أَصَفراءُ ما في العَيشِ بَعدَكِ مَرغَبُ
وَلا لِلصِبى مَلهىً فَأَلهو وَأَلعَبُ
Yellow cheeks, after you nothing in life is desirable,
No more play or fun for the boy.
أَصَفراءُ إِن أَهلِك فَأَنتِ قَتَلتِني
وَإِن طالَ بي سُقمٌ فَذَنبُكِ أَذنَبُ
Yellow cheeks, if my kin kill me, 'twas you that slew me,
And if sickness long afflicts me, the sin is yours.
أَصَفراءُ أَيّامُ النَعيمِ لَذيذَةٌ
وَأَنتِ مَعَ البُؤسى أَلَذُّ وَأَطيَبُ
Yellow cheeks, days of bliss are sweet,
And with misfortune thou art sweeter still and better.
أَصَفراءُ في قَلبي عَلَيكِ حَرارَةٌ
وَفي كَبِدي الهَيماءِ نارٌ تَلَهَّبُ
Yellow cheeks, for you in my heart is burning passion,
And in my mournful liver is a fire that flames.
أَصَفراءُ مالي في المَعازِفِ سَلوَةٌ
فَأَسلو وَلا في الغانِياتِ مُعَقَّبُ
Yellow cheeks, no more joy have I in music,
That I should play - nor now in singers am I interested.
أَصَفراءُ لي نَفسٌ إِلَيكِ مَشوقَةٌ
وَعَينٌ عَلى ما فاتَ مِنكِ تَصَبَّبُ
Yellow cheeks, a soul to you I have that yearns
And an eye that weeps for all of your charms that are gone.
أَصَفراءُ لَم أَعرِفكِ يَوماً وَإِنَّني
إِلَيكِ لِمُشتاقٌ أَحِنُّ وَأَنصَبُ
Yellow cheeks, ne'er have I known you, yet I pine for you,
Languishing, lovelorn, wasting away hour by hour.
لَقَد كُنتُ عَن عَضِّ الصَبابَةِ وَالهَوى
غَنِيّاً وَلَكِنَّ المَقاديرَ تَغلِبُ
From the madness of passion and love I had been free,
But fate prevails and alters destiny's course.
بِعَينِيَ مِن صَفراءَ بادٍ عُجابُهُ
وَما بِالحَشا مِن حُبِّ صَفراءَ أَعجَبُ
My eye by the marvels of a yellow tent is dazzled -
Naught is more wondrous to behold than my love for Yellow Cheeks.
وَقَد زادَني شَوقاً هَديلُ حَمامَةٍ
عَلى إِلفِها تَبكي لَهُ وَتُطَرِّبُ
The cooing turtle-dove adds to my desire,
Crying for her heedless mate, thrilling, billing.
فَقُلتُ لِنُدماني طَرِبتُ فَغَنِّني
بِصَفراءَ لا يَصفو مَعَ الشَوقِ مَشرَبُ
So I said to my friends as my agitation grew:
"Sing to me of 'Yellow Cheeks' for comfortless is my drink."
وَما كانَ إِغرامي بِها عَن مَراسِلٍ
جَرَت بَينَنا بَل كاعِبٌ لا تَحَوَّبُ
Not through secret messages did love for her bloom,
But through a mischievous boy who knows no awkwardness.
فَيا حَزَناً لا أَنا غِرٌّ مُشَبَّبٌ
نَعِمتُ وَلا في الشَوقِ إِذ أَنا أَشيَبُ
Woe to me, neither ardent youth nor happy have I been;
Consumed by longing, now grey my hair and beard.
وَما ذاكَ إِلّا حُبُّ صَفراءَ مَسَّني
فَيَومي بِهِ مُرٌّ وَلَيلي مُوَصَّبُ
And this but my love smitten by 'Yellow Cheeks'
And so bitter my days and tearful my nights.
وَما بالُ قَلبي لا يَزولُ عَنِ الصِبى
وَقَد زَعَموا أَنَّ القُلوبَ تُقَلَّبُ
How strange that my heart for the boy cannot forget,
Though hearts, they say, are easily diverted.
