ما رَدَّ سَلوَتَهُ إِلى إِطرابِهِ
حَتّى اِرعَوى وَحَدا الصِبا بِرِكابِهِ
His agitation returned not until he roamed the plains,
With youth his only company and sole companion.
إِن كانَ لَيسَ بِهِ الجُنونُ فَإِنَّما
لَعِبَ الرُقاةُ بِقَلبِهِ أَو ما بِهِ
If he's not mad, then surely
His heart has been toyed with, or else something ails him.
أَإِلى عُبَيدَةَ شَوقُهُ وَنِزاعُهُ
إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُعَذَّبٌ بِحِبابِهِ
Is it longing for Ubaydah and quarrel for her
That plagues him? A lover is tormented by his beloved!
ما زالَ مُذ زالَ الغَزالُ مُنَقَّباً
بِطَريفَةٍ مِن عَينِهِ وَنِقابِهِ
He's not stopped being enchanted by her
Since she first peered at him from behind her veil.
ريمٌ تَعَرَّضَ كَالبُرودِ لِرَأيِهِ
فَصَبا وَوَكَّلَهُ الصِبا بِطِلابِهِ
A resistant soul he showed to advice—
So youth assailed him with its demands.
عَرَضَت لَهُ بِجَمالِها وَدَلالِها
عِندَ المَثابِ فَحيلَ دونَ مَثابِهِ
She came to him with her beauty and allurement
At the place of his usual meditation, hindering his worship.
تَغدو لَهُ العَبَراتُ عِندَ غُدُوِّهِ
وَتَأوبُهُ الزَفَراتُ عِندَ إِيابِهِ
His tears flow each morn as he stirs,
His sighs as he returns home at night.
إِن قيلَ مَن حَلَبَ الصِبا لِفُؤادِهِ
فَاِذكُر عُبَيدَةَ لَيسَ مِن جُلّابِهِ
If asked who it was that milked youth of his heart,
Remember none but Ubaydah could be the cause.
شَخصٌ بِرُؤيَتِهِ مُناهُ وَهَمُّهُ
وَحَديثُهُ في جِدِّهِ وَلِعابِهِ
A figure—the sight of whom is his sole longing and care,
Whose maturity and sport are his only discourse.
أَنّى أَرومُ بِهِ السُلُوَّ وَلَم أَزَل
بِخَيالِهِ أُرقى وَطيبِ ثِيابِهِ
How can I hope to appease him
When visions of him ever haunt me, his sweet scent permeating my clothes?
لَو مُتُّ ثُمَّ سَقَيتَني بِرُضابِهِ
رَجَعَت حَياةُ جَنازَتي بِرُضابِهِ
If you were to kill me, then revive me with his approval,
His consent alone would restore life to my corpse.
إِن خُطَّ قَبري نائِياً عَن بَيتِهِ
فَاِجعَل حَنوطي مِن دُقاقِ تُرابِهِ
If my grave were dug far from his abode,
Make my bier's perfume the dust of that place.
سَقياً لَهُ وَلِمُدخَلٍ أُدخِلتُهُ
يَومَ الخَميسِ عَلَيهِ في أَترابِهِ
A drink offering for him and whoever enters his household—
I entered it one Thursday draped in my finery.
وَلَقَد عَجِبتُ مِنَ الجَرِيِّ يَقولُ لي
لَمّا بَدا في حَليِهِ وَخِضابِهِ
How I marvel hearing the guard say upon seeing me adorned, my makeup refreshed,
"Has your beloved come into view, or does the brilliance of sunrise peek through his gown?"
أَهوَ الحَبيبُ بَدا لِعَينِكَ أَم دَنَت
شَمسُ النَهارِ إِلَيكَ في جِلبابِهِ
We were immersed in our gathering—ah, what a gathering it was!
The day was shortened and my friend the cloth-seller lingered there with me.
فُزنا بِمَجلِسِنا فَيا لَكَ مَجلِساً
قَصَرَ النَهارَ وَصاحِبي أَزرى بِهِ
We'd resume our chatter when assured of not meeting his gaze,
Marveling at him, then steal glances to gauge his disapproval.
نَصِلُ الحَديثَ إِذا أَمِنّا عَينَهُ
عُجباً بِهِ وَنَروحُ مِن عُيّابِهِ
Rabbah would glance accusingly with her eyes.
The poor woman's gaze met with much grief from his reprimands!
وَرَبابُ تَرمُقُ مَن أَلَمَّ بِعَينِها
سَلِمَت مِنَ الأَقذاءِ عَينُ رَبابِهِ
Until the polite talk was pierced by blunt words
That exceeded rebuke but were less than outright reproach.
