أَبصَرتُها في الخَمس وَالعَشرِ
فَرَأَيتُ أُختَ الرِئم وَالبَدرِ
I beheld her at the age of fifteen,
And saw the sister of the gazelle and the full moon.
عَذراءَ لَيسَ الفَجرُ والِدَها
وَكَأَنَّها مَولودَةُ الفَجرِ
A virgin, though the dawn is not her father,
Yet she seemed as though born of the dawn.
بَسّامَةٌ في ثَغرِها دُرَرٌ
وَهفو إِلَيها الشاعِرُ العَصري
Smiling, with pearls within her mouth,
For whom the modern poet yearns.
وَلَها قَوامٌ لَو أُشَبِّهُهُ
بِالغُصنِ باءَ الغُصنُ بِالفَخرِ
She has a figure that, were I to liken it
To the bough, the bough would return filled with pride.
مِثلُ الحَمامَةِ في وَداعَتِها
وَكَزَهرَةِ النِسرينِ في الطُهرِ
Like a dove in her gentleness,
And like the eglantine flower in purity.
مِثلُ الحَمامَةِ غَيرَ أَنَّ لَها
صَوتَ الهَزار وَلَفتَةَ الصَقرِ
Like a dove, except that she possesses
The voice of the nightingale and the glance of a hawk.
شاهَدتُها يَوما وَقَد جَلَسَت
في الرَوضِ بَينَ الماء وَالزَهرِ
I witnessed her one day as she sat
In the garden, amidst the water and the flowers.
وَيَدُ الفَتى هِنري تُطَوِّقُها
فَحَسَدتُ ذاكَ الطَوقَ في الخَصرِ
And the arm of young Henry was embracing her;
So I envied that embrace around the waist.
وَحَسَدتُ مُقلَتَه وَمِسمَعَهُ
لِجَمالِها وَكَلامِها الدُرّي
And I envied his eye and his ear,
For her beauty and her pearl-like speech.
أَغمَضتُ أَجفاني عَلى مَضَضٍ
وَطَوَيتُ أَحشائي عَلى الجَمرِ
I closed my eyelids in bitterness,
And folded my vitals over burning embers.
وَخَشيتُ أَنَّ الوَجدَ يَسلِبُني
حِلمي وَيَغلِبُني عَلى أَمري
And I feared that passion would rob me
Of my reason, and overcome my will.
فَرَجِعتُ أَدراجي أُغالِبُهُ
بِاليَأسِ آوِيَة وَبِالصَبرِ
So I retraced my steps, wrestling with it,
With despair at times, and with patience.
ثُمَّ اِنقَضى عام وَأَعقَبَهُ
ثان وَذاكَ السِرُّ في صَدري
Then a year passed, followed by
A second, while that secret remained in my chest.
فَعَجِبَت مِنّي كَيفَ أَذكُرُها
وَقَد اِنقَضى حَولانِ مِن عُمري
I marveled at myself, how I still remembered her
When two years of my life had already passed.
خُلتُ اللَيالي في تَتابُعِها
تُزري بِها عِندي فَلَم تَزرِ
I imagined that the nights, in their succession,
Would diminish her worth to me, but they did not.
زادَت مَلاحَتَها فَزُدتُ بِها
كَلَفا وَموجَدَةً عَلى هِنري
Her beauty increased, so I increased in
Infatuation with her, and resentment toward Henry.
وَسَإِمتُ داري وَهيَ واسِعَةٌ
فَتَركتُها وَخَرَجتُ في أَمرِ
I grew weary of my house, spacious though it was,
So I left it and went out on an errand.
فَرَأَيتُ فِتيانَ الحِمى اِنتَظَموا
كَالعِقدِ أَو كَالعَسكَرِ المَجرِ
I saw the youth of the district arranged
Like a necklace, or like a vast army.
يَتَفَكَّهونَ بِكُلِّ نادِرَةٍَ
وَعَلى الوُجوهِ عَلائِمُ البِشرِ
Jesting with every rare witticism,
With signs of joy upon their faces.
ساروا فَأَعجَبَني تَدَفُّقُهُم
فَتَبِعتُهُم أَدري وَلا أَدري
They walked on, and their flow pleased me,
So I followed them, knowing yet not knowing.
ما بالُهُم وَلِأَيَّةٍ وَقَفوا
لِمَنِ البِناءُ يَلوحُ كَالقَصرِ
What was their concern? And why did they stop
At a building looming like a palace?