سَأَرمي بِصَولانَ المَفاوِزَ إِنَّهُ
خَروجٌ مِن أَبوابِ المَفاوِزِ مُنغِبُ
I shall hurl my spear swift through the plain, for verily
'Tis best from gates of danger to emerge.
مَعوجٌ إِذا أَمسى طَروبٌ إِذا غَدا
مُجِدّاً كَما غَنّى عَلى الأَيكِ أَخطَبُ
A wanderer am I from dusk to dawn
Raising my voice at morn as the bard his Instrument raises.
لِعَلَّ اِرتِحالي بِالعَشِيِّ وَبِالضُحى
يُقَرِّبُني وَالنازِحُ الدارِ يَقرُبُ
Perhaps my evening and morning marches
May bring me closer - the wanderer nears his homeland.
عَتَبتُ عَلى خِنزيرِ كَلبٍ وَإِنَّني
بِذاكَ عَلى الكَلبِ التَميمِيِّ أَعتَبُ
I chided a mongrel cur but 'tis I should upbraid
The hound of Tameem who merits every rebuke.
هُما أَنَّباني أَن نَعِمتُ بِبَدرَةٍ
وَما مِنهُما إِلّا لَئيمٌ مُؤَنَّبُ
Both barkers falsely claimed I enjoyed "Badra's" love
But lies they speak, the scoundrels!
إِذا شَبِعا اِحتالا عَلى صاحِبَيهِما
كَما اِحتالَ بِرذَونُ الأَميرُ المُرَطَّبُ
When filled, they plot 'gainst their masters
As Er-Rezwān once schemed against his drunken lord.
يَهُرّانِ آباءً لِئاماً وَفيهِما
حُقوقٌ لِزُوّارِ النَدى وَتَحَلُّبُ
They mimic wicked sires, though hospitality
And kindness unto tent-neighbors their duty remains.
وَطالِبِ عُرفٍ يَستَعينُ عَلَيهِما
فَقُلتُ لَهُ أَخطَأتَ ما كُنتَ تَطلُبُ
So I said to the seeker of bounty who relied on them:
"You erred! Not what you sought you obtained."
عَلى الكَلبِ أَهوالٌ إِذا ما رَأَيتَهُ
وَخِنزيرُ كَلبٍ بِالمَخازي مُدَرَّبُ
Beware the cur for death lurks in its jaws
While a mongrel pig is trained in filth and muck.
تَعَرَّ فَلا تَخلِطهُما بِمَوَدَّةٍ
وَلا قُرَباً ما في السَماواتِ أَقرَبُ
Shun them! Do not with affection mix
Curs with pigs - naught under heaven more opposite.
إِذا لَم تَرَ الذُهلِيَّ أَنوَكَ فَاِلتَمِس
لَهُ نَسَباً غَيرَ الَّذي يَتَنَسَّبُ
If you see not Thee-lame then seek for him
A lineage other than that he claims.
وَأَمّا بَنو قَيسٍ فَإِنَّ نَبيذَهُم
كَثيرٌ وَأَمّا خَيرُهُم فَمُغَيَّبُ
As for the Bani Qais, their wine is plentiful
But the best among them is scarce seen.
وَفي جَحدَرٍ لُؤمٌ وَفي آلِ مَسمَعٍ
صَلاحٌ وَلَكِن دِرهَمُ القَومِ كَوكَبُ
In Jahdar is villainy and the house of Musammit
Is righteous but the coins of the tribe are as rare as planets.
وَسَيِّدُ تَيمِ اللاتِ عِندَ غَدائِهِ
هِزَبرٌ وَأَمّا في اللِقاءِ فَثَعلَبُ
The chieftain of Lat's Temim at his lunch
Is "Paltry" but when war calls he turns "Fox."
وَقَد كانَ في شَيبانَ عِزٌّ فَحَلَّقَت
بِهِ في قَديمِ الدَهرِ عَنقاءُ مُغرِبُ
Once glory crowned Shayban but long ago
Round his neck the vultures of Iraq gathered.