حَتّى إِذا اِنخَرَقَ الصَفاءُ بِمَنطِقٍ
بَلَغَ العِتابَ وَكانَ دونَ عِتابِهِ
Kutamah interjected, as if
She had sent Mufaddam's son to torment him.
قالَت كُتامَةُ داخِلٌ وَكَأَنَّما
بَعَثَت لَهُ اِبنَ مُفَدَّمٍ بِعَذابِهِ
He would worry about wasting his day
At home with Kutamah, the constant complainer,
قَد كانَ يُشفِقُ مِن تَقاصُرِ يَومِهِ
في بَيتِهِ وَكُتامَةَ المُنتابِهِ
Stingily denying him, dreading the day
Now certain to arrive with his demise.
شُحّاً عَلَيهِ وَرَهبَةً مِن يَومِهِ
فَالآنَ أَصبَحَ موقِناً بِذِهابِهِ
And I'd say to anyone gloating over his absence:
Spare me your lies when you pretend sympathy.
وَلَقَد أَقولُ لِشامِتٍ بِفِراقِهِ
مَلِقِ الحَديثِ إِذا غَدا كَذّابِهِ
Forgive your brother when needing something from him
And leave his resentments to his own reproofs.
سامِح أَخاكَ إِذا غَدَوتَ لِحاجَةٍ
وَاِترُك مَساخِطَهُ إِلى إِعتابِهِ
Indeed, I make grievances like his my own
And assist the hateful without any qualms.
فَلَقَد أُسَوّي لِلضَّغائِنِ مِثلَها
وَأَصي البَغيضَ وَلَستُ بِالهُيّابِهِ
The glance of a soft-eyed gazelle loaned him charm
From the Banu Jadilah tribe—his kinsmen.
وَأَحَدَّ مِن وَلَدِ الجَديلِ أَعارَهُ
طَرفُ النُسوعِ أَخَذنَ في أَقرابِهِ
A stallion when the riding beast falls mute
Drags his feet as if fettered by the nose.
عَردٌ إِذا خَرِسَ المَطِيُّ كَأَنَّما
يَغدو يُجَرجِرُ دارِسٌ في نابِهِ
And when he flows gracefully, his smooth gait
Clatters with the jingling of his decorated saddle and harness.
وَإِذا سَرى كَحَلَ الزَميلَ بِأَرقَةٍ
مِن قَرعِ بازِلِهُ وَمِن قَيقابِهِ
He courses through the dew as one anointed black
With musk—darkened further by its perfume.
وَكَأَنَّ مُنفَضِجَ الحَميمِ بِليتِهِ
دُهنٌ شَبَبتَ سَوادَهُ بِمَلابِهِ
The ghoul of the lands—when the banner is planted,
His tranquility shattered, chasing after water mirages.
غولُ البِلادِ إِذا المُقيلُ تَحَرَّقَت
آرامُهُ وَجَرَت بِماءِ سَرابِهِ
He rears up if faced by a noble Arab of glorious repute,
One known for his striking blows in combat.
يَثِبُ الإِكامَ إِذا عَرَضنَ لِوَجهِهِ
مِن عَربِ أَغلَبَ لَيسَ مِن إِنعابِهِ
With outstretched hands he charges the foe head-on
At first light, blinded with rage, wildly attacking.
بِنَجاءِ مُنسَرِحِ اليَدَينِ تَخالُهُ
عِندَ الكَلالِ يُزادُ في إِلهابِهِ
My sheltering fig—its shade falls on the valley walls as though
Their peaks were dyed yellow by its sap.
دامي الأَظَلِّ عَلى الحِدابِ كَأَنَّما
خُضِبَت بِعُصفُرِهِ رُؤوسُ حِدابِهِ
He resembles a wild beast of Wajrah on the hunt,
Mauling gazelles by the thousands without remorse.
وَكَأَنَّهُ مِن وَحشِ وَجرَةَ ناشِطٌ
يَقرو العَقَنقَلَ آلِفاً بِعَذابِهِ
The large-eyed doe and every other flirtatious beauty—
Not even ridding themselves of his scent deters his lurking by their dens.
جِذلُ المَها وَصِوارُ كُلِّ خَميلَةٍ
لا عَن تَجَفُّلِهِ نَجاءُ خِبابِهِ
Loudly he brays at dawn, arousing the meadows,
The clamor of his hooves lost beneath the clouds' shadow.
أَرِجُ القِنانِ إِذا تَرَجَّلَتِ الضُحى
صَخَبُ القَنابِرِ تَحتَ ظِلِّ سَحابِهِ
The aromatic herbs bow down before the sun in worship;
Only his guest lies awake in discomfort, pestered by insects.