أَوّاهُ هَذي دارُ فاتِنَتي
مَن قالَ ما لِلشَمسِ مِن خِدرِ
Alas! This is the house of my enchantress;
Who said the sun has no private chamber?
وَعَرَفتُ مِن فِرجَينِ جارَتِها
ما زادَني ضُرّاً عَلى ضُرِّ
And I learned from Virginie, her neighbor,
What added harm upon my harm.
قَد كانَ هَذا يَومَ خُطبَتِها
يا أَرضُ ميدي يا سَما خِرّي
This was the day of her betrothal;
O earth, sway! O sky, fall down!
وَرَأَيتُ ساعِدَها بِساعِدِهِ
فَوَدَدتُ لَو غُيِّبتُ في قَبرِ
And I saw her forearm against his forearm,
And I wished I were hidden in a grave.
وَشَعَرتُ أَنَّ الأَرضَ واجِفَةٌ
تَحتي وَأَنَّ النارَ في صَدري
I felt that the earth was trembling
Beneath me, and that fire was in my chest.
وَخَشيتُ أَنَّ الوَجدَ يَسلِبُني
حِلمي وَيَغلِبُني عَلى أَمري
And I feared that passion would rob me
Of my reason, and overcome my will.
فَرَجِعتُ أَدراجي أُغالِبُهُ
اليَأسِ آوِنَة وَبِالصَبرِ
So I retraced my steps, wrestling with it,
With despair at times, and with patience.
قالوا الكَنيسَةُ خَيرُ تَعزِيَةٍ
لِمَنِ اِبتُلي في الحُبِّ بِالهَجرِ
They said the church is the best consolation
For one afflicted in love by abandonment.
فَنَذَرتُ أَن أَقضي الحَياةَ بِها
وَقَصَدتُها كَيما أَفي نَذري
So I vowed to spend my life within it,
And I sought it out to fulfill my vow.
لازَمتُها بَدرَينِ ما اِلتَفَتَت
عَيني إِلى شَمس وَلا بَدرِ
I remained there for two full moons, my eye
Turning neither to sun nor moon.
أَتلو أَناشيدَ النَبِيِّ ضُحىً
وَأُطالِعُ الإِنجيلَ في العَصرِ
Reciting the hymns of the Prophet in the forenoon,
And studying the Gospel in the afternoon.
حيناً مَعَ الرُهبانِ أَوينَةً
وَحدي وَأَحياناً مَعَ الحَبرِ
Sometimes with the monks,
Alone at times, and sometimes with the Bishop.
في الغابِ فَوقَ العُشبِ مُضطَجِعاً
في السَفحِ مُستَنِداً إِلى الصَخرِ
Lying in the forest upon the grass,
Or at the mountain foot leaning against the rock.
في غُرفَتي وَالريحُ راكِدَةٌ
بَينَ المَغارِس وَالصَبا تَسري
In my room when the wind was still,
Or among the groves when the zephyr blew.
حَتّى إِذا ما القَلبُ زايَلَهُ
تَبريحُه وَصَحَوتُ مِن سُكري
Until, when my heart had shed
Its torment, and I had sobered from my intoxication,
وَسَلَوتُها وَسَلَوتُ خاطِبَها
وَأَلِفتُ عَيشَ الضَنك وَالعُسرِ
And I had forgotten her, and forgotten her suitor,
And grew accustomed to a life of hardship and austerity,
عادَ القَضاءُ إِلى مُحارَبَتي
وَرَجِعتُ لِلشَكوى مِنَ الدَهرِ
Fate returned to war against me,
And I returned to complaining of time.
في ضَحوَةٍ وَقَفَ النَسيمُ بِها
مُتَرَدِّداً في صَفحَةِ النَهرِ
On a morning when the breeze stood still,
Hesitating upon the surface of the river,
كَالشاعِرِ الباكي عَلى طَلَلٍ
أَو قارِئٍ حَيرانَ في سِفرِ
Like a poet weeping over ruins,
Or a reader bewildered by a book.
وَالشَمسُ ساطِعَة وَلامِعَةٌ
تَكسو حَواشي النَهرِ بِالتِبرِ
The sun was shining and brilliant,
Clothing the riverbanks in gold dust.