وَحَيّا لُجَيمٍ قَسوَرانِ تُنُزِّعَت
شَباتُهُما لَم يَبقَ نابٌ وَمِخلَبُ
Hail Lujaim and Qaswar! Their claws
And fangs extracted - neither fang nor claw remains!
وَأَنذَلُ مَن يَمشي ضُبَيعَةُ إِنَّهُم
زَعانِفُ لَم يَخطُب إِلَيهِم مُحَجَّبُ
Most abject are they who walk proudly - they are
Outcasts whom no veiled bride desires in marriage.
وَيَشكُرُ خِصيانٌ عَلَيهِم غَضارَةٌ
وَهَل يُدرِكُ المَجدَ الخَصِيُّ المُجَبَّبُ
While the eunuchs thank them for granting them "Ghudara"
Can a gelded wight attain glory though primped and perfumed?
وأَبلَجَ مِسهاءٍ كَأَنَّ لِسانَهُ
إِذا راحَ ذو النونَينِ بَل هُوَ أَقرَبُ
Obscure is the tongue of Mis-haa; one would think
It places the diacritical dots instead of the pen.
يُجَلّي العَمى عَنّا بِفَصلٍ إِذا قَضى
ضَريبَتَهُ صافي الحَديدَةِ مِقضَبُ
He dispels doubts with his judgments when he concludes
A case - the ironimmaculate and precise judge.
إِذا شِئتَ نادى في الأَنامِ بِصَوتِهِ
لِأَرفَعِ ما أَدّى عَريبٌ وَمُعرِبُ
Lift up your voice to call all mankind to hear
The loftiest poetry an Arab or arabicized poet recited.
لَقَد سادَ أَشرافَ العِراقِ اِبنُ حاتِمٍ
كَما سادَ أَهلَ المَشرِقَينِ المُهَلَّبُ
The son of Haatim indeed excelled all the grandees of Iraq
As the Excellence of Mankind excelled all other men.
لَهُ فَضَلاتٌ مِن قَبيصَةَ في النَدى
وَأَكرومَةٌ مِن حاتِمٍ لا تَعَطَّبُ
He inherited the open-handedness of Qabee-tha in bounty
And the generosity of Haatim that never goes dry.
وَمِن إِرثِ سَرّاقٍ عَلَيهِ مَهابَةٌ
تَظَلُّ قُلوبُ القَومِ مِنها تَوَجَّبُ
And from Sarraaq is bequeathed to him awe
At which hearts of men shudder with terror.
وَيَغدو بِأَخلاقِ المُهَلَّبِ مولَعاً
كَما شَمَّرَت عَن ساقِها الحَربُ تَطرَبُ
He rises with the character of the Excellence of Mankind, eager,
As war stripped itself for furious campaign and struggle.
وَيَعطِفُ كِندِيٌّ عَلَيهِ وَظالِمٌ
مَآثِرَ أَيّامٍ تَطيبُ وَتَرحُبُ
Both Kindi and Thaalim show him favor
As days of yore when bounty overflowed from every side.
وَتَعرِفُ مِنهُ مِن شَمائِلِ ظالِمٍ
مَناقِبَ مِفضالٍ تَعودُ وَتَشعَبُ
In him Thaalim's traits of nobility you recognize -
Virtues of Mifdhaal abound and multiply.
وَكَم مِن أَبٍ غَمرٍ لِرَوحِ بنِ حاتِمٍ
يُزَيِّنُ آباءً وَزَيَّنَهُ أَبُ
Many a noble father of Rauh son of Haatim
Adorned ancestors and his own sire adorned him!
إِذا ذُكِروا في مَأقِطٍ أَطرَقَ العِدى
وَرَنَّحَ فَحلُ القَريَتَينِ المُقَبقِبُ
When mentioned in gatherings the foes are silenced
And the eminent one of the two encampments sighs.
هُمُ ذَبَّبوا عَن عَظمِ دينِ مُحَمَّدٍ
بِأَسيافِهِم إِذ لَيسَ فينا مُذَبِّبُ
With their swords they shielded mighty Mohammed's religion
For among us today are no sworn defenders.