لِلشَمسِ يَسجُدُ طائِعاً رَيحانُهُ
وَيَبيتُ يَأرَقُ ضَيفُهُ بِذُبابِهِ
Until times bring fresh turmoil with a storm
That pours sheets of rain, flooding the mountain paths.
حَتّى إِذا طَلَعَ الزَمانُ بِعيشَةٍ
فيها وَسالَ عَلَيهِ بَعضُ شِعابِهِ
The still of night startles him with a dreadful hour
Of thunder crashing and rain pouring down.
حَنَفَ المُبيتُ لَهُ بِأَوجَسِ لَيلَةٍ
مِن صَوتِ راعِدِهِ وَمِن تَسكابِهِ
He paces the ground guiding him on, the sandy earth kindling desire's flame within him.
The starlings gather closer, warbling songs to delight him.
فَأَقامَ يَشخُصهُ الثَرى وَيُسيرُهُ
قُربُ السَفا لِيَسيحَ في مُنجابِهِ
The stallion's hide when showered with dew
Seeks refuge from the wetness, slipping into the burrows of lizards and rats.
صَرِرُ الأَديمِ إِذا أَرَبَّ بِهِ النَدى
غَشِيَ الأَلاءَ يَلوذُ مِن إِربابِهِ
Until the land awoke and he with it, like a sick man
Shaking off his stupor and regaining awareness after dosing.
حَتّى إِذا غَدَتِ الوَرى وَغَدا بِها
مِثلَ المَريضِ أَفاقَ مِن أَوصابِهِ
The thick clouds of nightfall receded from the brightening dawn
As the haze lifted and the foggy sky grew clear.
وَتَجَوَّبَت مِزَقُ الدُجى عَن واضِحٍ
كَالفَرقِ وَاِنكَشَفَت سَماءُ ضَبابِهِ
A disheveled, pallid beggar preceded the sunrise,
His hair matted, trailing his dogs.
سَبَقَ الشُروقَ إِلَيهِ أَشعَثُ شاحِبٌ
مِثلَ السَبِيَّةِ مُسمِراً بِكِلابِهِ
He inherited leadership maturely, after his predecessors passed
And misfortunes now give birth to even worse trials.
وَرِثَ الأُبُوَّةَ كابِراً عَن كابِرٍ
تَلِدُ الضِراءَ فَهُنَّ مِن أَكسابِهِ
Those wary of danger thus yielded to his authority;
his she-camels submitted, tracing his ancestral line.
فَاِنصاعَ مِن حَذَرٍ عَلى حَوبائِهِ
وَتَبِعنَهُ يَنسَبنَ في مُنسابِهِ
Until the wolf's cry differed from his own
And the camels met him with ease in an open plain.
حَتّى إِذا سَمِعَ الضُباحَ خِلافَهُ
وَعَرَضنَهُ طَلقاً عَلى أَعطابِهِ
Youth then shielded him from hardship with its freshness
And the fetters slipped off the paws of the lionesses and their cubs.
كَرَّ الشَبوبُ عَلى الضِراءِ بِرَوقِهِ
فَاِختَلَّ لَبَّةُ زانِجٍ وَزَنابِهِ
He strode gracefully over the sands as though
A shooting star fallen for one trying to secretly glimpse its tail.
وَمَضى يَزِلُّ عَلى المِتانِ كَأَنَّهُ
نَجمٌ لِمُستَرِقٍ هَوى بِشِهابِهِ
When I lifted his shackles, pulling up
His roots and wiping out all trace of his original ancestor,
فَكَذاكَ ذَلِكَ إِذ رَفَعتُ قُيودَهُ
أُصُلاً وَمَيثَرَتي عَلى أَصلابِهِ
He abandoned the guest house that had been
His dwelling place where throngs would converge most eagerly at his gate
هَجَرَ المَقامَةَ أَن تَكونَ مُناخَهُ
بِأَعَزَّ تَزدَحِمُ الوُفودُ بِبابِهِ
Envying anyone who saw the dark-faced one
Sitting in the wide courtyard among his friends.
مُتَحاسِدينَ عَلى لِقاءِ مُسَوَّدٍ
رَحبِ الفِناءِ جَدٍ عَلى أَصحابِهِ
A man whose lions roared with the lions of his tribe,
And whose son roared with them out on the hunt.
رَجُلٌ إِذا زَأَرَت أُسودُ قَبيلَةٍ
زَأَرَ المُهَلَّبُ وَاِبنُهُ في غابِهِ
David! You have reached, alongside Hatim, Glory's zenith!
You have spread your renown far and wide.
