عَتَبَت عَلَيكَ مَليحَةُ العَتبِ
غَضبى مُهاجِرَةً بِلا ذَنَبِ
The fair one reproached me though blameless was my wrath
An emigrant, though no crime had I wrought
قالَت أَما تَنفَكُّ ذا أَمَلٍ
مُتَنَقِّلاً شَرِهاً عَلى الحُبِّ
She said: will you not desist, still hopeful
Wandering evilly about love?
كَلّا وَأَيديهِنَّ دامِيَةٌ
في عُقلِها بِمَواقِفِ الرَكبِ
Nay, by their bloody hands
In her reason at the caravan's halting-places
ما كانَ في زَعمٍ هَواكِ وَلا
أَضمَرتُ غَيرَ هَواكِ في قَلبي
Never did I claim your love, nor held
Other than your love in my heart
قالَت عَسى قَولٌ يُمَرِّضُهُ
ما صَحَّ باطِنُهُ مِنَ العَتبِ
Said she: maybe some words that sicken him
When his inner self was blameless of reproach
إِنَّ الزَمانَ رَمَت حَوادِثَهُ
هَدَفَ الشَبابِ بِأَسهُمٍ شُهبِ
Verily time has shot its accidents
Aiming at youth with grey arrowheads
فَبَقيتُ مُضنىً في مَحَبَّتِها
مُرَّ الوِصالِ مُكَرَّهَ القُربِ
So I remained, anguished for her love
Bitterly intimate, hating the proximity
مِن بَعدِ ما قَد كُنتُ أَيَّ فَتىً
كَقَضيبِ بانٍ ناعِمٍ رَطبِ
After I had been such a valiant knight
As a supple, moist rod of springing wood
فَإِذا رَأَتني عَينُ غانِيَةٍ
قالَت لِرائِدِ لَحظِها حَسبي
So when a wanton eye saw me
It said to its glance's guide “enough!”
يا صاحِ إِنَّ الدَهرَ صَيَّرَني
ما قَد تَرى قِشراً عَلى عَضبِ
“O friend, time has made me” she said
“That which you see, a rind on a stick
ما زالَ يُغري بي حَوادِثَهُ
وَيَزيدُني نَكباً عَلى نَكبِ
It has not ceased tempting me with its accidents
And increasing my adversity upon adversity
حَتّى لَأَبقاني كَما تَرَني
صَمصامَةً مَفلولَةَ الغَربِ
Until it leaves me as you see me
A broken reed with severed knots
إِنّي مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ بِهِم
فَخَرَت قُرَيشُ عَلى بَني كَعبِ
I am of the folk by whom fell
Quraysh upon Bani Kaab
صَبرٌ إِذا ما الدَهرُ عَضَّهُمُ
وَأَكُفُّهُم خُضُرٌ لَدى الجَدبِ
Patience, when time afflicts them
And most generous when ruinous the drought
وَلَهُم وِراثَةُ كُلِّ مَكرُمَةٍ
وَبِهِم تُعَلِّقُ دَعوَةُ الكَربِ
Theirs is the inheritance of all magnanimity
And in them hangs the prayer of hardship
وَإِذا الوَغى كانَت ضَراغِمَةً
وَعَلَت عَجاجَةُ مَوقِفٍ صَعبِ
And when there is a melee, forming squadrons
And the furies of the fearsome theatre rise high
لَبِسوا حُصوناً مِن حَديدِهِمُ
صَبّارَةً لِلطَعنِ وَالضَربِ
They don coats of mail against its stabs and blows
Until their vengeance heals them in the field of war
حَتّى تُبَلِّغَهُم شِفائَهُمُ
مِن ثارِهِم في مَوقِفِ الحَربِ
And their steeds return with each brave knight
Who disobeys the towering angry rods
وَعَدَت جِيادُهُمُ بِكُلِّ فَتىً
يَعصى بِقائِمِ مُنصُلٍ عَضبِ
Bitter when his rage attains its zeal
Sweetly pleased when peaceable his wont”
مَرٍّ إِذا بَلَغَت حَفيظَتَهُ
حَلوِ الرِضا في سِلمِهِ عَذبِ