وَالأَرضُ حالِيَةٌ جَوانِبُها
بِالزَهرِ مِن قان وَمُصفَرِّ
And the earth, adorned on all sides,
With flowers of deep red and yellow.
فَكَأَنَّها بِالعُشبِ كاسِيَةٌ
حَسناءَ في أَثوابِها الخُضرِ
As if, clothed in grass, she were
A beauty in her green garments.
وَعَلا هُتافُ الطَيرِ إِذ أَمِنَت
بَأسَ العُقاب وَصَولَةَ النَسرِ
The cheering of the birds rose, as they felt safe
From the might of the eagle and the assault of the vulture.
تَتلو عَلى أَهلِ الهَوى سُوَراً
لَيسَت بِمَنظوم وَلا نَثرِ
Reciting verses to the people of love,
That were neither poetry nor prose.
يَحنو الهَزارُ عَلى أَليفَتِهِ
وَيُداعِبُ القَمَرِيَّةَ القُمري
The nightingale bent tenderly over his mate,
And the male dove toyed with the female dove.
وَاِنسابَ كُلُّ مُصَفِّقٍ عَذبٍ
وَاِهتَزَّ كُلُّ مُهَفهَفٍ مَضِرِ
Every sweet, rippling stream flowed,
And every slender, fresh branch swayed.
فَتَذَكَّرَت نَفسي صَبابَتَها
ما أَولَعَ المَهجورَ بِالذِكرِ
Then my soul remembered its yearning;
How fond is the abandoned one of memories!
أَرسَلتُ طَرفي رائِداً فَجَرى
وَجَرى عَلى آثارِهِ فِكري
I sent my gaze as a scout, and it ran,
And my thoughts ran upon its tracks.
حَتّى دَوى صَوتُ الرَئيسِ بِنا
فَهَرَعت وَالرُهبانُ في إِثري
Until the voice of the Abbot thundered among us,
So I hastened, with the monks behind me.
وَإِذا بِنا نَلقى كَنيسَتَنا
بِالوافِدينَ تَموجُ كَالبَحرِ
And lo, we found our church
Surging with arrivals like the sea.
وَإِذا بِها وَإِذا الفَتى هِنري
في حَلَّةٍ بَيضاءَ كَالفَجرِ
And there she was, and there was young Henry,
In a suit as white as the dawn.
تَمشي وَيَمشي بَينَ ذي أَدَبٍ
حُلو وَبَينَ مَليحَةٍ بِكرِ
She walked, and he walked, amidst men of culture
And amidst beautiful maidens.
رَفَعَ الرَئيسُ عَلَيهِما يَدَهُ
وَأَنا أَرى وَيَدي عَلى صَدري
The Abbot raised his hand over them,
While I watched, my hand upon my chest.
يا قَلبُ ذُب يا مُهجَتي اِنفَطِري
يَ طَرفُ فِض بِالأَدمُعِ الحُمرِ
Melt, O heart! Break, O soul!
O eye, overflow with red tears!
أَغمَضتُ أَجفاني عَلى مَضَضٍ
وَطَوَيتُ أَحشائي عَلى الجَمرِ
I closed my eyelids in bitterness,
And folded my vitals over burning embers.
وَخَشيتُ أَنَّ الوَجدَ يَسلِبُني
حِلمي وَيَغلِبُني عَلى أَمري
And I feared that passion would rob me
Of my reason, and overcome my will.
فَرَجِعتُ أَدراجي أُغالِبُهُ
بِاليَأسِ آوِنَة وَبِالصَبرِ
So I retraced my steps, wrestling with it,
With despair at times, and with patience.
وَخَرَجتُ لا أَلوي عَلى أَحَدٍ
وَرَضيتُ بَعدَ الزُهدِ بِالكُفرِ
I went out, turning back for no one,
And accepted disbelief after asceticism.
أَشفَقتُ مِن هَمّي عَلى كَبِدي
وَخَشيتُ مِن دَمعي عَلى نَحري
I pitied my heart for my distress,
And feared for my throat from the flood of tears.
فَكَلفتُ بِالصَهباءِ أَشرَبُها
في مَنزِلي في الحانِ في القَفرِ
So I devoted myself to red wine, drinking it
In my home, in the tavern, in the wasteland.
أَبغي الشِفاءَ مِنَ الهُمومِ بِها
فَتُزيدُني وِقراً عَلى وَقرِ
Seeking a cure for my worries in it,
But it only added burden upon burden.