داودُ إِنَّكَ قَد بَلَغتَ بِحاتِمٍ
شَرَفَ العُلى وَذَهَبتَ في أَسبابِهِ
The tribes of Qabeesah and Al-Muhallab built bastions, yet
You built your home amidst impenetrable mountains.
وَبَنى قَبَيصَةُ وَالمُهَلَّبُ مَعقِلاً
وَبَنَيتَ بَيتَكَ في ذُرى صُلّابِهِ
This, that, and more while you remain
Ever rising in nobility and the breadth of your abode.
هَذا وَذاكَ وَذا وَأَنتَ وَلَم تَزَل
تَزدادُ في شَرَفِ البِنى وَرِحابِهِ
Will you shun a man who says to Mujaddib:
"Dismount and water your riding beast!” when it flees the rain by galloping into barren lands?
هَل تَجفُوَنَّ فَتىً يَقولُ لِمُجدِبٍ
وَسقُ المَطِيِّ يَفِرُّ مِن أَجدابِهِ
David! Your rain, when it waters the land,
Is sure to bring abundant fruit. I guarantee it will bear heavily on its boughs.
داودُ غَيثُكَ إِن بَسَطتَ بِلادَهُ
فَاِنزِل ضَمِنتُ لَكَ الحِبا بِجَنابِهِ
Eloquent, he consumes foes in debate, hitting or missing the mark with his logic.
You turned him away from the Maiden's Path forcibly, stopping him with your response.
وَأَبَلَّ يَلتَهِمُ الخُصومَ مُرَغَّمٍ
بِصَوابِ مَنطِقِهِ وَغَيرِ صَوابِهِ
When ambitions wear modest disguises,
The lowly are left to the vultures and crows.
وَجَّهتَ عَن بِنتِ السَبيلِ سَبيلَهُ
بِمَحالَةٍ وَرَدَعتَهُ بِجَوابِهِ
The men of Yemen submitted their affairs to you,
And the mighty Rabee’ah tribe of Nizār.
وَإِذا الخُطوبُ تَقَنَّعَت عَن لاقِحٍ
تَدَعُ الذَليلَ لِنَسرِهِ وَغُرابِهِ
The little crown sits at Karīhah utterly spent alongside the one known
For his ferocity with the sword during campaigns.
أَلقَت بَنو يَمَنٍ إِلَيكَ أُمورَها
وَرَبيعَةُ بنُ نِزارٍ الرَبابِهِ
When the arrow of meeting journeys forth against his armour,
Its sights are adjusted by the feathers of separation and distance.
قَعَدَ الأَغَرُّ لَدى الكَريهَةِ وَالَّذي
عِندَ المَلاحِمِ يُشتَفى بِضِرابِهِ
His house is shaded when assailed such that one would imagine,
So gentle are its sides and doors left ajar.
سَهمُ اللِقاءِ إِذا غَدا في دِرعِهِ
رَأَبَت مَشاهِدُهُ الثَأى بِرِئابِهِ
Finding him has enabled many destitute souls
To wear riches like a garment in their youth.
وَيَكادُ يُظلَمُ حينَ يُغشى بَيتُهُ
مِن لينِ جانِبِهِ وَلَينَ حِجابِهِ
His gifts outdo even the rising sun, bestowing generously like the rain its sought-after showers.
If fully in his right he'd give away all that is his, including his neck!
وَإِذا اِكتَحَلتَ بِهِ رَأَيتَ مُبَتَّلاً
لَبِسَ النَعيمَ عَلى أَديمِ شَبابِهِ
When the walls of his encampment are pitched among the throngs of pilgrims,
His tents are recognizable by their walls.
يَنفي مُواهِبُهُ النَوافِذَ كُلَّها
مِن سَيبِ مُشتَرَكِ النَدى وَهّابِهِ
The throngs diverge at his noble guest house, its people
Rising to serve arriving visitors at his gate.
يُعطي البُدورَ مَعَ البُدورِ وَلَو عَرا
حَقٌّ لَأَعطى ما لَهُ بِرِقابِهِ
Some displaying eagerness to promise dependents a share upon returning,
Others dreading punishment and seeking God's grace.
وَإِذا تَنَزَّلُ في البِطاحِ قِبابُهُ
في المُحرِمينَ عَرَفتَهُ بِقِبابِهِ
وَقِيانُهُ الغُرُّ النَواصِفُ أَهلُها
وَقِيامُ غاشيهِ عَلى أَبوابِهِ
مِن راغِبٍ يَعِدُ العِيالَ نَوالَهُ
بَعدَ الرُجوعِ وَراهِبٍ لِعِقابِهِ
