهُم مِمّا رَأَيتُ
What’s it to them, what I have seen? Their words I’ll counter-vow.
Naught I’ve asked of her but grace, and kept every promise now,
وَما كَلَّفتُها إِلّا جَميلاً
وَلا عاهَدتُها إِلّا وَفَيتُ
When we speak of her in drink, though discourse may multiply,
I’ll down a glass and weep the next, they’ll leave all sated, while
وَيَومَ ذَكَرتُها في الشَربِ إِنّي
إِذا عَرَضَ الحَديثُ بِها اِعتَدَيتُ
I remain bereft of joy, though disguised my bitter cry.
It’s no secret to boon friends, that for her I sing and sigh,
شَرِبتُ زُجاجَةً وَبَكَيتُ أُخرى
فَراحوا مُنتَشينَ وَما اِنتَشَيتُ
Though with wishes I lament, and words of would that vie,
A maiden who enchants us both, her passion binding nigh,
وَما يَخفى عَلى النُدَماءِ أَنّي
أُجيدُ بِها الغِناءَ وَإِن كَنَيتُ
As Sama’a* once enraptured me, but left me lorn and dry.
Her face adorned with noble traits, her clan and house the same,
وَأَتبَعتُ المُنى بِنَجادِ لَيتٍ
وَما يُغني عَنِ الطَّرَباتِ لَيتُ
When I bring my lips to hers, though, sickness racks me without fail.
For her I wove a poem with the water of my love,
وَجارِيَةٍ يَسورُ بِنا هَواها
كَما سارَت مُشَعشَعَةٌ كُمَيتُ
That she may don it and partake the drink that I’ve proffered in pail.
And in my letter she conveyed, “I shelter you, though if
يُزَيِّنُ وَجهُها خَلقاً عَميماً
وَزَيَّنَ وَجهَها حَسَبٌ وَبَيتُ
I espy a breach, at once I’ll leave.” To this I will not fail.
You know my mother’s madness well, and when I donned my cloak
إِذا قَرُبَت شَفَيتُ بِها سَقاماً
عَلى كَبِدي وَإِن شَحَطَت بَكَيتُ
My brothers’ eyes reproached me, whether I walked or rode.
For love of you I cowered before them, just as Sukayt** cowers,
نَسَجتُ لَها القَريضَ بِماءِ وُدّي
لِتَلبَسَهُ وَتَشرَبَ ما سَقَيتُ
When evening came and she was told I had fallen ill.
Her slave girl sang, beating her tambour, “He came to me, entreating,
وَدَسَّت في الكِتابِ إِلَيَّ إِنّي
وَقَيتُكَ لَو أَرى خَلَلاً مَضَيتُ
But if mother spurns, we shall not turn.” My will she will not kill.
She sang, “Why, mother, would you forbid what I hold dear?
عَلى ما قَد عَلِمتَ جُنونُ أُمّي
وَأَعيُنُ إِخوَتي مُنذُ اِرتَدَيتُ
Can you deny me what I love? For it has made me ill.
Is your heart made of stone or iron? None knows what I feel,
يَقولونَ اِنعَمي وَيَرَونَ عاراً
خُروجي إِن رَكِبتُ وَإِن مَشَيتُ
And if you loved, you would mourn me, when death makes corpses chill.”
I call him whom I love, but do not come when he implores,
وَمِن طَرَبي إِلَيكِ خَشَعتُ فيهِم
كَما يَتَخَشَّعُ الفَرَسُ السُكَيتُ
If I could, when he called, I’d fly to him with utmost will.
*Sama’a is the name of an ancient Arab poetess who was known for her passionate love poems.
وَقَد قامَت وَليدَتُها تُغَنّي
عَشِيَّةَ جاءَها أَنّي اِشتَكَيتُ
**Sukayt refers to a type of horse known for its gentle and submissive nature.
تَقولُ وَدُفُّها زَجَلُ النَواحي
إِذا أُمّي أَبَت صِلَتي أَبَيتُ
دَعاني مَن هَويتُ فَلَم أُجِبهُ
وَلَو أَسطيعُ حينَ دَعا سَعَيتُ
أَلا يا أُمَّتا لا كُنتِ أُمّاً
أَأُمنَعُ ما أُحِبُّ وَقَد غَلَيتُ
أَمِن حَجَرٍ فُؤادُكِ أَم حَديدٍ
وَما يَدري العَشيرُ بِما دَرَيتُ
وَما تَرثينَ لي مِمّا أُلاقي
وَإِنَّكِ لَو عَشِقتِ إِذا رَثَيتُ