وَتَزيدُني وَلَعاً بِها وَهَوىً
وَتَزيدُني حِقداً عَلى هِنري
It increased my fondness and love for her,
And increased my hatred toward Henry.
قالَ الطَبيب وَقَد رَأى سَقَمي
لِلَّهِ مِن فِعلِ الهَوى العُذري
The doctor said, when he saw my sickness—
God save us from the effects of chaste love!
ما لي بِدائِكَ يا فَتى قِبَلٌ
السِحرُ مُحتاجٌ إِلى سِحرِ
"I have no power over your malady, young man;
Magic is in need of magic."
وَمَضى يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّهُ أَسَفاً
وَلَبِثتُ كَالمَقتولِ في الوَكرِ
He went away turning his palm in regret,
And I remained like a slain man in his den.
ما أَبصَرَت عَينايَ غانِيَةً
إِلّا ذَكَرتُ إِلى الدُمى فَقري
My eyes did not see a beauty
Without remembering my poverty regarding my idol.
وَسَإِمتُ داري وَهيَ واسِعَةٌ
فَتَرَكتُها وَخَرَجتُ في أَمرِ
I grew weary of my house, spacious though it was,
So I left it and went out on an errand.
فَرَأَيتُها في السوقِ واقِفَةً
وَدُموعُها تَنهَلُّ كَالقَطرِ
And I saw her standing in the market,
Her tears pouring down like rain.
في بُردَةٍ كَاللَيلِ حالِكَةٍ
لَهَفي عَلى أَثوابِها الحُمرِ
In a cloak as pitch-black as night—
My grief for her red garments!
فَدَنَوتُ أَسأَلُها وَقَد جَزِعَت
نَفسي وَزَلزَلَ حُزنُها ظَهري
I approached to ask her, while my soul
Panicked, and her sadness shook my back.
قالَت قَضى هِنري فَقُلتُ قَضى
مَن كادَ لي كَيدا وَلَم يَدرِ
She said, "Henry has died." I said, "Died?"
"He who plotted against me without knowing?"
لا تَكرَهوا شَرّاً يُصيبُكُمُ
فَلَرُبَّ خَيرٍ جاءَ مِن شَرِّ
"Do not hate an evil that befalls you,
For perhaps good comes from evil."
وَهَفا هَواها بي فَقُلتُ لَها
قَد حَلَّ هَذا المَوتُ مِن أَسري
Her love stirred within me, so I said to her,
"This death has unloosed my bonds."
قالَت وَمِن أَسري فَقُلتُ إِذَن
لي أَنتِ قالَت أَنتَ ذو الأَمرِ
She said, "And my bonds too." I said, "Then,"
"You are mine." She said, "You have the command."
فَأَدَرتُ زِندِيَ حَولَ مِنكَبِها
وَلَثَمتُها في النَحر وَالثَغرِ
So I wrapped my arm around her shoulder,
And kissed her on the throat and the mouth.
وَشَفَيتُ نَفسي مِن لَواعِجَها
وَثَأَرتُ بَِلتَصريحِ مِن سِرّي
I healed my soul of its burning pains,
And avenged my secret by declaring it.
ثُمَّ اِنثَنَيتُ بِها عَلى عَجَلٍ
بابَ الكَنيسَةِ جاعِلاً شَطري
Then I turned away with her in haste,
Making the church door my destination.
وَهُنالِكَ بارَكَني وَهَنَّأَني
مَن هَنَّأوا قَبلي الفَتى هِنري
And there, he blessed me and congratulated me—
The very ones who had congratulated young Henry before me.
مِن بَعدِ شَهرٍ مَرَّ لي مَعَها
أَبصَرتُ وَضحَ الشَيبِ في شَعري
After a month passed for me with her,
I saw the white of gray hair in my locks.
ما كُنتُ أَدري قَبلَ صُحبَتِها
أَنَّ المَشيبَ يَكونُ في شَهرِ
I did not know, before living with her,
That graying could happen in a single month.
فَكَّرتُ في هِنري وَكَيفَ قَضى
فَوَجَدتُ هِنري واضِحَ العُذرِ
I thought of Henry and how he died,
And I found Henry to have a clear excuse.
يا طالَما قَد كُنتُ أَحسُدُهُ
وَاليَومَ أَحسُدُهُ عَلى القَبرِ
Oh, how long I used to envy him,
But today, I envy him the grave.