حَدا بِأَبي أُمِّ الرَيالِ فَأَجفَلَت
نَعامَتُهُ عَن عارِضٍ يَتَلَهَّبُ
He smote with his father she-camel's rein and she reared up, snarling,
Baring her teeth from a mouth aflame.
وَلاحَت وَماءُ الأَزرَقَينِ عَشِيَّةً
أَناقيعُ تَعفوها نُسورٌ وَأَذأُبُ
The waters of Azraqain at dusk sparkled
As crocodiles and wild beasts came to lap.
صَفَت لي يَدُ الفَيّاضِ رَوحِ بن حاتِمٍ
فَتَلكَ يَدٌ كَالماءِ تَصفو وَتَعذُبُ
The hand of the beneficent Rauh son of Haatim
I clasped - a hand that pours forth water cool and fresh.
وَما وَلَدوا إِلّا أَغَرَّ مُتَوَّجاً
لَهُ راحَةٌ تُبكي وَأُخرى تَحَلَّبُ
They begot none but the noblest yeaned in glory
One cheek that weeps while the other smiles.
وَأَيّامُ أَبطالٍ عَلَيها بَسالَةٌ
وَجودٌ كَما جادَ الفُراتِيُّ أَغلَبُ
Theirs are the Days of Champions crowned with valor
And generosity as the Furati freely gave.
مُلوكٌ إِذا هابَ العَطاءَ مَعاشِرٌ
وَضَربَ الطُلى سَنّوهُما وَتَعَجَّبوا
Kings who respect the munificent, yet when Rauh
And his steeds swift to battle lower their necks to charge,
سَيُخبِرُ عَن رَوحٍ ثَنائي وَفِعلُهُ
وَما مِنهُما إِلّا رِضىً لا يُكَذِّبُ
Both beloved and needed when war is afoot,
The best of friends is he both sought and seeker.
تَعَصَّبَ رَوحٌ وَالمَكارِمُ تابِعاً
لِأَشياخِهِ وَالسابِقُ المُتَعَصِّبُ
Never lacking protectors for the Tribe of the Excellence of Mankind
Or steeds fretting on fleet feet for the thrust of spear.
لَهُ حُكمُ لُقمانٍ وَجَزمُ مُوَفَّقٍ
وَلِلمَوتِ مِنهُ مَخرَجٌ حينَ يَغضَبُ
When foes saw Rauh son of Haatim, a prince,
Commanding, with sovereignty's mansion raised over his head,
مِنَ الوارِدينَ الرَوعَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
إِذا هِيَ قامَت حاسِراً لا تَنَقَّبُ
They clamored as though birds circled above
Portending death's swoop from the skies.
وَأَصيَدَ نَرجوهُ لِكُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ
عَلَينا وَيَرجوهُ الهُمامُ المُحَجَّبُ
So their bitterness at Rauh son of Haatim endured
As his reign continued, long awaited.
مِنَ الغُرِّ مِنعامٌ كَأَنَّ جَبينَهُ
هِلالٌ بَدا في ظُلمَةٍ مُتَنَصِّبُ
يُطَيِّبُ ذَفراءَ الدُروعَ بِجِلدِهِ
وَيُثنى بِمِسكٍ كَأسُهُ حينَ يَشرَبُ
طَلوبٌ وَمَطلوبٌ إِلَيهِ إِذا غَدا
وَخَيرُ خَليلَيكَ الطَلوبُ المُطَلَّبُ
وَما زالَ في آلِ المُهَلَّبِ قائِلٌ
وَخَيلٌ تُسَرّى لِلطِعانِ وَتجلَبُ
وَلَمّا رَأى الحُسّادُ رَوحَ بنَ حاتِمٍ
أَميراً عَلَيهِ بَيتُ مُلكٍ مُطَنَّبُ
أَصاخوا كَأَنَّ الطَيرَ فَوقَ رُؤُسِهِم
يَشيمونَ مَوتاً فَوقَهُم يَتَقَلَّبُ
فَدامَ لَهُم غَمٌّ بِرَوحِ بنِ حاتِمٍ
وَدامَ لِرَوحٍ مُلكُهُ المُتَرَقَّبُ
